he Daughters of St. Paul in the Philippines joined the worldwide thanksgiving for 100 years of their foundation in a Eucharistic celebration presided by Most Rev. Jose Palma, Archbishop of Cebu on June 14, 2015 at the Queen of Apostles Sanctuary in Pasay.
The centennial celebration coincided with the silver jubilee of eight sisters: Sr. Corazon Mercurio, Sr. Alicia Candido, Sr. Carmen Billones, Sr. Proserfina Foronda, Sr. Mildred Chan, Sr. Nema Sun, Sr. Christine Henry Sundin and Sr. Bibianah Tecla Densia who renewed their vows in the presence of their families, friends, benefactors and the people of God.
Archbishop Palma thanked the Daughters of St. Paul for their unique ministry which is very much relevant and needed in the Church especially today. He encouraged them to continue using the media for evangelization and to help in the formation of pastoral workers in communications.
The celebration was broadcast live nationwide by Radyo Veritas 846.
The message of the Provincial Superior, Sr. Noemi Vinoya, FSP traced out the journey of the congregation and the countless people who have accompanied its growth was read by her vicar, Sr. Delia Abian, FSP:
“Our celebration of the Congregation’s centenary revives not only the memory of all that the Lord has accomplished in our midst, but also the memory of the generous response of many Sisters who, in the simplicity of everyday life, incarnated our vocation in the most diverse contexts.
We marvel at the international and universal features that our Congregation has taken on and how much the Pauline charism has been enriched by the contribution of the different cultures. We are also grateful for the progressive and incessant evolution of the new technologies that give an ever new appearance to our mission and challenge us to begin each day anew with that faith of our first Sisters one hundred years ago in Alba, Italy and to prepare ourselves always better to carry out an efficacious and prophetic apostolate today. We also take time to think of the strength and courage of the Sisters who continue to live in social/political situations that are difficult and dangerous, of those who, in the silence of an often anonymous apostolate, or in sickness and old age, continue to give themselves without reserve and to make their lives an announcement, a communication of the Gospel.”
