NCR Regional Celebration to prepare for 2012 Centennial held September 8 in Quezon City

The Second Regional Celebration in preparation for the 2012 Centennial was held September 8 at the Good Shepherd Convent in Quezon City.

Communities welcoming the Centennial Staff are those in the National Capital Region-- Euphrasian Community, Good Shepherd Community (GSC), St. Bridget School Community, Heart of Mary Villa, Provincialate Community in Quezon City and Tahanan Coimmunity in San Andres and Welcome House/Malate. Sisters, lay mission partners and benefactors came to join the celebrations.

The celebration was divided in five parts: The reception of the Shepherd's Staff, procession,  presentation of History of the Good Shepherd in the Philippines, Eucharistic celebration and Agape.


Reception of the Shepherd's Staff

Good Shepherd Sisters, lay mission partners and staff gathered at the Good Shepherd Convent gate in Aurora Blvd. to wait for the arrival of the Shepherd's Staff. A delegation from Batangas came to bring Shepherd's staff and continue its journey in various regions in the country. Being the first foundation, St. Bridget College Batangas was the first to celebrate the regional celebration on July 31, 2011, the birthday of St. Mary Euphrasia until September 8, when the staff had to be passed to the next region- NCR. In Batangas a series of activities was held in SBC Batangas City and Alitagtag.

Procession

With the reception of the Shepherd's staff a procession followed that took the route passing the  St. Bridget School Community, Good Shepherd Community, Provincialate, Heart of Mary Villa, Euphrasian Community and finally at the Good Shepherd Chapel.

Historical Presentation

Upon arrival at the Chapel, Sisters, lay mission partners, watched the two videos depicting the history of the universe until the birth of the Good Shepherd congregation, and the arrival of the Good Shepherd Sisters in the Philippines. The historical development of St. Bridget College Batangas presented during the First Regional celebration was shown and a new video of the foundation of the houses and communities in NCR was presented. It traced the development of the communities from the time the convent in Sta. Ana was founded in 1921 as a response to the call of Archbishop Doherty that Good Shepherd Sisters help in the mission in Manila.

Eucharistic Celebration

His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, presided the Eucharistic Celebration, with Fr. James O'Donnel SJ as concelebrant. Sr. Cora Demetillo RGS recalled the history of the communities in NCR and asked those present to remember with gratitude the many people who made possible the mission of the Good Shepherd. The Cardinal lauded the sisters and the impact of the congregation not only in Batangas but in Manila as well.

September 8, being the birthday of Our Lady, was also an important occasion for sisters celebrating their feastdays and days of profession. Sr. M. Teresita Arceo, marked her 60th year since she was accepted to the novitiate in Los Angeles, California on September 8, 1951. She affirmed her vows during the Eucharistic celebration participated in by members of her family.

Agape

The joyful celebration of the Eucharist concluded  and an Agape followed.

Various activities are being planned during the visits and on November 20 the Shepherd's Staff will be flown to Cebu where the Third Regional Celebration will be held.

Below is the schedule of visits of the Good Shepherd Staff to the communities in NCR.

Date Community
September 9-15  Euphrasian Community
September 15-27 Heart of Mary Villa
September 27-October 10 St. Bridget School
October 10-21 Formation Houses
October 21- 28 Good Shepherd Community
October 28-November 8 Welcome House/Malate
November 8 -November 14 Tahanan Community
November 14-20 Provincialate Community