Prayers for Eternal Peace of + Sr. Celeste Engutan

The ashes of +Sr. Celeste of Mary, Mother of God Engutan, a Contemplative of the Good Shepherd, who passed away on January 25, 2014, at the age of 55, were inurned at the Good Shepherd Columbary in Quezon City.

Sr. Celeste who was a member of the Province Leadership Team's contemplative council and a member of the Preparatory Committee of the 2014 Province Chapter, succumbed to cancer of the colon.

Born on July 26, 1958 in Cebu City , Sr. Celeste, was baptized Anna Celeste Aida Ocaba Engutan. She was the eldest of six children of Pedro Engutan and Anastacia Ocaba.

She studied in elementary  at the Collegio de Sto. Nino and Labangon Elementary School,  high school at the University of San Carlos and San Jose Recoletos, and college at the University of San Carlos where she finished Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.

Called to religious life, she joined the pre-novitiate of the contemplatives in Cebu City September 14, 1985 and entered the novitiate on September 14, 1986. Two years later, on October 7, 1988, she pronounced her temporary vows as a contemplative. Her perpetul profession of vows was held on October 7, 1993.

She has been assigned in various communities of the contemplatives-- in Cebu, Tagaytay, Butuan, in the prayer apostolate of the Philippine Province, as formator and in charge of the altar bread project. Sr. Celeste also responded in 2000, with two other contemplatives -- Sr. Elizabeth Garciano and Sr. Magdalena Oliva, to refound the community of the contemplatives in Innsbruck, Austria.

She also served as member of the Preparatory Committee of the 2003 General Chapter, and again for the 2009 Congregational Chapter, with Sr. Guadalupe Bautista.

During the Mass of the Resurrection's introductory rite symbolizing light and life, Sr. Suzanne Sinense, reminded those gathered that:

"As we celebrate our Mass, we remember Jesus’ Resurrection and the fulfillment of this great promise. Sr. Celeste  who each day received the body of Christ, our food, is now embraced by God’s Light. To Sr. Celeste and to all of us gathered here, Jesus once more reminds us of the fulfillment of that promise."

The rite highlighted significance of the Paschal candle-the symbol of Christ's resurrection, the whilte cloth-- Sr. Celeste's baptism and the crucifix and a copy of her religious vows -- symbols of her life as a contemplative sister.

Sr. Ronafel del Leon, during her tribute to Sr. Celeste on January 29, said: 

Sr. Celeste, we cannot thank you enough for all that you are and what you have done for the Philippine Province and our Congregation.  You cared a lot for the needs of our communities as a local leader. As a first councilor, you had great concern for the re-structuring needed in contemplative life.   Your work with the Centennial Committee, Journey of Enrichment and lately as a Prep Com member enriched all of us.   You had journeyed with us in prayer and suffering throughout your illness. (Click here to read Full Text)

 ‘Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have life everlasting and I will raise you up on the Last Day.”

Presider of the Eucharistic celebration, Fr. Ron Bagley of the Congregation of Jesus, on the other hand, in his homily expounded on the Mass readings and the journey of Sr. Celeste:

Can we say today, along with Martha and Celeste: “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world..” We too can finish well if we believe that we will meet the Lord at the finish line. I am sure that Celeste saw her Lord waiting for her at the finish line. He was cheering her on as she made the final sprint. (Click here to read Full Text)

Concelebrants of the Mass were Eudist priests, Fr. Jose Carillo, Fr. Edem Afoutou and Fr. Serge Kabamalan.

Present during the Mass of the Resurrection were apostolic and contemplative sisters, especially those from Tagaytay  Community where Sr. Celeste was a member before she moved to the Blessed Maria Droste Infirmary, friends, mission partners and her siblings, Sharlene Pedrosa, Nina Araneta and Ladonna Planteras.