The SSP Juniorate Community held its annual retreat at the St. Joseph Marello Retreat House in Tagaytay City from May 22 to 27, 2016.
Joined by their formator Fr. Alan Gamutan, SSP and the assistant formator, Bro. Dennis Figueres, SSP, the 12 temporary professed Paulines, hailing from two separate communities of Makati and Silang, spent five days of reflection and prayer with inputs from Fr. Norman Peña, SSP.
Fr. Norman’s conferences, entitled “Mercy in Pauline Mission: Rekindling the Pillars of Mercy in the Alberionian Journey,” focused on five key actions for Paulines as recommended by Blessed James Alberione: to renounce (and re-announce our unworthiness and God’s grace), to produce (from our own identity as Pauline apostles), to preserve (the open and life-giving attitude experienced in Bethlehem), to provide (and offer the total Christ) and to edify (and build up others by our witness as Pauline wounded healers). Fr. Norman supplemented his talk with anecdotes from his years-long assignment in Rome as well as personal observations and challenges for the young Paulines.
Seven other Juniors undergoing their Intensive Spiritual and Apostolic Formation (ISAF) year had a separate retreat at the Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches.
Following the retreat, the Juniors renewed their religious vows on May 29, Sunday, at the Mary Queen of the Apostles Chapel at 6 in the evening.
