The four sessions for "Gathering the Hundredfold: A Homecoming," part of the preparations for the 2012 Centennial, are being held in Maryridge, Tagaytay City.
Participated in by Good Shepherd Sisters, apostolic and contemplative, from all over the Philippines, the sessions are facilitated by Sr. Susan Chia, current apostolic link councillor to the Philippines of the Congregational Leadership Team (CLT) and Sr. Elaine Basinger of the Province of New York who also served from 2003-2009 as link councillor for apostolic and contemplative sisters of the province.
Venue of each session, participated in by some 30-35 sisters of the province, is the Vagnozzi Hall of Maryridge. With the session's sub theme as "Turning towards one another", the participants were led into greater appreciation not only of themselves but of the others as well as all participate in the life of the province and in the mission of reaching out to the poor and the marginalized.
Being the venue of this gathering, let us look at the story of Maryridge:
Maryridge was founded on July 30, 1958 as a residential school set-up to elementary and high school students. It was an offshoot of St. Domitilla’s school in Quezon City. Then Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi encouraged the sisters to have a residence for the sisters and the ailing children as the place, Tagaytay, was beautiful. Sr. Dominica Long who, at the time was the superior in Quezon City, was responsible for the choice and purchase of the site while Sr. Mary Francis Flinn took care of the construction. The first community was composed of Sr. Mary Helen Hamilton, Sr. Mary Ann Fiel, Sr. Mary Evarista Mullaney, and Sr. Mary Rosalie Enriquez.
Maryridge continued its services for many years, with the accompaniment of the Good Shepherd Sisters in the 70s, the Maryridgeans in response to the call to reach out to the poor started to go out and teach catechism in public schools and served the farmers, rural and urban poor in Cavite, Mindoro. Negros and Bataan.
In the 80s, because of the growing poverty in the country and the financial strain to maintain the school, the community decided to close the residential school program. The last Maryridgeans graduated in 1985. The years that followed were transition from Maryridge being a residential school to a place of healing and renewal. Maryridge offered crisis intervention, counseling, core energy workshop and tutorial for emotionally disturbed teenagers. Sisters welcomed those who need directed retreats, and facilities were made available for group retreats.
The Outreach program of Maryridge offered in the 90s skills training for women in the neighborhood. Soap-making, rung-making and other income generating projects were introduced to the women and education assistance was made available to the children. Women were taught to make buko pies, ube jam and other products that were sold under the label Bahay Pastulan. The demand for these products was great that a bigger space was necessary, it paved the way for the creation of Bahay Pastulan community that focused on the livelihood programs and empowerment of women.
Maryridge continues its many services to those in need. Maryridge is indeed, a place of healing and renewal.
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