News from the Conference of Seculars Institutes in the Philippines

Secular Institutes-Philippines held 2^nd national meeting

Secular institutes with members in the Philippines held their second national meeting on October 21-25 at the Benedictine House of Retreat, Davao City.  Thirty- nine (39) members from nine secular institutes participated in the said meeting. These are: Associates of Notre Dame (AND), Secular Institute of Daughters of St. Anne (SIDSA), Fils de  Notre Dame de Vie (FNDV), Madonna della Strada (MDS), Missionaries of the Kingship of Christ (SIM), Notre Dame de Vie Institute (NDV), Prêtres de Notre-Dame de Vie (PNDV), Servitium Christi- Manila & Davao Centers (SC), and Secular Institute of Volunteers of Don Bosco (VDB).

Following the lead of the World Conference of Secular Institutes in the celebration of the Year of Consecrated Life, Living Out the Evangelical Counselsin a Secular World was adopted as theme of the 2^nd national meeting. Some activities that highlighted the event were:

• Echoes of the FABC-Office of Consecrated Life Symposium III held at Pattaya, Thailand  last July 20-25 done by Lou Solijon and Mary Almonte
• Talk on Obedience in the Life of Secular Institute Members by Fr. Aldrin Lopez.
• Panel Sharing on Living Out One’s Consecration as a Secular Institute member by Susan Matutina, Esmie Roxas, Wilma Militante, Letty Kuan, Evelia Orbeta, Marilyn Lambo, Grace Alestante and Alejandro Limoanco
• The opening and closing Eucharistic celebrations with Msgr. Fernando Capalla, Archbishop Emeritus of Davao, as presider/homilist.
• The cultural night with creative presentations of each Institute
• The city tour that culminated in a festive dinner offered by Fr. Emmanuel Gonzaga and the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Parish at Ma-a, Davao City.

As agreed upon during the first national meeting held two years ago in Notre Dame de Vie Retreat House, Novaliches, Quezon City, the decision to be organized as an association was finalized. The name Secular Institutes-Philippines with the acronym SIP, was accepted.  The five Council of Leaders elected with a mandate of two years are: Mary  Almonte (NDV)- General Leader; Irene Maramag (SIM)- Assistant General Leader; Lou Solijon (SIDSA)- Secretary; Maria Concepcion Gonzales (SC) -Treasurer; and Ruby Palma  (VDB)- Media Coordinator.

The participants decided that the third national meeting will be held in Cebu City.

Participants to the 2nd national meeting of Secular Institutes-Philippines held at Davao City, October 21-25, 2015 with Msgr. Fernando Capalla, archbishop emeritus of Davao.