3 in 1 on May 31: A Day of Commitment and Thanksgiving to God and Formators
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For several years now, as the Camillian tradition goes, we have been enjoying every May 31 a 4-in One celebration, though sometimes the number decreases to 3 or 2 in One. We are blessed on that day in many ways and ‘thanksgiving’ becomes a must. We thank the Lord for our Philippine Province, to which God has given six young and not so young men bathed in the enthusiasm and idealism of the Novitiate, who made their First Religious Profession. The six are John Paul Alvarado, Rowel Centeno, Michael Jaya, Jayson Labrador, the famous John Jay Magpusao, and ‘the spirit and stature of St. Camillus, Eliseo Navarro. What a wonderful grace!
But Fr. Rolly forewarned the Religious that this grace was prone to dangers
such as ‘individualism’ and ‘mediocrity’. We’ve got to safeguard our ‘way of
life’ from such obnoxious elements.
Not only that, God showered his followers with the grace to renew their
commitment. Seventeen scholastics renewed their vows. They have taken
Religious life as ‘a way of life’ and not a career, as stressed by Fr.
Rolando Fernandez, OSC, the Provincial Vicar, who presided over the liturgy
and the commitment rites.
Bro. Wilson Peñaranda, OSC committed himself for life to the Order of St.
Camillus. His commitment to religious life entails faithfulness. Religious
life is an ocean of spirituality into which one dives in order to be one
with Christ Jesus more closely.
This day formators, after a long time, listen to a few words of ‘thanks’
too. Behind these young men are formators who have labored day and night;
traveled side by side with them through thick and thin, and became a ray of
hope to them when the world was tumbling.
Perpetually professed Camillian Religious, family members, relatives and
friends joined in thanksgiving. The Two Didone Brothers from Taiwan, Fr.
Antonio and Fr. Giuseppe, witnessed the ceremony. During the commitment
rites, Fr. Giuseppe stood at the left side of Fr. Rolly as representative of
the Taiwan Delegation, while Fr. Jojo Eloja, who is currently on vacation in
the Philippines, stood to his left and represented the Australian
Delegation.