Just Got hired sa sykes...thank you Lord...:D

Thank God...thanks to roy[interviewer]..hehe..and of course to myself....
it wasnt easy but it all paid off... exhaustedly freaking out... Gods will i had the job...

makatog nko after quite of long hours of kulba2x :D

Gods will....^^

Godspeed...us all...^^

How Do I Know For Sure If God Is Calling Me To Religious Life As A Priest or Brother?

The answer to this question is not easy, but here are five things that may help:

Pray!

Prayer is one of the best ways to listen for God’s call. As you sit in silence...in God's presence...is your heart stirred? Do you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at your "insides?" Are thoughts of serving God’s people as a religious person present?

Talk With Others!

God reveals his plan for us through the special people that he puts in our lives. What are other people saying to you? If only one person has told you that you may make a good priest or brother—that is significant. If many people have told you the same thing, is God speaking to you through them? Is He trying to make His will known to you in this way?

Assess Your Skills and Talents!

What are your strengths? What do you do well? Look at the needs of the Church. Are your skills and talents in line with the needs of the Universal Church? With that of a missionary congregation?

Start Spiritual Direction!

Find a well-qualified spiritual director. It could be a priest, Brother, Sister, deacon or lay person. But find someone who can help you explore God’s presence in your life.

Enter Formation!

Formation is for men who have a general feeling that God is calling them to religious life. Formation helps you to grow and to understand your vocation better—formation allows you to see your vocation more clearly. Formation can help you to better understand where God is calling you to serve.

Characteristics of a Good Candidate for Religious Life.

  • Are you an active member of the Catholic Church with an appreciation of the past and a sense of hope for the future, while being engaged in the Church as it is here and now?
  • Have you developed a sound faith and spiritual life and are you willing to keep growing?
  • Do you have a positive life direction and a sense of purpose?
  • Do you have a sense of perspective and a good sense of humor?
  • Do you have the intellectual ability to complete the required education?
  • Are you physically and psychologically healthy to meet the demands of ordained or vowed ministry?
  • Are you a person of integrity and generosity, with a sense of responsibility and an awareness of God in your life?
  • Can you make a positive choice for celibacy?
  • Are you responsive to the needs of others? Do you have a desire and ability to serve generously in a variety of settings?
  • Do you have leadership ability so that you can invite and empower others to use their gifts?
  • Do you value men and women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds?
  • Can you enter into healthy relationships with others and have a good sense of self when relating to others?

If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, perhaps God is calling you to a religious vocation.

courtesy of:

http://www.svdvocations.org

GROWING TOGETHER IN GRACE

(Official theme song of the 24th Local World Youth Day – Archdiocese of Cebu)
Music & lyrics by: Vic F. Amplayo, OSA
Arranged by: Nendel Endrina
Performed by: Apple Abarquez of ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Dream Academy
Each one of us In the body of Christ
Is showered with gifts From the heavens above
And If each one of us Will share to the world
The gifts within us We will grow in grace
Chorus:
Growing together in grace
Sharing the gifts of the Spirit
Living in God’s embrace
Growing together in grace
As the body of Christ, the body of Christ
With each of our gifts Let’s help build the church
The fountain of love Will flow from above
In love and commitment Move on and renew
Continue the search we will grow in grace
Repeat chorus
Bridge:
Move on, Soar high!
Growing together in grace
Growing together in grace
Repeat chorus 2x
Coda:
Growing together in grace
As the body of Christ, the body of Christ

St. Arnold Janssen – Founder of the Society of the Divine Word

On October 5, 2003, at the Vatican before some 30,000 people, Pope John Paul II declared Arnold Janssen a Saint of the Church. What was so special about this man that he would be so honored? One might say he was really a very ordinary man, a simple priest, but one who followed his vocation in a totally committed and extraordinary way.

St. Arnold Janssen - Founder of the Society of the Divine WordArnold Janssen was the second son born to Gerhard and Anna Katharina Janssen. He grew up in a devoted Catholic family of seven children, five brothers and two sisters. His father was a freight hauler, a man of deep faith who educated his children to think beyond their own limited world-view and be aware of the missionary needs of the Church around the world. Their family prayer included a nightly rosary which was followed by the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

As a young man, Arnold developed an early interest in the natural sciences. He went on to study in this field and qualified to be a high school teacher. Having completed these studies, he went on to study theology and was ordained a diocesan priest for the Diocese of Muenster on August 15, 1861. His first assignment was to teach in a secondary school in Bocholt.

After twelve years at his post, he became restless and wanted to devote himself more toward issues of the Universal Church. He first did this through the printed word with his Little Messenger of the Sacred Heart with its focus on news of the missions and what Germans might do to promote mission activities. This quickly became a popular monthly magazine amongst Catholics. Arnold became more acutely aware that there was no German mission-sending religious society and wanted to see that need filled. This is where his deep faith in Divine Providence showed itself. He was determined to found a German mission-sending society at a time when anti-Catholic laws in Germany forbade such religious schools. At one point, Arnold went with some Ursuline nuns to visit J. A. Paredis, Bishop of Roermond, to discuss his plans. The Bishop’s comment after the visit was, “He wants to build a mission house and he is penniless. He’s either a fool or a saint.”

