The eruption of the Taal Volcano last January 12, 2020 was a very unexpected occurrence witnessed by the Verbum Dei Tagaytay Community. Volcanic ashes and tiny pebbles were spewed out from the volcano at the onset of the eruption. Thunder, lightning and a series of earthquakes enveloped the evening until dawn of the following day. Electricity and water supply was immediately cut-off in the affected areas which added to the distress of the people.  Marked by a community discernment, the Tagaytay Community evacuated to the Pasig Community for the meantime.

Although the calamity caused so much tension and uncertainty particularly to our neighbors and apostolate areas, it was eased by an outpouring of generous donations received from the Verbum Dei Fraternity, disciples, and friends. Together with Fr. Filipe and the rest of the Verbum Dei Pansol community, an outreach was immediately organized on January 15, 2020 and provision of the basic needs of the people were mobilized. Water, rice, canned goods, toiletries and pre-owned clothes and blankets were shared to the neighbors and evacuation centers in Lucsuhin National High School and of the OFM Capuchin Brothers. Responding to more needs, on January 18, a second batch of relief goods were received by the people in Las Brisas, Mushroom Burger, Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol, OFM Capuchin and Batangas evacuees who took shelter in Alfonso, Cavite. The Holy Eucharist was celebrated the following day to nourish the people spiritually and remind them of the love and presence of the Lord in the midst of a disheartening situation.
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The community of Tagaytay is very grateful for the concern and immediate help provided both by the Verbum Dei Fraternity and Family.  Although uncertain of the future, the faithful love, presence, peace and generosity of God expressed through generous hearts provided the people a sense of inner security and comfort. It is a hope that through this experience, more people will be drawn closer to the merciful heart of God.

Here are some photos:

“Kasama mo ako - Forever!” was the apt title of this year’s Christmas gift-giving program launched by Verbum Dei – Tagaytay for the children of nearby barangays of Tagaytay City.
 
The children, ages 3 – 12 years old (some even older and others even still babies) were brought and accompanied by their mothers and other relatives to attend this most joyous moment of the Christmas Season.
 
Before the program started, the children attended the 8:00 am Mass at the VD chapel, presided by Fr. Luigi of the Somascan Fathers congregation. Registration of all attendees followed after the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The kids were also served snacks right after they were registered and issued their pre-numbered IDs. The registration went on smoothly and orderly.
 
There was a brief opening prayer led by the Emcee before the fun games started. The games were facilitated by a group of millennials led by Ate Briggy and other friends from Manila.
Sr. Rana Nina Elisino, FMVD was overall Head Coordinator of the event, together with Sr. Melaine Fuentes, FMVD. Sr. Rana also facilitated a short catechism by asking the children, “Bakit may Pasko?” (Why is there Christmas?) and the children gave insightful reasons why we celebrate Christmas.
 
From the smiles and happy faces of the children, we knew that they were enjoying the games! After the fun games, a sumptuous Jollibee lunch of Spaghetti, Chicken joy, Yumburger sandwich and partnered with delicious ice-cream, brought more smiles to the children and even their moms and other attendees.
 
Having had their fill of their favorite Jollibee meal, the children were also visited by Jollibee’s famous mascot, Mr. Jollibee himself and were treated to two dance numbers. Everybody was delighted and some kids joined in the dancing as well. A photoshoot with Mr. Jollibee followed.
 
Before the children left, some gift items were raffled off to them, like basketballs, electric stove and other useful items and school supplies. After the closing prayer, all the kids received their Christmas gifts and some grocery items for their families which brought more smiles to the children’s happy faces!
 
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of your birthday! Thank you for the love and generosity of our Verbum Dei benefactors and friends who continue to share their blessings to others. May you bless them even more each day. We also give you praise for all who made this Christmas get-together and gift-giving possible and successful. Please bless them with the things they pray for. Amen.
 
Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year to all!

Here are more photos of the event:

​To prepare us for Christmas, the birth of Jesus, who is the The Promise, Himself, we attended the Semi-silent Retreat conducted by the Verbum Dei Missionaries last December 7 & 8, 2019 at the VD Retreat House in Tagaytay.
 
The cold weather didn’t deter the retreatants from spending an overnight stay at the Verbum Dei Retreat House, likewise, braving the traffic brought about by the ongoing SEA Games in the vicinity and other areas of the metropolis at that time.
 
The semi-silent treat was facilitated by Sr. Amy Hernandez, Sr. Grace Gonzales and Sr. Pearl Angelie Rebusit, FMVDs. The retreatants were welcomed by Sr. Amy, who gave us the flow of the retreat and some insights on the virtues of waiting on the Lord, silence, and knowing whom we are waiting for during this Advent Season.
 
Among the many passages which were given to us to reflect on, the one of the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) touches me the most… The “yes” of the Blessed Mother to bear the Savior of the world, is the one thing we can emulate in our lives, although it is difficult to do and to follow in our world today. Perhaps we could be docile or humble like Mary, but to follow in her footsteps consistently could be daunting and truly a struggle. But because we have a God who is faithful and always with us, we need not be afraid. The Lord will never leave us nor abandon us to fend for ourselves. We simply need to be still and to listen to what the Lord is telling us.
 
Sr. Grace expounded on our God who speaks to us in the silence of our hearts; who patiently waits for us; who has not broken a promise to His people; who considers you and I as precious in His eyes. In Isaiah 54:10, the Lord says, “My love will never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the Lord, who has mercy on you…” Truly, the Lord is a faithful God! He keeps His promises. But, oftentimes, we are the ones who are unfaithful, the ones who break His heart! Likewise, when we undergo trials and difficulties, there will be long periods and moments of waiting. Thus, we are being taught patience because in waiting, there is grace. In His own time, God answers our waiting. He is faithful, always.
 
