June 30, 2010 (Sanctuary of St Paul the Apostle, Makati City)—June 30 is a special day for the Society of Saint Paul, and for all Paulines. While the Universal Church celebrates June 29 as the solemnity of the martyrdom of Sts Peter and Paul, by a special indult of the Holy See we celebrate June 30 as the solemn feast of St Paul, patron and father of the Pauline Family. June 30, 2010, however, was even made more special by our history in the Philippine-Macau Province. On this day, the Society of St Paul in this circumscription, together with sizable delegations of members from the other Pauline congregations, celebrated with joy and thanksgiving the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the SSP Makati Communty. Since its formal canonical inauguration on June 30, 1960 this community has become the hub of the community life and apostolate of the Pauline priests and brothers in the Philippines and Macau.
The SSP Makati Community is the third community founded by the Pauline priests and brothers in the circumscription. The first SSP Community of the Philippines and Macau was put up in 1935, in Lipa, Batangas—around 85 kilometers south of Manila. This community was closed, and its assets were sold to the Daughters of St Paul when, just before the Second World War erupted, the Pauline priests and brothers were accepted to stay and do apostolate in the Archdiocese of Manila. The second SSP Community which continues to exists in the Philippines and Macau is the Our Lady of Sorrows Parish along F.B. Harrison street in Pasay (formerly Rizal) City. In need of a more spacious lot to house a growing number of seminarians, and to expand the operations of the printing press and publishing house, the Pauline priests and brothers purchased a 4-hectare lot in San Antonio Village in Makati at a token price from the Ayala company. On June 30, 1960, after Rufino Cardinal Santos blessed the first building, the bigger number of the SSP priests and brothers moved to the new facilitiies in Makati.
Aside from the first seminary and community building that also housed a decent chapel, the facilities of the SSP Makati Community were later expanded to include: a separate 3-storey, L-shaped building for the priests and the professed members, a printing plant that also hosted the offices of the various publications, a 3-storey building for the ST PAULS Bookstore which was then better known as "Libreria." The growing needs of the SSP Philippine-Macau Province, and the changing demands of the communications apostolate also continued to transform the life of the SSP Makati Coimmunity. Half of the lot was sold to builders of residential and office facilities, and the proceeds oif this sale was used to establish a new seminary for college aspirants, and a new community that is now known as the St Paul Seminary Foundation Community in Silang, Cavite. The remaining piece of property of the SSP Makati Community was developed to include: a new chapel in honor of St Paul, a central house and warehouse for ST PAULS Diffusion, and a covered basketball that can also be used for various community functions. When the printing press began to be closed in 2005, its building was converted to be the apostolic center for all the publications of ST PAULS.
Throughout its history and metamorphosis, the SSP Makati Community remains to be the hub and the "welcoming community" of the Philippine-Macau province. Aside from hosting the offices of the ST PAULS publications, sales and marketing, this Pauline community located in the premier business location of Makati is also the venue of the yearly Provincial Assemblies of members, and the place for most of the important liturgical celebrations of the Paulines (which include priestly ordinations, religious professions, etc.). The compound also hosts the Juniorate Community, and the Provincial Community.
The Most Reverend Luis Antonio Tagle, DD, Ordinary of the Diocese of Imus, presided over the memorable Eucharist to mark the 50th year of the SSP Makati Communtiy. The Most Reverend Federico Escaler, SJ, DD, Bishop Emeritus of Ipil in Zamboanga, concelebrated with Fr. Ruben Areño, SSP Provincial; Fr Cris Robert Cellan, SSP Local Superior of Makati; Fr. Dante Lumabas, SSP Provincial Delegate for the Aggregated Institutes; and Fr Domie Guzman, SSP Formator for the Institute of the Holy Family. Other Pauline priests of the local community and of other communities, as well as priests-friends from the Archdiocese of Manila also joined in offering the Holy Eucharist.
The Lukan Gospel about Jesus' inauguration of his public life in Galilee, was proclaimed as the solemn lesson for the Liturgy of the Word. Reflecting on this Gospel periscope, Bishop Tagle exhorted the Pauline priests and brothers to faithfulness to mission. He noted that the fullness of the Holy Spirit in Jesus led him to a life of servanthood that was expressed in mission to the poor, and in the mission of proclaiming the good news. He also emphasized the need to be possessed by the Spirit of God. In pointed to this last one as the necessary fount of community and mission.
The Makati Community Superior Fr Cellan announced during the beginning of the Eucharist that while the local community was commemorating history, it is also making a new history! Within the solemn Eucharist, everyone witnessed the First Profession of the Vows of Conjugal Chastity, Poverty and Obedience of the first Filipino members of the Institute of the Holy Family (ISF). This congregation formed by lay persons in family and married life -- either as couples, or as single/solo parents -- is one of 4 Vatican-approved institutes founded by Blessed James Alberione as aggregated (that is, attached in administration and formation) to the Society of St Paul. In a sense, we can refer to these 4 institutes as "modern versions of a third order" attached by the Blessed Founder to the work of the Society of St Paul.
With their respective families acting as witness, those who were welcomed by Fr Areno as first Filipino professed members of Institute of the Holy Family (ISF) are: Matea O. Benavides, Carmela G. Estrada, Agnes C. Haw, Lourdes M. Ocampo, and Linda M. Valeza. These pioneer ISF members in the Philippines and Macau started their formation under Fr Celso Godilano, SSP, who put up the first meetings for the establishment of the ISF in February 2006. When Fr Godilano was made Regional Delegate to the SSP England-Ireland Region, the group continued through the two-year novitiate program with Fr Domie Guzman as formator.
During the Rite of Religious Profession for the ISF, Fr Cris Cellan witnessed in the name of the congregation, Fr Areño presided over the interrogation and pronouncement of vows. He also gave the ISF members the insignia of the Pauline Family.
The program of the day, as it had been planned and coordinated by a committee led by Fr Rey Reyes, was capped by an agape for all at the Don Zanoni Covered Court.
PRAISED BE JESUS CHRIST.
