Rev. Cirio "Serge" Kabamalan, the first Filipino Eudist will be ordained priest on March 26, 2012 in Tagaytay City.
His Excellency Luis Antonio G. Tagle, archbishop of Manila, will preside the ordination rites. It was Bishop Tagle, popularly known as Bishop Chito, who, when he was bishop of the Diocese of Imus, invited the Eudists to come for the Philippine mission.
Fr. Ron Bagley, CJM, said, Rev. Serge is not only the first Filipino Eudist, but the first Asian Eudist.
According to the Eudist Philippine Mission website, " Serg is the first Filipino and Asian to become a member of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary. He was incorporated last September 8, 2011. Two days later, he was ordained deacon by Msgr. Luis Antonio Tagle, the Bishop of the Diocese of Imus then. He has a bachelor’s degree in Human Ecology from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from De La Salle University-Manila. Prior to entering the Eudist formation as a seminarian, he had worked at the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for 11 years. He has been assigned to be part of the formation team, and will move to the new community that will be founded in Manila next year. He currently spearheads the Vocation Promotion program of the Eudists, and serves at St. Jude Parish in Trece Martirez City on weekends."
Three Thanksgiving Masses have been scheduled after the ordination--at the Maryridge Chapel, March 27, the St. Jude Parish in Trece Martires, March 31, and the St. John Evangelist parish in Kalayaan, Laguna, April 1.
It was in September 2003 that Sr. Guadalupe Bautista, outgoing general councilor of the Good Shepherd Sisters, scheduled a luncheon meeting at the Good Shepherd Generalate in Rome with Bishop Chito and Fr. Amadeo, then member of the Eudists General Council. The next day, Bishop Chito who was in Rome for a meeting at the Vatican, was invited to meet with the Eudist General Council. What followed were communications and visits of the Eudists including visit of Fr. Michel Gerard, CJM superior General, to the Diocese of Imus and the Good Shepherd convents in Tagaytay and Quezon City. The Eudist General Council invited Eudist priests from the largest provinces of France, Colombia and North America to volunteer to this special mission.
Bishop Chito who was in Rome for the Synod of Bishop in 2005, also met with the Eudists, including Fr. Raymond Vaillancourt, CJM, Provincial of North America, responsible for the Philippine Mission.
The pioneers of the Eudist Philippine Mission, who arrived in the Philippines in 2007 included: Frs. Amadeo Pedroza (Colombia), Pierre Marchand (France) and Ron Bagley (US, North America).
The Eudists were invited to collaborate in the work of the existing seminaries, collaborate with the diocese in the formation of priests, and to help in the formation of lay leaders.
The current community of Eudists in the Philippines, AVE COR, is composed of Fr. Ron Bagley of the North American province, Fr. François Jourdan of France, Fr. Jose Angel Carrillo of Colombia, and seminarians/candidates for formation.
The Eudists look forward to the opening of the new foundation in Manila, a formation house, this year 2012.
(RK)
| IMPORTANT NOTES |
| + Fr. Michel Gerard CJM |
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During that assembly a new government structure was also approved. The General Council is now composed of the General Superior, a Vicar General (who resides in Rome), and two general councilors who do not live in Rome (in their provinces). The term of the superior general was changed to five years. Fr. Michel, who was superior general when the Philippine mission was founded, passed away on March 11, 2011. The vicar general of the Eudists, Fr. Jean Camus, continued his responsiblities until the new chapter was called. Those who served in the team: Ramon Rivas, John Howard, Pierre Yves Pecqueux and Raymond Vaillancourt.
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| The new Superior General of the Eudists: Fr. Camilo Bernal |
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Fr. Bernal is from Colombia. |
| THE EUDISTS |
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St. John Eudes is one of the outstanding figures among the priests in the 17th Century France. He was born on November 14, 1601 in the small Normandy town of Ri. In 1623, he joined the Oratory which Pierre de Berulle had founded 12 years earlier, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1625. During more than 50 years, he engaged in intensive apostolic activity focusing particularly on the preaching of parish missions and the formation of priests. In order to better achieve these goals, in 1643, he founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (Eudists) to which major seminaries were entrusted. Read more: click here |
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Or visit: www.eudistes.org / www.eudistsphilippines.com |