The name of “The Promise” is Jesus, Sr. Amy said. So, are we still waiting for The Promise? He is already amongst us. He came more than 2000 years ago to be with us and to live with us. The question to ask is, how is Jesus, who is The Promise, being manifested in our own lives at the moment? Can Jesus be seen in the way we live our lives?
 
Another beautiful question we can ask is, how should we wait on the Lord? What can we do as we are waiting? Trust, as we wait on God; trust Him with all our hearts. Do not run ahead of God for He is faithful and He will come. In Psalm 27:14, it says, “Wait for the Lord, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the Lord.” Also, “He who begun the good work in you will be faithful to the end” (Phil.1:6).  
 
Finally, many are waiting on God, for His plans to unfold in our lives. Do not be afraid about God’s plan for you. Like Mary and Elizabeth, they waited to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us not be afraid to receive the Holy Spirit in our lives because He will lead and guide us as we journey in this life. God is Emmanuel, always with us and giving us the abundance of life through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is The Promise.   Amen.

Here are some more photos from the event:

​The Sunday was a joyful and heart-warming September morning despite the cold and rainy weather! The rains did not dampen the spirit and excitement of the Verbum Dei-Tagaytay Teens and Youth group with the collaboration of the Adult Single and Married couples, as well as the VD-Tagaytay Missionaries. Everyone played a role in bringing delightful music, dancing, skit/role-playing and even a touching couple’s life experience and testimony to the audience.
 
The talents exhibited by the Teens and Youth group did not only show their heartfelt cooperation and unity, but also inspired the community to draw closer to God, to one another and to bring joy to everyone. Their opening song said it all, as they sang, “Young Man, Get Up.” It displayed their resolve to get up, amidst life’s challenges. It also expressed their hopes and dreams for a brighter future, with God as their inspiration and guide.
 
Some revealed their hidden skills and talents in surprising ways – a young boy, Russel who has not reached his teen years yet, showed his talent in singing and dancing to the delight of the crowd. In addition, there was also Jacob, an 11-year-old child with special needs who became a channel of peace to his family’s reconciliation and harmony; he also displayed his talent by “singing in tune” a praise song to the Lord!
 
For their part, the Adult Single and Married couples gathered together to sing a song of praise and thanksgiving to God who has always been present in their life’s journey through thick or thin.
 
Finally, the VD-Tagaytay Missionaries delighted the audience with a Spanish song that spoke about how an awesome God can make a difference in our lives. By being with Him and in Him, man’s journey becomes less difficult and contributes to his own growth.
 
The day was truly delightful and beautiful! To cap it, all participants, including the audience were treated to free snacks and lunch courtesy of Ms. Kathy who opted to celebrate her birthday during the Music Festival.
 
Yes, Lord, we will continue to sing praises and thanksgiving to You, for as St. Augustine said, “singing is twice praying.”  Amen.

​The Spanish Mission Group joined the Tagaytay Adult Friday SOWers in their regular Friday Prayer Meeting, last August 23, 2019.

Present to give the Prayer Guidelines was Sr. Melaine Fuentes, FMVD who was also celebrating her birthday on the same day. The group was also joined by the other Tagaytay missionaries and adult Friday SOWers. Two of the Spanish missionary visitors shared the fruits of their prayers, as well as two of the Tagaytay adult SOW members.

The Spanish prayer sharers highlighted their joy and admiration of the Filipino people despite the economic poverty they have seen. What amazed them were the Filipinos’ resiliency in the face of adversities and difficulties brought about by various causes and concerns. They also noted the deep faith and belief in the providence of God by most Filipinos the reason why they can still smile and be hospitable to people.

After the prayer meeting, a simple dinner get-together followed to celebrate the birthday of Sr. Melaine. The activity also served as the farewell or despedida gathering for the Spanish missionaries and disciples. They are scheduled to leave in two batches, on Saturday and Monday mornings.

It was an “all is well that ends well” evening to cap the mission visit of the Spanish missionaries and disciples. Hasta la vista amigas y amigos!

A leadership camp for the youth with the theme “Empowered” was conducted by the Verbum Dei Missionary Family, at the Center of Evangelization in Tagaytay City, last June 6-9. Each day was filled with activities like formations, prayer guidelines, Holy mass, games, movie screening, and star gazing.

Everyone was welcomed by a session from Joy stating the necessity of healthy self-esteem. Following this, Youth Camp Olympics started with the pledge of sportsmanship led by Fr. Bong. Each day, games like trust fall, blindfold guide, centipede walk, and acid river were played to strengthen everyone’s skills.

Next day started with Carmela’s guidelines about God’s communication to all of us, in every way. Then, Sr. Cecilia gave a formation which focused on the importance of listening and dialogue in our relationship with God. This was followed by Fr. Iwao’s formation that emphasizes traits as Good Shepherd.

The third day began with the reminder of loving despite the pain from Christel followed by Sr. Cecilia’s formation about conflict management. After that it was Abel’s guideline that left a question, “Who’s your mission?” Then everyone formed into groups for a workshop about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, Sr. Adriana conducted a formation about the evangelization of digital natives that left a question, “Am I being truthful in what I share?”
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The camp ended with the hope that the youth who experienced these will lead and spread the Word of God now and in the future. After all, youth are the hope of our motherland and our God. And we are called to be fully alive. