Pauline Sisters launch 75th jubilee celebration

The Daughters of St. Paul launched the 3-year preparation of its diamond jubilee celebration of foundation in the Philippines in 2013 with a Holy Mass celebrated Thursday at the Sanctuary of Queen of Apostles in Harrison St., Pasay City.

Presided by Masbate Bishop Jose Bantolo, the Holy Mass was concelebrated by Manila Archdiocese Vicar for Religious, Fr. James Perry, MM and several priests from the Society of St. Paul.

Attended by members of the Pauline family, benefactors and friends of the congregation, the Mass began with the processional entrance of some sisters carrying cultural symbols that represent the various Pauline communities in the country and its year of foundation.

A simple reception followed after the Eucharist. The celebration was capped with a musical concert with the University of the East Chorale and the Pauline choir as performers. With Elsie Eranista of the Madrigal Singers conducting, the Pauline choir was accompanied by Alejandro Consolacion II at the organ, and Franz Miguel Ramirez playing the oboe.

Themed "75 Years Celebrating Fidelity, Counting Blessings, Reinvigorating Service", the launch of the 3-year preparation was done simultaneously in all 13 communities of the Pauline sisters throughout the country.

Various activities are lined up during the three-year preparation leading to the celebration of the jubilee in 2013, according to Sr. Evangelina Canag, a member of the core group of the jubilee executive committee.

Among the activities she mentioned are the target diffusion of 75,000 thousand bibles to families, conducting of bible studies and lectio divina on the word of God, bible enthronements at homes, publication of pamphlets on the thoughts of Blessed James Alberione, founder of the Pauline family and publication of books on the life of the pioneer sisters in the Philippines.

She also mentioned some other activities that have social impact but are still to be threshed out, like planting trees for the environment and feeding and teaching catechism to children.

First Philippine foundation

The Daughters of St. Paul founded its first community in Lipa, Batangas when a group of three Italian Sisters arrived in the country in October 13, 1938. The house in Lipa now serves as the novitiate where young sisters preparing for consecration undergo training and study of religious life.

Since then, the congregation has branched out to different regions across the country and founded communities and media centers in Pasay, Manila, where the central house, apostolic centers and pre-novitiate house are currently located; Davao, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cebu, Baguio, Tuguegarao, Legazpi, Naga and Marikina, which also serves as the Juniorate House where Junior sisters pursuing their theological studies at Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City, stay.

The Daughters of St. Paul, whose main charism is evangelization through the means of social communication, are second among the 10 religious and secular institutes founded by Blessed James Alberione, an Italian priest beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 27, 2003.