LAY JOSEPHINES & SIERVAS DE SAN JOSE - HOLY FAMIY PROVINCE CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS ON LINE (December 20, 2020)

Christmas is the season of joy, peace, and love. It is a special season to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and spend to it with our loved ones. Christmas is essentially a reminder of God’s love to all of us. Through this celebration, we are reminded to share also our blessings specially with the less fortunate.

The first ever virtual LJ-SSJ Christmas party was held on December 20, 2020 via Zoom. It was hosted by LJ Malasiqui Cluster. 

In order to inspire everyone to join the event, LJ Malasiqui made a beautiful video invitation and posted it to LJ-SSJ Integration, the common chat room of all of us LJs and SSJs.

The celebration was quite different because of the pandemic. We may be distant from each other but the participants bonded together virtually like the Lay Josephines, Siervas de San Jose and the different lady Josephines from Silay Mandaluyong, Murphy, Quezon City and Malasiqui.

The virtual party started with a short program where Sr. Felma M. Ramones, SSJ, the LJ Link coordinator, inspired us with a message that despite the pandemic “Tuloy pa rin ang Pasko” (which means-pandemic cannot stop us from celebrating Christmas), coupled with God’s love and protection for all of us.

Previously we have unanimously decided to divide ourselves into clusters according to location: Quezon City Cluster, Murphy Cluster, Mandaluyong Cluster, Malasiqui Cluster, Silay cluster and the latest Iloilo Cluster. Each cluster prepared a Christmas presentation. LJ Silay Cluster was judged as the Best in Presentation. It was, indeed, a showcase of talents from the participants. 

Exciting games and a raffle were also participated by the attendees. Questions about the life of Fr. Butina were also asked to commemorate his 121st Death Anniversary. All the prizes were courtesy of the very generous Dra. Connette Sta Cruz, LJ National Coordinator.

The virtual get together ended with the messages from Dra. Connette Sta. Cruz and from Sr. Marcie Sta. Cruz, SSJ Provincial Coordinator, and with a Closing Prayer.  Every one of us left the platform with smiles on our faces having experienced the joy of celebrating the birth of Jesus as one Josephine Family. We continued the celebration together in our respective clusters.

The celebration was just simple with the aid of technology but it brought the LJs and SSJs closer and more connected despite the pandemic. This is another graceful occasion our good Lord bestowed on us so that we may continue to grow spiritually and live out the charism and mission of the SSJ within our family and in our workplace.

Written by:

Minelli R. Poquiz, LJ

I AM HOME

 

LJ PHILIPPINES VIRTUAL STRATEGIC PLANNING ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION & TEAM BUILDING (November 29-30, 2020)

 

 

LAY JOSEPHINE-PHILIPPINES: Journeying Together Towards the Future in HOPE!

Comunicación Primer encuentro virtual LJ-SSJ Provincia María de Nazaret

“Es un momento histórico”, dijo la Coordinadora General de las Siervas de San José, Lillian Ocenar Olavere, en la apertura del primer encuentro virtual de laicos/as y Siervas de San José de la Provincia “María de Nazaret, conformada por Chile, Argentina, Colombia y Cuba. Lillian Ocenar nos llevó al corazón del carisma en este día de conmemoración de la muerte de Bonifacia Rodriguez Castro. Elena Manquemilla, Coordinadora Internacional Laicos Josefinos, nos insta a lo mismo. 

Nuestro tema convocante: “Santa Bonifacia, maestra espiritual en tiempos de crisis” al cual Carmen Soto. Teóloga perteneciente a la congregación de las Siervas de San José, nos introduce en una interesante y profunda reflexión. La coordinadora SSJ de la zona de Chile. Agustina León Huerta nos contextualiza, retrospectivamente, desde el estallido social y la participación activa de SSJ y Laicos/as josefinos, hasta este tiempo de pandemia, en que la tormenta en la cual estamos todos no nos ha afectado a todos/as de la misma manera: La tormenta es la misma, pero los medios de navegación para capear el temporal y sus efectos no han sido los mismos, por eso hay que desplegar nuestras tiendas, como nos pide el profeta Isaías, para poder movernos en todas las direcciones. Es el tiempo del laicado Josefino, un laicado que se está moviendo con la brisa del Espíritu. Elena Manquemilla deja como pregunta a esta reflexión ¿Qué tipo de comunidades carismáticas y que modalidad podemos descubrir para este tiempo kairológico, este tiempo de Dios? Durante este encuentro, la vida brotó desde los distintos países, desde los coordinadores laicales de cada zona, hermanos laicos/as de diferentes regiones y ámbitos. la participación de Siervas de San José de los cuatro países, algunas de España y especialmente las hermanas del Equipo General de la Congregación de las Siervas de San José. La puerta quedó abierta para el próximo encuentro virtual en octubre.

