The celebration of the feast of the birth of our Lord on December 25 calls for a preparation. Filipinos by tradition, prepare for Christmas even months before December which is quite obvious in the decorations put up in malls, streets paraded with all kinds of lights and decorated with some recycled from several Christmases past.  Cities and municipalities compete with which draws the most crowd with their extravagant display of Christmas lights and decorations.

People in the offices are busy planning for their parties. Families are also redecorating their homes to enhance the flavor of the season. And who can forget the menu planning that stretches for a week from the eve of Christmas until New Year morning of which Filipinos undoubtedly puts ‘heavy’ plans on. Indeed, a lot of external preparations going around keeping everyone on their toes. Nothing wrong with all these but oftentimes, we are inclined to forget to prepare ourselves interiorly.

Last December 6, after the celebration of the mass, James McTavish, FMVD,  gave the local community of  Verbum Dei disciples in Cagayan de Oro, a formation on what Advent really is, supported by the theme “Prepare the Way” (Mk 1,3).  Those present were encouraged to ask help from the Holy Spirit on how to prepare for Christmas celebration. The attitudes needed more than the external outputs, are to appreciate and practice silence and listening in this moment of preparing and waiting.
​
 “Advent is to pause in front of a Presence who is present today”, one of the numerous spotlights given by James, which resonates in our hearts and minds until now.

As part of Verbum Dei’s commitment to work with the universal church, each local community is asked to regularly update the Bishop of their corresponding Diocese. Recently, Cookie and Bimbo Abrio, the Local Coordinators of the VDMFa in Mindanao, accompanied by some disciples, made a fruitful visit to Bishop Jo Cabantan of the Diocese of Malaybalay and Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro last Dec. 7 and 8, 2019 respectively. One of the main purposes of the visit was to extend our gratitude for their unwavering support to Verum Dei’s existing apostolic works through the different Parish priests in the areas where we are working such as: Nazareno, the Cathedral, Barra in CDO, Musuan, Malaybalay, Aglayan, Kitam-is and Alae in Bukidnon.
​
The team also gave an update on the different activities/topics and the people who are locally coordinating and attending the regular activities. Both Bishops were very glad of the continuing efforts of Verbum Dei to spread the word of God and even asked for more help as both also expressed the different needs of their diocese specially in terms of Catechism, Bible apostolate and working with the families. At the end of the meeting the VDMFa gave some autographed books written by Fr. James (the current Zone responsible), who also accompanied the visit to the Bishops, as a sign of appreciation, and also a way for them to get to know the community more. We really enjoyed our “Bishop hopping” and continue to pray for them in their ministry of shepherding.

Cagayan de Oro family got a surprise visit yet again from the General Responsible of the Married Couples Branch, Alfonso Luna Martinez (without Adriana) last October 18, 2019.  It was for him a short break from his jam-packed schedule - an opportunity he would not miss for it would be his last visit for a long time to the city he considers his second home.

However, a man on fire could not keep himself hidden. His missionary heart and spirit led him to the ‘deserts’ of the those who heard him give a formation on Mary, Mother of evangelization, which was timely as most of us were to go on a mission that weekend.

As the visit days ended, we bade Poncho goodbye and wished him all the best as he continues his journey into the deep waters looking for people better than him, forming them so that in turn they too can form others to be disciples of this charism and of Christ above all!
​
Safe travels dear friend, from your Verbum Dei family in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. Many thanks or as we say “Daghang Salamat”

The Verbum Dei Missionary Family in Cagayan de Oro has recently launched “Couples Talk” last September 13, 2019 at Centrio Ayala Mall Conference Room with the theme “I DO”(see John 2,5 – “Do whatever he tells you”). This initiative, a collective effort of the members of the Couples reality, is a yearlong program with talks centered on the Theme Set. The talk titles were modified to make it leitmotifs striking e.g. Life & Love was given the title, “I’ve found a love…” , Your life is for loving was retitled,  “I love you more today than yesterday…”, Unawareness and Sin  is renamed “I didn’t see, I didn’t listen, I didn’t do…”(Catchy isn’t it!).   All talks which offer everyone an exclusive encounter of the uniqueness of the charism, are designed to nurture marriages by progressing and developing their spiritual life at the onset.
​
The venue for this event will be at the Conference Room of Centrio Ayala Mall every 2nd Friday of each month, 7-8pm to start and end on time.  Everyone is encouraged to invite married couple friends or relatives who are living in Cagayan de Oro and nearby cities or municipalities to join in this series of encounter with the one who instituted the marriage vocation.  Daghang salamat and see you all.

Yesterday’s School of the Word was extra special. It was special because the family in Verbum Dei Cagayan de Oro was able to do something extra creative and candid. Each family present was asked to make a poster of how love has been communicated in their family, based on the Gospel of John 13,34-35 “I am giving you a new commandment, love one another as I have loved you.”

The youths, single men and women who were there, were grouped accordingly, and individually were also asked to draw how love has been present in their homes. Each group came out with their unique drawings and theme – one group had their theme as ‘Banquet of Sharing, another ‘Fixed Love’ and another ‘ Extended Love’.  Each may have had different depictions and themes but we all share the same struggles and limitations when it comes to love in marriage and in the family. However, at the end of the day, we choose love above and over everything.

Even with challenges and trials, love triumphs! Love conquers! “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away” (Songs 8:6). Love wins over all!

Here are some other photos of the event:

​Everybody then went to celebrate mass at the CU Chapel officiated by our dear friend from the Columban order, Fr Enrique Escobar; there was a salo-salo after the mass as part of a three-part celebration : Welcoming Papa Poncho (although for only a couple of days because he needs to return to Mexico soon), secondly, it was also a send-off party for the Paguia Family who will be relocating to Cebu as part of Regner and Mae’s apostolic mission to form apostles in couples and their families, and lastly, to celebrate Mothers’ day.

​​With the goodbyes the day was a little bittersweet but in faith we can be joyful as we are called to fulfill the mission mandate of Christ to GO TO ALL.

(Jer. 29:11)

Here are some photos of the event:

Read the official newsletter from our family in Mindanao (April & May issue).