On April 19, 17 FSP Formands (4 aspirants, 4 prepostulants, 3 postulants, 2 novices and 4 Juniors) with their formators and 2 perpetually professed Sisters, set out for a 2-week summer mission in Mulanay, Quezon. They will be joined by 3 more Juniors on April 22.Summer missions are done annually, and this year, the missionaries have opted for Mulanay, a place situated on the Bondoc Peninsula, 272 km away from Manila, or roughly about 8 hours drive.The summer mission is still ongoing as of this writing, and you will hear more of the activities when the missionaries come back after two weeks. For now, we would like to share with you some details of the 1st Bible Seminar that we held as part of this summer mission and likewise part of the FSP 75th Jubilee Project Biblia sa Bawat Pamilya Project.This seminar was held on April 20, not in Mulanay itself, but in the next town of San Francisco, through the recommendation Fr. Angelo Ramil D. Caparros, the parish priest of St. Peter Parish of Mulanay where our Sisters are doing their mission.Seven of us set out to San Francisco, an hour and half (bumpy!) ride from Mulanay. From inside our air-conditioned service car provided by the Parish of St. Francis, we could see that it a dusty ride as well.
Fr. Jonathan Romasanta, a young priest who initially introduced himself as the sacristan major, welcomed us. Fr. J.R. As he is fondly called is assistant parish priest to Fr. Rey Merca. He introduced us to an all-male group of about 86 MSK (Munting Sambayanang Kristiayano) Leaders of various ages, who would be the main attendees to the Bible Seminar.
The activities done were the following:
Overall introduction to the day’s activity
Bible enthronement and Bible blessing led by Sr. Yolanda Dionisio and Fr. J.R.
Input on the Bible in 2 parts: Sr. Yolanda Dionisio and Sr. Melissa Mancita
Movie clips on stories in the Bible which the participants afterwards located in their Bibles
Getting-to-Know the books of the Bible (a group dynamics activity)
Lecture on Bible Sharing by Sr. Aida Adriano
Bible Sharing in small groups facilitated/guided by Sisters Aida, Melissa and Melba
Book Display by Postulant Jenny, Novice Lorie and Sr. Christine
It is amazing to see how interested, attentive and participative this group is to all the inputs and activities given. A number of them had their own Bibles, yet we distributed 56 copies of our Jubilee Edition Bible. May God be praised for the gift of His WORD…may His Word truly transform the lives of those who remain in it.