The Camillians of the Philippine Province gathered for a 5-day spiritual retreat from April 17 to 21 at Saint Paul Center for Renewal in Cavite City. Thirty-seven (37) Camillian confreres from the Philippines and Indonesia attended the spiritual exercise. The retreat was facilitated by Father Charlie Inzon, OMI, the bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo (southern part of the Philippines).

The theme of the retreat is “The Pathways and Strategies in Living Our Consecration as Religious.” Some of the highlights of the eight reflections: 1) PATH – a) our vocation started with a DESIRE to join, b) transformed into DUTY as service, and finally, c) into a DEVOTION, a radical decision to self-giving despite our own brokenness. 2) OVERCOMING CHALLENGES – we need a) temperance, i.e., self-mastery, and b) interdependence which means supporting one another. 3) PROPHETIC MYSTICISM – we need to practice contemplation to see God in the poor, as St. Camillus believed.

The retreat culminated with the 25th presbyteral anniversary of Fr. Rey Sentillas, a Filipino missionary to Australia. It was indeed a meaningful celebration with the presence of all the confreres and seminarians.

Meanwhile, a week before, thirty-two (32) Camillian postulants, novices, and temporary professed celebrated their annual assembly called KUMPULAN (Kumustahan at Pulong pang Kamilyano). The theme of the two-day gathering is “That we may be one.” It was a moment of reflection and vocation life sharing to strengthen their oneness of being called to the Camillian way of life. The gathering was held in Bataan near the newly established Camillian residence of chaplains in the Diocese of Balanga (Bataan).