GROWING JOSEPHINE FAMILY ( MANILA, PHILIPPINES )

On April 27, 2019, the first formation session for the newly recruited Lay Josephine Youth and Kids was conducted which served as an orientation for them about the kind of life that they will embrace as Lay Josephine Kids and Lay Josephine Youth. It also set the beginning of their journey towards their human and spiritual growth as they would gradually know, learn and appreciate and apply in their own simple way the Nazareth spirituality and values that would be taught to them by the Lay Josephines .

The party itself started with the presentation of three booths: (1) Founders, (2) Holy Family and (3) LJ & SSJ. It was followed by a Eucharistic Celebration. Children coming from different family settings attended and enjoyed the party, learning at the same time the values and the Charism that the Lay Josephines have committed themselves to live.

On May 20, 2018, in Olopsville, San Mateo, Rizal, the first swimming event of the Lay Josephine Kids and Lay Josephine Youth took place. There were also boodle fights which filled the hungry stomach of every participant. This activity succeeded very well in instilling cooperation and camaraderie among the newly-recruited members.

In this once in a lifetime immersion with the poorest of the poor by the Lay Josephine Kids and the Lay Josephine Youth, they realized how lucky they are in their current situations. They were also very grateful to be given an opportunity to mingle with the children in the community of Payatas.

This powerful song was made even more powerful by the newly accepted members of the Lay Josephine Kids and Lay Josephine Youth as they sing it together with their family members, hoping that together with the global community, this pandemic which has already claimed so many lives will finally be put to end.. .Surely, this will signify the victory of the Almighty God over this covid-19 pandemic.

Finally, after a series of formation given by the Lay Josephine themselves, the Lay Josephine Youth and Lay Josephine Kids have come to the final part of their training which is just the start of their religious journey- their commitment as an LJ Kid or as an LJ Youth. This pandemic was not able to stop them from being accepted formally to the Lay Josephines. It even led them to show their creativity in making the ONLINE PLATFORM as an instrument by which they committed themselves as Lay Josephine Kids and Lay Josephine Youth.

LAY JOSEPHINE ORIENTATION SESSION IN ILOILO, PHILIPPINES BY LJ SILAY GROUP

The Lay Josephine Orientation Session held in the Receiving Room of Holy Family Home, Iloilo City, on March 7, 2020 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM, was conducted by the 8 Lay Josephines of Mary in Nazareth who came all the way form Silay City, Negros Occidental (ladies in blue). Fifteen attended the session, from different parts of Iloilo, including Gemma Cabalfin (former SSJ junior), Liza Sobrevega (former SSJ novice), Carol, the niece of Mo. Rosario Cinco, SSJ, a mother of our present dormitory resident and some former residents of our very own Holy Family Home, Iloilo. Sr. Dahlia Alcala, SSJ was also present, together with some of her former classmates and friends.

A video about our Congregation- Siervas de San José was presented by Sr. Paz Banaria, SSJ. 

Then, members of the LJ Silay Group were introduced by their group Coordinator Mary Ann Ledesma, LJ after which she presented the LJ Identity, Vision, Charism and Mission shared with the SSJ. The advocacy of the LJ was also shared. Each member gave a testimony of her life/ faith experiences as an LJ, which were all inspiring and moving. 

After this part, a video on the LJ Philippines latest General Assembly held in Manila last November 2019 was presented, followed by a video of the group's activities and involvements. 

After the Session Proper, snacks were served, including native delicacies brought by Rogielyn, LJ and the different bread products brought by Gemma Cantara Cabalfin, while the participants were asked to share their experiences, insights, or messages. All shared with enthusiasm and openness. 

Some expressed willingness to continue the process began while a few expressed their hesitation to commit themselves to the LJ due to busy schedules of work, family tasks, business and other reasons.  In general, the great interest and active participation shown by the group gives us SSJs and LJs a ray of hope that a new LJ group would emerge in Iloilo. The session ended with a group pictorial. The Emcee of the whole session was Rogielyn, LJ.