Afire with God’s Love … Rejoice!

A commemoration of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life is always a celebration of the fidelity and blessings of God. On December 7, 2013, nine Golden Jubilarians and three Silver Jubilarians of the Society of the Oblates of Notre Dame (OND), celebrated together to praise and thank God for his faithfulness and great love with the theme “Afire with God’s love… Rejoice!”

Most Rev. Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, DD, was the main presider and homilist of the Eucharistic celebration at the Our Lady of Hope Chapel, OND Compound, Tamontaka, DOS, Maguindanao.

In his homily, Archbishop Quevedo urged the jubilarians to stay ablaze on the road, saying: “In today’s context, the Holy Spirit is calling you and other persons of consecrated life to a closer following of Jesus…the religious has to be a prophet. Her love for the poor and for others at the margins of society prophetically proclaims her love of God and her hope in the Reign of God…and we pray that you never make a detour. Rejoice and be faithful disciples of the Poor, Chaste, and Obedient Christ. Go forth and be afire with God’s love!”

The Renewal of Commitment by the Jubilarians was received by the Superior General, Sr. Carmelita Y. Olifernes, OND, and was witnessed by a host of OND Sisters, the jubilarians’ families, relatives and friends, well-wishers, visitors, members of other religious congregations, and the clergy concelebrating with Archbishop Quevedo.

The Golden Jubilarians who hailed from two archdioceses and three dioceses belonged to two batches who had made their first profession in 1963, the first on the 6th of April and the second on the 6th of November of the same year, as follows:

From the Archdiocese of Cotabato: Sr. Felicitas M. Renacia, OND, Sr. Gloria V. Aray, OND, Sr. Genevieve J. Damaso, OND, and Sr. Jeanine B. Dillera, OND.
From the Archdiocese of Palo: Sr. Leonila N. Dolina, OND and Sr. Ma. Virginia P. Adre, OND
From the Diocese of Marbel: Sr. Dolores L. Garayanala, OND
From the Diocese of Laoag: Sr. Fe F. Segundo, OND
From the Diocese of Digos: Sr. Bernarda M. Lapined, OND
(+RIP) Sr. Maria-Teresa Gimenez, OND of the Archdiocese of Cotabato, who belonged to the 2nd batch, was called to the Eternal home on September 9, 2004.
The Silver Jubilarians who had made their first profession on November 1, 1988 belonged to two archdioceses and one diocese, as follows:
From the Archdiocese of Cotabato: Sr. Celsa A. Juanitez, OND
From the Archdiocese of Cebu: Sr. Elisa C. Caballero, OND
From the Diocese of Kidapawan: Sr. Wilmar T. Alzate,OND

Brief Backgrounders:

In 1962, a young postulant then, Sr. Leonila was assigned to the Notre Dame of Pikit as teacher and school treasurer. Later, as a professed sister, she served in several OND Schools in Leyte, Cebu, and Alamada, Cotabato, in the Parish ministry in Libungan, Cotabato, and later at the Notre Dame Catholic Center (NDCC)2 in Tamontaka, sewing the religious habits of the sisters. At present, she is a resident of the OND – St. Therese Care Home in Tamontaka, inspired by her motto: “To do Your will O God is my delight.”
For her “outstanding achievement as catalyst and prime mover of the social-oriented cottage enterprise in Cotabato City”, Sr. Bernarda was a recipient of the Panday Pira Award (named after a famous craftsman during the Spanish times) on October 7, 1974, on the occasion of Cottage Industry week at the Maharlika Hall, in Malacañang. Presently, she oversees the staff of NDCC2, while also actively involved in the projects, activities, and mission of the Mother Butler Mission Guilds in the Archdiocese of Cotabato.