On Sept. 8, 1875, with only three candidates, little money, and a run-down inn which he was able to purchase just across the German border in Steyl, Holland, Arnold founded his mission seminary and a religious order, to be named “The Society of the Divine Word,” honoring that special devotion he had developed in his childhood with those evening recitations of St. John’s Prologue with his family. The beginning was difficult, with his first few candidates leaving, but eventually, more and more candidates came, joined and stayed. He steadily guided this new Society for 34 years and quickly expanded it to include religious brothers. Arnold also helped co-found the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters (SSpS) and the Holy Spirit Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (SSpSAP).

Arnold’s dream proceeded with a speed that probably surprised even him. At his death in 1909, the missionary societies that he had founded had over 1,500 priests, brothers, Missionary and Adoration Sisters working in the missions in China, Italy, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, U.S., Chile, Japan and the Philippines. Today those societies number over ten-thousand members in nearly 70 countries. The dream of a determined ordinary priest has been realized.

  • November 5, 1837 – Arnold Janssen is born in Goch, Germany.
  • 1849 to 1861 – A time of studies at the minor seminary at Gaesdonck, mathematics and natural sciences at Bonn University, theological studies at Münster.
  • August 15, 1861 – Ordained a priest for the Münster Diocese.
  • 1861 to 1873 – High school teacher of mathematics and natural sciences (Bocholt).
  • 1869 – Director of the Apostleship of Prayer in Münster.
  • 1873 to 1875 – Chaplain for the Ursulin sisters in Kempen.
  • January 1874 – Begins publishing the magazine, Little Messenger of the Sacred Heart.
  • September 8, 1875 – Opens the Mission seminary in Steyl, Netherlands.
  • 1877 – Opens the Mission House for retreats, thus promoting the lay retreat movement.
  • March 2, 1879 – Sends the first two SVD missionaries to China, Fr. John B. Anzer, SVD, and Fr. Joseph Freinademetz, SVD.
  • December 8, 1889 – Co-founds the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit.
  • December 1896 – Co-founds the cloistered sisters, Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration.
  • 1889 to 1909 – Period of expansion of missionary work to Argentina (1889); Togo (1892); Brazil (1895); New Guinea (1896); Chile (1900); U.S.A. (1900); Japan (1906); Paraguay (1908); Philippines (1909).
  • January 15, 1909 – Arnold Janssen dies at Steyl, Netherlands.
  • October 19, 1975 – Arnold Janssen is beatified in Rome by Pope Paul VI.
  • October 5, 2003 – Arnold Janssen is canonized by Pope John Paul II.

Prayer to St. Arnold

Loving God, you called Arnold to follow your Son, the Divine Word, in proclaiming the Gospel to all peoples. Burning with love for him and filled with his Spirit, he dedicated himself totally to the spreading of your Kingdom of peace and love.
Therefore, with confidence we pray:
St. Arnold, implore for us a burning love for Christ and a dedication to the missionary calling of the Church.
Guide us to build families and communities where justice, compassion and equality are lived.
Help us to stretch our hearts to embrace all peoples of our one world.
May the Light of the Word and the Spirit of Grace transform our world and free our hearts so that we become fully alive with Jesus’ Spirit.
Amen.

(With permission, Society of the Divine Word, Via dei Verbiti, 1-00154 Rome)

Courtesy of:
http://www.churchoftheascension.net/divineword.html

Prayer for the Missions and Missionaries

We beg you to watch over your missionaries who have left all things to bear witness to your gospel and to your love. Be their “mighty shield and strong support, their shelter from the heat, a shade from the noonday sun, a guard stumbling, a help against falling.” (Sir. 34:16)

Guide and enlighten them by your Word and example. Lift up their hearts in the face of trouble and danger. O Lord, grant that wherever they go, the image of Your crucifixion may go with them, that in times of danger and difficulty they may learn from it a true meaning of sacrifice. Let them find strength and consolation in it, in their weakness. Through it, let them find light and firmness of spirit in every crisis of their apostolate. Since they do not seek earthly honors and comforts, grant their labors the fruits which they ardently desire, namely the power to save all people and to lead them to you, who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Finally, Lord, increase the number of their flock. Lead them to praise and thank You who have redeemed them and who wish to bring them to their eternal reward. Amen.

(With permission, Society of the Divine Word, Via dei Verbiti, 1-00154 Rome)

courtesy of:
http://www.churchoftheascension.net/divineword.html

Prayer to Saint Josef Freinademetz

Loving God, you revealed your love to Josef Freinademetz through the life and death of your Son, Jesus. Josef was deeply touched by Jesus laying down his life on the cross that we might have life with you. Filled with the Spirit of Jesus, Josef also gave his life that others may know your love and live as brothers and sisters of one Father.
Therefore with confidence we pray:
St. Josef, implore for us a listening and loving heart.
Like you may we courageously hear and answer the call of the Lord in our lives.
Help us to learn to lovingly give our lives in service of our brothers and sisters of all social, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
May we truly appreciate the diversity of our human family and celebrate this abundance of life we share in God.
Amen.

(With permission, Society of the Divine Word, Via dei Verbiti, 1-00154 Rome)

courtesy of:
http://www.churchoftheascension.net/divineword.html

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