In the well-known apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the map of his ministry as universal pastor, Pope Francis states clearly "there is a need for a Church that constantly goes out of itself, keeping in its mission its gaze fixed on Jesus Christ and its commitment to the poor. (EG 97)
This is an appeal to everyone: "all of us are called to take part in this new "missionary outing". Every Christian and every community must discern the path that the Lord indicates, but the appeal is addressed to all to obey his call. (EG 20)
In response to the impulses of the Spirit and to the repeated invitation addressed to us by the pastor of the Diocese of Dagupan, after the necessary discernment and approval of the major superiors, last July a small group of confreres swarmed from the community of Manila towards the North of the Philippines accompanied by some young postulants. An exit from the great metropolis towards the rice fields of the suburbs, about four hours away. A decision animated by trust and courage, with the sole intention of humbly but joyfully spreading the seed of the gospel of charity planted by Providence almost thirty years ago, in the shade of a large mango that never ceases to produce not only its natural fruits, but also those no less delicious than daily service and discreet closeness to so many brothers and sisters particularly tried by fatigue and poverty.
It was therefore a surprise for many to see how, a few months after their almost silent arrival in the north of the country, our confreres and young seminarians have already familiarized themselves with the local people and woven networks of friendship and delicate attention around the poor, starting with children, peasant families, the elderly, especially the bedridden and most needy. They are turning their gaze and their hearts precisely towards the elderly in need, thus responding from the outset to a need of the area as well as to the specific offer of help from a local lay association which has made available to our earthly mission and simple structure. Precisely this 'house' intended to welcome and care for needy elderly people has provisionally become the simple residence of religious and young people in formation. A 'fraternal roof' under which a variety of activities and initiatives of liturgical animation, catechesis, training of volunteers and welcome and collaborators are already teeming.
But the flagship of this new and young outpost of the Guanellian mission is the priority attention given right from the start to people with disabilities present in the diocese. The imagination of charity prompted the confreres to go to public schools in the area and identify disabled children in need of special catechesis that would make them feel a living part of the Church, recipients but also special witnesses of Jesus' love for the 'little ones and the poor of spirit'.
Following a systematic program of catechesis adapted to their abilities and sensibilities, over two hundred of our special brothers and sisters were able to receive for the first time Eucharistic communion and the sacrament of confirmation administered to them with paternal delicacy by Archbishop HE Socrate Villegas, who he spared no words of gratitude and encouragement for the whole local Church to follow up on this extraordinary event of grace, spreading and promoting with constancy, attention and pastoral sensitivity towards this particular portion of the family of God and of society.
Truly a new way and a different opportunity to live and bear witness to our contagious passion for the favorites of Providence that the founder has accustomed us to call 'good children' of the common Father.
An invitation to get out of the trend of 'it's always been done this way' to open wide the doors and the heart to fresh service initiatives which, not only reach more people in difficulty and often marginalized, but help to form a new spirit in the civil and ecclesial community of co-responsibility in promoting and spreading respect for the dignity of all, starting with the most fragile and defenceless.
In the archdiocese of Dagupan, 30 November has already officially become "Day of the Person with Disabilities". Over five hundred people walked through the central streets of the town of Santa Barbara, following the pace and rhythm of the local musical band, publicly promoting attention and solidarity around families in which there are special children who therefore need and are entitled to affection special. A special love that they know how to contagiously spread all around. We Guanellians are eyewitnesses of this, wherever we are present in the world.
Philippines: a new frontline mission post
In his well-known Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, road map of his ministry as universal Shepherd, Pope Francis clearly states that "we need a Church that constantly goes out of itself, keeping in her mission her sight fixed on Jesus Christ and on her commitment to the poor” (EG 97)
This appeal is addressed to all: “we are all called to participate in this new 'missionary out going'. Every Christian and every community should discern the path that the Lord is indicating; but to each one the responsibility of obeying such call”. (EG 20)
In response to the Spirit impulses and to a repeated invitation, coming from the Shepherd of the Diocese of Dagupan, after necessary discernment and approval of the major superiors, last July a small group of confreres, along with a few young postulants, has moved from our Manila community toward the North of the Philippines. A departure from a large metropolis toward a peripheral rice field region, at about four hour driving distance. A decision inspired by trust and courage, made with the sole intent of spreading, in joyful humility, the seed of the gospel of charity planted by Divine Providence almost thirty years ago, under the shade of a large mango tree that never stops producing not only its natural fruits but also those, not less delicious, of a daily service and discreet closeness to many needy brothers and sisters who carry heavy burdens in their life.
Many have noticed with a sense of wonder how, within a very short span of time, our confreres and young seminarians have easily become familiarized with the new local community, through a network of friendship and a caring attitude toward the poor, beginning with the children, the farming families, the elders, especially those bedridden and most needy.
Precisely toward the elders who require more urgent attention our brothers are focusing their heart and special care, answering in that way not only to one of the primary needs of that area but also responding to a specific request of a local lay association that has put at our disposal a piece of land and a simple building. So, what was planned to be a 'home for the aged' has become temporarily the simple residence of the religious and the young people in formation. Under such lively “fraternal roof”, you may already see the sprouting of a variety of activities and initiatives: catechetical formation, liturgical and community celebrations, training of volunteers, gathering of youth and cooperators…
However, the jewel of this new and youthful Guanellian mission post appears to be the special attention given since the beginning to our brethren with disabilities; a ministry not yet fully explored in that diocese. The creativity of charity has urged our confreres to visit local public schools searching for 'differently abled students' in need of a special catechesis and accompaniment that would make them too feel integral and precious part of the Church, not only as recipients of assistance but also as special witnesses of the love of Jesus who showed preferential affection to the little ones and the poor in spirit.
Following a program of appropriate catechetical instruction adjusted to their capabilities and language, more than two hundred young boys and girls with special needs have had access for the first time to Holy Communion as well as to the sacrament of Confirmation that Archbishop Socrates Villegas administered to them with touching gentleness. The good Bishop took that opportunity to express, along with his gratitude, a heartfelt appeal to the local Church to give continuity to that grace-filled event by spreading and promoting a constant attention and pastoral sensitivity toward this special portion of God's family and of the human society.
We Guanellian have perceived in Pangasinan the invitation to bear witness in a new a creative way to that contagious passion for the favorite ones of Divine Providence whom Fr. Guanella has taught us to call ”good children” of our common Father. A call not to get trapped in the tendency of “just doing things the old usual way“; a call instead to open wide the door of the heart to new and fresh initiatives which not only enable us to reach a larger number of people in need, but also help the civic and ecclesial community grow in the spirit of responsibility in spreading respect for everybody's dignity, starting from the most vulnerable and unprotected ones.
November 30 has already become in the Archdiocese of Dagupan the official “Day of Persons with disability “. More than five hundred people have walked through the main roads of the town of Sta. Barbara, at the joyful rhythm of a local band, awakening public awareness and solidarity around the families with children with special needs who therefore deserve special affection and care. A special love that they themselves are capable of spreading contagiously all around. Of such love, we Guanellians are direct witnesses, wherever we are.
Pancasinan: New Mission Children of the Mission. Visiting the families of the Mission, house by house
The school year begins soon