accompaniment

Columban Philippines Columban Ireland Australia / New Zealand Columban Peru Columban Chile Columban South Korea Columban USA Columban USA Spanish Columban Lay Mission Phils Columban Sisters Misyon Online

Vocation Ministry Update

          The Vocation Team started the first quarter of the school year with series of activities in Vocation Promotion and Seminars. The Luzon and Mindanao Team have focused their effort on posting in different parishes and school visitation. As a result, Vocation Symposia were conducted in several schools and vocation posters were posted to Archdioceses and Dioceses wide and far. And Vocation recollections and seminars were conducted to our vocation-seekers.

Vocation Promotion:

          In Northern Area, the Vocation Team has covered at least fourteen (14) Archdioceses and Dioceses in their blitz vocation promotion. The Archdioceses and Dioceses covered are the following: Diocese of Antipolo, Diocese of San Pablo, Diocese of Malolos, Diocese of Iba, Diocese of Alaminos, Archdiocese of San Fernando- La Union, Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Archdiocese of Lipa, Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan, Diocese of Aklan, Archdiocese of Capiz, Archdiocese of Iloilo, Diocese of San Carlos, Diocese of Bacolod, and Diocese of Kabankalan. Similar efforts were done in Mindanao. The Mindanao Team has covered at least five (5) Archdioceses and Dioceses in their vocation promotion. The areas covered are the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Archdiocese of Butuan, Archdiocese of Ozamis, Archdiocese of Dipolog, and the Diocese of Bukidnon.

Vocation Symposium:

          This year the Vocation Team in Northern Area has decided to extend their campaign effort to Catholic High Schools. The plan was to conduct vocation symposium to the Faculty and Staff. The reception was encouraging and the school heads were most cooperative and welcoming. So far the Team was able to conduct vocation symposia to the faculty and staff of the following: a.) Canossa Academy, Sta. Rosa; b.) Sta. Catalina College, Biñan, Laguna; c.) St. Joseph College, Olongapo City; and d.) Sta. Cruz Academy, Sta. Cruz, Zambales.
          State universities and colleges were also visited to establish contacts and see if vocation symposium could be arranged within school year. The initial visits got the Vocation Team to conduct vocation symposium to the students of the following schools: a.) St. Columban College, Olongapo City; b.) St. Columban College, Lingayen, Pangasinan; c.) University of Regina Carmeli, Malolos, Bulacan; and d.) St. Paul University, San Miguel, Bulacan. The Vocation Team in Mindanao is quite creative in their campaign by conducting a vocation symposium to the male dormitories of Central Mindanao University and of Bukidnon State University both are located in Bukidnon Province.
Vocation Promotion organized by the local church and Catholic Universities was also participated by the Vocation Team. In Luzon, the Team went to St. Louie College, San Fernando, La Union. While in Mindanao, the Team was actively involved during the vocation week in Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City, in Lasalle University, Ozamiz, and in SAIT, Valencia, Bukidnon.

Vocation Recollection:

          The Mindanao team had conducted a good number of recollections for the first quarter. There seemed to be a steady number of inquiries observed among college students and young professionals. The first recollection was conducted on July 18-19 and another one was done in August 22-23. Both took place in Patag House, Cagayan de Oro City. A similar one was conducted in Musuan, Bukidnon last September 26. The Team in the Northern Area organized a vocation recollection in the Formation House in Cubao on June 21. Fifteen (15) participants attended in Mindanao out of twenty-four (24) invited and three (3) vocation-seekers in Manila participated out of Six (6) invited.

Vocation Seminar:

          Vocation seminars were conducted in Luzon and Mindanao as a follow-up to vocation recollections. In Luzon, a vocation seminar was organized in CELL, Silang, Cavite, in July 18-19, 2009. Seven (7) participants invited and five (5) came to attend. A similar seminar was also conducted in Patag House, Cagayan de Oro City in August 1-2, 2009. And seven (7) vocation-seekers came out of five (5) invited.

Vocation Seminar1:

          Family is the main focus of the workshop in vocation seminar 1. In Manila, the seminar was done in Singalong House on September 12-13, 2009. Two (2) vocation-seekers attended out of three (3) invited. In Cagayan de Oro City, the seminar took place in Patag house on October 17-18 2009 and two vocation-seekers attended out of six (6) invited. The Team is grateful to have invited parents of priests as guests and shared their thoughts and feelings to the vocation-seekers.

          Lastly, the Vocation Team would like to extend our gratitude for the willingness and untiring assistance of the Columban Priests, Lay Missionaries, Columban Sisters and Columban Students. Special thanks to Ruben Lobo (Columban Student), Sr. Minerva Dangaran (Columban Sister), Rowena Cuanico (LM), Rowena Caggauuauan (LM), Ms. Cynthia (former LM) and to the Columban Sister’s lay animator Josephine Mistica. The Lord of the harvest has been compassionate and persistent to our vocation-seekers and graceful to our Vocation Team. Thanks be to God! St. Columban, pray for us!