Our Korean outreach...

By Denzil Rodrigues

We arrived in Korea on the night of 10^th August 2010 to the warm welcome of ICPE Korea, led by Titus. The following day, we went straight into preparations for the two major upcoming outreaches.

The first event was the 3 day Korean Youth Day in Uijeongbu Diocese. On the first day, Titus and Domi gave a session on Sexuality for the youth whilst Carol and I performed a skit for the session. The next day, we organized sessions of workshops for the youth. We took turns to perform skits, to give short teachings and testimonies.

Our second outreach was the School of Evangelization in Kkottongne (Flower Village). In collaboration with ICPE Korea, the event drew thirty participants, including youths, adults, families and elderly couples. We had Praise and worship sessions, teachings, skits ,cell groups and prayer ministry sessions. Some of the participants shared that they experienced a major breakthrough in their life in the event. It was very touching to see them reconcile with each other during the ministry time. Even during the sessions of Praise and Worship, there was such joy to praise God. During the event, we also helped to minister to four children of the participants. I enjoyed playing with them even though I could not communicate in Korean and relied mainly on gestures.

As it was my first time in Korea I was blessed to see a new culture, to meet new people and to eat different kinds of food. I also experienced the warm greetings of people whom I would meet or pass by.

During the outreach, we experienced God’s providence in our fundraising efforts for the trip. We managed to raise the required US$800 through the sales of our home made cards and through the sponsorship of generous benefactors. We thank you for your prayers, support and participation in our mission in Korea! God bless you all!

Our community on retreat...

Two weeks ago, our community spent 5 days of retreat at our centre in Tagaytay. Rev Fr Ron Bagley, CJM, our retreat director, provided us with rich insights from the gospel passages about various encounters with Jesus. Coming together at the end of each day, we had the opportunity to listen to each community member's encounter with the Lord in prayer that day. It was a blessed time of being, praying and bonding together as a community- refreshed by Jesus to know Him and to continue to make Him known in our lives.

Coming together for morning reflections with Fr Ron...


Celebrating the Holy Eucharist together at the end of the retreat...
On the last night, an Agape meal to share Christ's love through the gift of each other with fellowship at the table

Living Letters, our enewsletter Sept 2010

Sept 2010 Living Letters

Esther in Korea

Before attending the Congress of Asian Catholic Laity, held for the first time in Asia, Esther had the opportunity to team up with Titus from ICPE Korea for a series of talks.

Sharing with members of a Bible study group...

Deepening my friendship with Jesus

Last Sunday we had a day’s recollection for some youth from Manila. Having arrived the previous evening, they were up and raring to go early Sunday morning eager to know what was in store for them that day. Their first session began with a time of praise and worship led by Joan, after which they were introduced to the theme of the day’s recollection, Deepening My Friendship With Jesus. In this session of teaching, Fr. Alliston brought out the different elements that make up a genuine friendship while also sharing his personal journey with Jesus, the friend.

This was followed by a time for personal reflection to see how Jesus, their friend had accompanied each of them in their life’s journey up to this moment and then Joan facilitated a time for sharing with each other in the group which left us edified by what each of them had to share.

After lunch, the youth spent some time in creativity- using arts and crafts to prepare a souvenir of their friendship with Jesus. A time of Eucharistic Adoration gave them an occasion for being in Jesus’ presence, enabling them to come to a renewed relationship with Him after reconciling with Him through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The day’s recollection culminated with each of them Cementing their Friendship with Jesus at the Eucharist. After having dinner with us, they departed happily, having being invigorated by a deeper encounter with Jesus, the friend.

Priest for the Mission

Having sensed a vocation to the priesthood I was looking out to join a particular religious congregation of men. However, after undergoing a discernment retreat, I decided to join the Institute for World Evangelisation ICPE Mission whose School of Mission I had attended earlier. As there was no precedence of having ordained ministers as part of this mission, I had to face many questions, the answers to which I did not have, while only trusting that the Lord was leading me in this direction.

