The annual Assembly
Last Jan. 18 and 19, the Xaverian Delegation of the Philippines held its annual assembly. All the perpetually professed took part in this important event that marks the highest moment of communion in the life of our Circumscription. Thirteen of us were present. Unfortunately, due to the present travel ban, two members belonging to us but still out of the country were not able to attend.
The assembly program included two important moments.
The first, had to do with our Xaverian Family spirit, where individual and community blend together.
Time was given to all to share oneself, one’s feelings and anything that had significance in one’s life journey in the last year. The sharing, held within a good atmosphere of emphatic listening was very deep and sincere, somehow touching. We were able to describe our feelings in the experiences that we went through. All of us, obviously, have been deeply affected by the lock-down and restrictions that have been in place since the second half of March 2020 due to the pandemic. Our vulnerability, powerlessness, discomfort, frustration that confronted with a situation in which we did not have much control at all, came out clearly. However also our personal response, a more positive one, was manifested. There has been an extra effort to come together despite our differences that are trying to push us away from each other. The temptation to isolate oneself in our rooms was counteracted by our desire for a deeper connection with our brothers; longer time has been spent together. In the sharing we were able to discover our brother in a deeper way, we realized that all of us are wounded healers and we need everybody in our community. We agreed that the challenges which we have been facing have created opportunities for more silence, study, creativity prayer. Self-acceptance and others’ acceptance but also a desire for renewal towards a better communion among us were felt during this time. As part of this first moment, we had an outing in Norzagaray, Bulacan province. We spent in fact some hours at the side of the Bitbit river surrounded by beautiful nature sceneries. Some preferred to remain lying all the time in the fresh water of the torrent; some started playing “skipping stones” despite it was not so easy to find the right pebbles that would bounce across the water. Others chose to explore the surrounding landscape while a bunch of us had a good time under a bamboo shelter.
The second part of our Assembly was more focused on our Xaverian matters and activities. The various rectors gave a short presentation on the events that characterized the life of their communities in the past year, a kind of rewinding that had to do with our moves and moments.
Among many other things: the first religious profession of Simon, the reassignment by the General Direction of three of our confreres: Fr. Luigino, Fr. Purnomo, Fr. James; the celebration of the Perpetual Professions of three of our students, two of which have subsequently received the Diaconate. The theologate community was hit by several cases of Covid-19; during the quarantine, St. Francis Xavier provided assistance to the community. Three deacons were admitted to Priesthood and received by the General Direction their definite assignment. Fr. Handrianus was assigned to our delegation while Deacon Patrick received his assignment to Guadalupe Parish (in Marikina) right in the middle of the move of this community to a new rental house. A big flood hit their parish in November; Fr. Simone was luckily enough to be allowed to come back to the Philippines after spending long months in Italy.
We had time to reflect about our situation as Delegation in view to come out with some proposals about the future. From the reports presented to the assembly by our confreres in charge of vocation animation and pre-theology formation, we acknowledged the complexity of both doing promotion and journeying in formation with our local candidates and we stressed the need for a more comprehensive plan. During the years, animation promotion and formation of the local vocations went through substantial changes. The introduction of the year of propaedeutic has proven to be a very good choice. There has been convergence on the proposal to shift Postulancy and Novitiate before Philosophy and to keep the pre-theology formation in one place so as to be able to share resources and personnel. Some suggestions came to bring this program outside Manila. The crisis of vocation we have been experiencing, compels us to come to terms with the reality of the scarcity of vocation even here in the Philippines. Sadly, we have been left with one Filipino student. Moving to the South of the country, does not assure us of a better perspective. Without giving up our efforts on this land, it’s about time to look also beyond our boundaries like other congregations are doing.
Concerning our pastoral involvement, the General Direction has given us instruction to put an end in due time to the pastoral experience with Guadalupe parish so as to free some confreres for other projects. We are willing to follow despite the loss of a pastoral community deeply inserted in the local church compels us to look for other forms of missionary engagements. Our discussion on this matter did not find at this time a clear convergence on any particular proposal. In the meantime, our efforts will go in the direction of a smooth transition in Guadalupe Parish.
Furthermore, in the Assembly we tackled our involvement in the project for the “Lay Xaverians”. Fr. Petrus, overall coordinator, presented the journey that we have been making with a group of people interested in our charism. We are at the stage of formation and so far a group of people from our different pastoral communities is joining in this project.
We took a look at our financial situation. The pandemic, on one hand has prevented us from fully make our expected contribution to the Community as fruits of our ministry and fundraising projects. On the other hand, the lock-down has lessened our expenditure especially concerning the communities of formation. We have been receiving some solidarity both within and outside the Philippines. We are so grateful to God, people and confreres that have helped us. In all we were able to close the year without anxiety.
After casting our ballots for the next Delegation Council, we concluded our Assembly with the Eucharistic celebration and a very special dinner with program offered by the Theologate community.
We are thankful to the Lord for this time spent together. I do believe we have been given a chance to grow in our Xaverian missionary commitment by actively engaging ourselves in the sharing of experiences and ideas but overall in the sharing of ourselves. During prayer we were asking our Founder, St. Guido to bless and protect us. Indeed, the blessing was felt in the spirit of family that marked our Assembly.
Borelli Emanuele, SX
Superior of the Delegation
