Triple joys on Pentecost!

Celebrating Pentecost, 25th Anniversary of the ICPE Mission and our House Blessing!

“Give us life with you on high, Give us joys that never end.”
While singing the Sequence at the Pentecost Mass, it felt like a joy that never seemed to end and triple the celebration as we celebrated Pentecost, commemorated the 25th anniversary of the ICPE Mission AND blessed our new house in Tagaytay, Philippines!

We started the day bright and early with mass, presided by His Excellency, Most Rev Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D. STB, Bishop of the Diocese of Imus, where we are currently located. Four of our priest friends joined the Bishop in concelebrating the Eucharist. Together with us were around 70 guests, comprising the neighbouring religious congregations, friends and benefactors of our mission centre in the Philippines. Gathering together with people from various nationalities and cultures, Bishop Tagle commented that it was indeed a glimpse of Pentecost where the disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit transcended language barriers and spoke in languages that were comprehensible to the different people there. Likewise, we were called to transcend closed doors of language and cultural differences to proclaim the Good News with the power of the Holy Spirit.

During the Mass, Bishop Tagle blessed the house and officially welcomed us to the Diocese of Imus. For us the celebration was even more joyfilled with the installation of the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel for adoration. Andrina and Carol then performed a beautiful sign language to the song “To the Ends of the Earth”, a reminder for us, that filled with the Holy Spirit, we are able to bring Jesus to the ends of the earth.

After our Eucharistic celebration ended, we tucked in to a buffet brunch and had a beautiful time getting to know our neighbours and guests. We continue to praise God for the gif t of life with Him on high that we are privileged to taste a little of this day!

new beginnings...

We welcome Esther Fong, our new mission centre director!

The past week was a special time for our community in the Philippines as we welcomed the new director of our mission centre, Esther Fong. We had a beautiful and simple ceremony to pray for Esther as she signed the letter of appointment by our ICPE mission international director Mario Capello. Esther is also currently serving as one of the members of the Executive Council of the ICPE Mission.

We also thanked our outgoing director, Jitka Svozilova, for her tireless service as centre director for the past 5 years in the Philippines. She led the community in the vision of empowering the poor through her faithfulness and dedication to respond to the Lord with her yes.

As the change of leadership took place, we as a community truly thank God for the gift of leadership, especially in laying down of lives of our leaders in the service of the community!

My Holy Week in Tagaytay!

by Therese Choong
“Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

Holy Week in the Philippines is a Holy week like no other.

As a community, we adjourned to our parish, 'Our Lady of Lourdes' here in Tagaytay, Philippines for the Holy week celebrations.

Right from Maundy Thursday's liturgy to Easter Sunday, the parish was filled to the brim with people. In fact many were left standing for the entire duration of the mass/service.

The altar had already been prepared with 12 empty chairs for 12 men representing the apostles to allow their feet to be washed. Who are the people who will fill these vacant chairs left by the apostles? As I pondered, I felt we are all called to lead exemplary lives, called to be quality disciples, and to go boldly, just as we are, limited in understanding, sinners, to take up our positions and allow God to love us and send us forth like the early disciples.

Good Friday service was a very reverent experience. Every parishioner stood throughout the long readings and participated fully. In the Philippines, there is also a procession after the mass to commemorate the death of Jesus. This procession, call

ed the Mater Dolorosa (the Sorrowful Mother), took place on the main street of Tagaytay, where the normal peak hour traffic went alongside the procession.

The Easter Vigil was very well attended and in fact many parishioners stood throughout the 3 hour mass because there just wasn't enough room. As the church dimmed its lights, there was a hush, an awaiting. The 'Hallelujah's have not been sung in a long while. 40 days to be exact. And now, each one lighting their candle, each little light being passed on, the church now, once again lit with hope. And all the different versions of Hallelujahs are now sung,

And Finally on Easter Sunday. As the priest preached, Easter is like God's Valentine's day for us, showing us His immense love on that cross and letting us rise with him.

Though the masses were in Tagalog, we intensely felt the unity of the church as it worships together- many languages, many countries, many people, but one holy and apostolic church.