The launching of the Bicentenary
The days ahead of the Launching of the Bicentenary Celebration were days urging us to trust in God Alone and Providence to make our celebration meaningful participative. The Bicol Region was again visited by Typhoon NINA on December 24th, 2016 that left the whole of Bicol Region without electricity indefinitely. All our high level planning was brought to a simple but very meaningful gathering of the Three Vocations present in the Bicol Region – The Apostolic Sisters, The Lay and Priest Associates of Rizal, Bulan and Sorsogon – to the launching of the Bicentenary Celebration on December 30, 2016.
The Three Holy Family Vocations present in the Diocese of Sorsogon gathered in Rizal, Gubat, Sorsogon for the Launching Celebration. The Holy Family was given the privilege to organize the Eucharistic Celebration as the Launching day was the Feast of the Holy Family. The Parish of St. Anthony of Padua, Gubat, gave us a free hand to organize our Launching Celebration having Fr. Benedicto FURO our Priest Associate as the Main Celebrant.
The introduction given by Mr. Albano ESTAVILLO resembled a short summary of the History of the Association of the Holy Family of Bordeaux in order for our Parishioners to know the specialty of the Day. It was also an opportune moment to introduce our Association. It was followed by the unveiling of the THEME for the BICENTENARY Celebration:
“LIVE COMMUNION; CELEBRATE FAMILY” which was rolled down by the Lay Associate Couple- Haider Cecil and Milagros MENESES, while all gathered in the Kapilya of St. John the Baptist acclaimed with round of applause:
“Mabuhay Sagrada Familia Sa Pilipinas!”
And the lighting of the Candle for our Beloved Founder was done by Sr. Bernadette de SILVA. Fr. Benedicto FURO our Main Celebrant and the Homilist further expounded on the Theme, meaningfully connecting it to the Life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph who „loved, sought and desired nothing but God Alone‟. It was a story-telling too of the History of the Association – especially beginnings, growth and its beginnings, growth and it‟s Missionary Journey through the years and the FAMILY TREE NOW. He also emphasized on Family and Values that are essential for Vocations to spring from Families. The invitation stood clear that how beautiful it is if every Family be like the FAMILY of NAZARETH – Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
The Renewal of Commitment of the Priest and Lay Associates made the Eucharistic Celebration of the Day solemn, and the Prayer of the Faithful shared by the Lay Associates connected us to all our sisters and brothers throughout the world who are in need of our solidarity through prayer and to join our PBN Family Members who are celebrating the Bicentenary Launching in the Holy Family World. After Communion we all knelt down to join in the Prayer for Bicentenary.
Launching Celebration was a joint effort of All Three Vocations of the Holy Family and the People of Rizal who rose to the occasion to give us a helping hand in many ways to compensate the Power-cut and other inconveniences caused by it. Our Lay Associate Editha ENCINARES and her son Moises took the responsibility to use their generator and to operate the Projector which made our Eucharistic Celebration alive and participative. The Lay Associates of Bulan led the choir with Sappi our Organist from Gubat Parish. The Lay Associates and our Kapilya Pastoral Council of Rizal prepared the Church and for the Mass. People around Rizal fixed the surroundings of the Church and the Holy Family compound. Our Lay Partners of the Caritas Project fixed the Hall for the day’s evening fellowship. Sr. Subhashini RAJ scouted Bulan to find a place with generator facility to down-load the LOGO and the PRAYER for Bicentenary. Sr. Ida JOSEPH searched for someone to print the Theme and eventually got it hand-written which served our purpose fittingly. We were very much close to our Beloved Founder’s Dream of FAMILY in which we experienced COMMUNION that made our Launching Celebration a Memorable One! Our Fellowship was an inclusive one together with all our Holy Family Vocations and our People who shared our simple but delicious evening “Merienda Sena.” It was an occasion to experience Pooling and sharing from the Three Vocations as well from our People who joyfully contributed towards it.
The last but the more exciting event as a Family was the “Bingo Social” that brought the roof of the Holy Family Hall down as the generator of the Apostolic Sisters operated by the Kapilya Chairman Carlos PURA experienced “Barado” – gasoline block every now and then that hindered the Game. No one moved until the three Games were over. Delighted with the Prizes, the winners were cheered by all. If not for the power-cut, we would have enjoyed the day much longer to our hearts content.
The Launching Celebration of the Bicentenary has evoked in us gratitude for the continued and countless Blessings of the “Miraculous Benediction” and the Dream of our Beloved Founder that is being realized in LIVING COMMUNION and CELEBRATING FAMILY among ourselves, with our Sisters and Brothers and with the Community of Life of all Species. BEING AND BUILDING FAMILY is a joyful experience that is ever new and exciting!
Sr. Ida JOSEPH, Rizal-Philippines