The Verbum Dei family in Cebu held their 9th local family assembly last Sept. 30, 2018. This was held in the apostolate center in Banawa Hills. We listened to the reports from the different realities, and shared as one family about the current state and where we are. 

For those in our family in Cebu, in case you missed it, here are some of the video recordings of the event. Scroll below to see the videos.

(recorded via Facebook live in the main Verbum Dei Philippines Facebook page.) 

It was amazing to see a gathering of more than 200 young people at our recent Verbum Dei youth event. They had come together for a Song forum entitled “Catalyst, an Agent of Change” organized by the Verbum Dei Missionary Family.

It was a day of songs, dance, a skit and a Japanese origami lesson. In each performance there was a short introduction related to the realities that the young people face today.

The event aimed to instill in the young people that they have a place in the world - that they can each contribute in their own little way to make this world a better place. And that in their journey of life, God will always be there guiding them every step of the way.

There was also time for Eucharistic exposition, to help introduce the participants into prayer.
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Let us also pray for all these young people that they can really be catalysts, agents of change, in the
world of today!

The Life is an international panel of sisters who write short reflections on a question posed every month  regarding the unique, challenging and very specific lives of women religious around the world. 

After receiving applications from 80 sisters, our VD missionary Adriana Haro was selected to be part of the 25 panelists. 
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She shares with us her answer to the following question: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). In what ways have you and/or your congregation followed this command of Jesus?

To read the article including Adriana's contribution, click the link below:
http://www.globalsistersreport.org/news/ministry/including-everyone-how-sisters-go-ends-earth-share-jesus-55413

​The Art of Marriage formation was held in Cebu City (the Queen City of the Philippines) on September 23, 2018. It was attended by a diverse audience of couples ranging from young/starting couples to “old timers”. The activity began with a mass celebrated by Fr. Lucio. Following the Eucharistic celebration, the ten couples were treated by Jess & Mau Baja to a session that revealed the six reasons why God created marriage. During the group sharing, everyone expressed appreciation for what they felt was a revelation for them: a discovery of the real purpose of marriage, which is not exclusively focused on procreation alone.

The afternoon session started with an ice breaker that displayed the dancing prowess of most of the participants, but which was definitely a struggle for some (who have two left feet), myself included.

The topic in the afternoon centered on the characteristics & definitions of love with particular reference to the encyclical of Pope Francis, “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Loving). In chapter four of Amoris Laetitia, the Pope cites some practical guidelines on how love should be lived out in the marriage and in the family in the middle of its various challenges.

Rey & Tina Bagares also opened up some aspects of their married life – the struggles, the challenges and also the victories, which helped add a realistic tone to the afternoon reflection.

To wrap up, we asked each couple to express the fruits of the day in an artwork that they each shared. We ended the day with a simple get-together snack of fried banana.

The final stop in this series of formations is on October 13 at Verbum Dei Apostolate Center in Pasig City, Philippines!
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Hope to see you there!

Last Sept. 24-26, we gave a recollection "Dream Big" to Grade 12 students of Pateros Catholic School. It was a beautiful and fruitful recollection for both students and the working team.

​Thanks to all the missionaries of Pasig, Tagaytay, Pansol and Pandacan and to the disciples' help especially to some Sowers from Christ the King who generously shared their time and creativity to bring these students to a personal encounter with God who dreams big with their lives.

Hello Verbum Dei family,

We are happy to be one with our brothers and sisters in Loeches, Madrid, Spain on the on-going 5th General Congress. Here are the updates in multiple formats (video, PDF, etc).

New updates will be added on top. Scroll down to read the previous updates.
​More will be added in the coming days so keep posted!

​The radio program called "Doctor, Doctor" of the Catholic Medical Association in the United States recently interviewed James McTavish about the theme of human trafficking and prostitution. 

James said "They were interested to interview me because in December 2017 they published an article of mine called The Devastating consequences of sex trafficking on women's health. I hope as a community we can continue to evangelize through the means of social communication like radio, our webpage and Facebook."

You can listen to the 12-minute interview at this link:
https://soundcloud.com/user-546435917/dd-35-ethical-options-for-regenerative-medicine

Or listen at the embedded soundcloud player below.

​United in mission!

Dear Fraternity:

On this morning of Saturday, September 15, the Congress members who are gathered in Loeches, open to the voice and action of the Spirit, prepared for the election of the President of the FMVD.

We give thanks to God for our Responsibles throughout these 55 years, as well as for those people who have been co-responsibles from the silence, and have committed themselves to the mission that has been entrusted to us. By electing together the President of the Verbum Dei, we are expressing the communion in the mission, feeling as one single Missionary Family spread throughout the five continents.

The one from whom we have received the gift of the charism, and has called each one of us to live and transmit it, chooses suitable people to respond in ecclesiality to the challenges of the next six years; we know that we are co-responsibles in the mission from a creative fidelity, attentive to the signs of the times, in deep prayer to understand how we can reinterpret and apply the charism in the best way in the current times.

We inform you with joy that the President elected for the sexennium 2018-2024 is RODRIGO CARRIZO MOYA, from Spain.

We thank the Trinity for this election and we entrust ourselves to their grace, through the hands of Mary, our Mother. That with the awareness of being heirs of a charism, we are able to let ourselves be moved and dynamized by Them. We ask for the special grace and wisdom for the new government.

Very united in Christ,

Angelina Benítez Llamas
General Secretary FMVD