After more than seven years of study and priestly formation I was ordained a priest for the ICPE Mission on April 10^th, 2010 on the eve of the feast of the Divine Mercy in “The Year of the Priest” which also happens to be the 25^th anniversary of the ICPE Mission.

Through all this I see that God has been faithful to His call over my life and has led me thus far. I pray that through God's grace I will be truly anointed to become his instrument of healing and wholeness to all people, particularly through ministering the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation.

Fr Alliston arrived 3 weeks ago in the Philippines and he will be serving with the community here until early 2011. He was also warmly welcomed by His Excellency, Most Rev Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D. STB, Bishop of the Diocese of Imus.

Korea here we come!

For the past few weeks, Domisiano, Carol and Denzil, the members of our staff formation have been gearing up for a mission outreach in Korea. After an excited send off to the airport yesterday, they will remain in Seoul, Korea until the end of August. Together with ICPE Korea, our team will participate and serve at the workshops of the Korean Youth Day and they will also assist in a three day mini School of Evangelisation.

Apart from praying for the outreach, preparing teachings and practicing mimes, they have also been actively raising funds for the trip.






One of their fund raising project was to make cards for sale. Putting together their creative minds and hands, they came up with the following products which will be sold in Korea:-

We ask for your prayers as they reach out to the nation of Korea and we look forward to updating you when they return!

Music training at Balikatan Ministry!

In our efforts to empower the members of our Balikatan Ministry in Montalban, Rizal Province, we have started guitar lessons for 10 of our members. Coming together once every fortnight, they are coached in the basics of guitar playing by our very own Domi! Although our members share one guitar at the lesson, it does not dampen their spirits as they come together to learn. Here’s what they have to say...
Georgina Calanao

"I want to learn how to play the guitar so that I can play for worship. My problem is that I do not have a guitar so I can’t practice. I find our music training very helpful as I can now play more during our small group meetings. I enjoy playing the guitar and singing."

Cristina Panelo

"I want to play the guitar as I would like to start playing in the church and also for our small group meetings. I’ve always wanted to play when I was young but I never had the chance to learn."

Perla Melmida

"I want very much to be able to play the guitar as I want to eventually lead worship. One day I hope to be able to pray by playing the guitar and worshipping God."

Reaching out to youths...

This June, we had the privilege of reaching out to over 200 youths in a 3 day Youth Camp. It was an amazing experience of meeting energetic and vibrant youths and sharing with them the message of God's love for them...
...through music, praise and worship and action songs!

...through group activites, presentations and group sharings

...through testimonies and teaching sessions

...through creativity, mimes and sign language to song

"The wonder of Your love will break the chains that bind us, the power of Your touch releases us to worship" from the song The Wonder of Your Love

Throughout the camp, we witnessed the power of God's love that broke through chains and released the youths in worship and a new encounter with His love. In awe of His mighty works, we can only bow down and humbly proclaim that all glory belongs to Him alone!

A video clip of the ministry night.. performing the mime "The Gift" followed by a prayer session..

Who says life in the missions is boring?

12 July 2010 (Monday)

- The discovery of a (thankfully!!!) dead snake behind our washing machine that nearly disrupted all laundry activities for the day! Rannie to the rescue!

14 July 2010- (Wednesday) 2am

Howling winds as Typhoon Basyang (international codename Conson) ripped through Central Luzon at wind speeds of 120kph. It rattled our windows, ripped off a piece of our zinc covering at the drying area and flooded our kitchen, dining area and library.

14 July 2010- (Wednesday) 5:30am

Damage inspection and the start of clean up work... on our knees...



...with mops, pails and anything we could gather to stop the leak- a feat accomplished in darkness because of a power failure!








Collecting rain water just in case our water supply runs out!

14 July 2010- (Wednesday) 7:10am

Finally some breakfast... (still in the dark!)
Helter-skelter in the garden with fallen pots and garden chairs...

15 July 2010- (Thursday)

Thankfully Typhoon Basyang is currently moving out of Luzon. Our power supply resumed late Wednesday night and we didn't have to use the collected rain water after all! Typhoon Basyang left 18 people dead and 57 others missing in Central Luzon.