The Philippine Novitiate will mark its Golden Jubilee on Tuesday, June 21, 2011. The Eucharistic Celebration in Quezon City will be presided by Fr. Jose Cecilio Magadia SJ.
The intentions of the Philippine Province will be remembered in the Masses in Good Shepherd communities in the Philippines and in various parts of the world where there are Filipina Good Shepherd missionaries.
Began on June 21, 1961, on the feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the Novitiate was housed at 1043 Aurora Blvd in Quezon City. The opening of the Philippine Novitiate came only several months after the establishment of the Philippine Province on December 3, 1960. Before the creation of the Philippine Province, the Good Shepherd Sisters in the country belonged to the Los Angeles Province. When the first community in Batangas was founded in 1912, the Philippines was directly under the Mother House in Angers, France until 1945. From 1945-1960, the communities became part of the Los Angeles Province. With the birth of the new province, Sr. Mary John of the Cross Kroner was appointed provincial.
The first novice mistress of the Philippine Novitiate was Sr. Veronica Mondoñedo and her first novices were: Sr. M. Rose Ababao, Sr. M. Teresita Ante, Sr. M. Lourdes Fabia, Sr. M. Jane Pineda and Sr. Marietta Velez.
Photo: Batch 1961 with Sr. Veronica Mondoñedo, novice directress (left) and Sr. Rosalie Enriquez, assistant (right).
Sr. M. Teresa Danganan, current novice directress, with Sr. Lourdes Fabia, Sr. Susan Montano, Sr. Ma. Teresa Mahinay and Sr. Marion Chipeco formed a committee to prepare the activities for the anniversary.
The theme of the Golden Jubilee Celebration is “Papuri’t Pasasalamat” , praise and thanksgiving for the many blessings of the past 50 years.
It is hoped that many who entered the Philippine Novitiate will join the celebrations, including sisters missioned abroad and who are at present in the Philippines for homevisit.
After the Eucharistic Celebration, among the activities lined up for the occasion are viewing of exhibit , powerpoint presentation of the 50 years of the Novitiate, fellowship, visit to the Novitiate at the 4th floor of GSC and the Bethany House now OMI Regional House that used to be the novitiate for Batches 61-63.
After lunch at the dining hall of Heart of Mary Villa in QC, former novices will also gather for a short program. An afternoon merienda will be potluck.
More than 200 hundred women have passed through the Philippine Novitiate and more than a hundred are currently serving the congregation. Others have continued to be mission partners and one in heart with the mission entrusted by the Good Shepherd to St. Mary Euphrasia.
Batch 2011. Srs. Clara Loilo, Emelia Guardian and Callen Nyaboke Abenga from the Sector of Kenya with Srs. Emma Marzan, pre novitiate directress, Sr. Teresa Danganan, novice directress and Sr. Cecilia Torres, province leader, (standing).
The past directresses include Sr. Veronica (Batches1961-1969); Sr. M. Frances Therese Sunga (Batches 1970-74), Sr. Angelita Gutierrez (Batches 1975-79), Sr. M. Guadalupe Bautista (1980-84), Sr. Marietta Velez (1985-1990), Sr. Olga Malou Cristobal. (Batches 1991 - 93); Sr. Marion Chipeco (Batches 1994- 1996), Sr. Susan Montano (Batches 1997- 2002); Sr. Teresita Figueroa, (Batches 2003-2008) and Sr. Teresa Danganan (Batches 2009-to present).
"Papuri't Pasasalamat."
More photos will be posted soon.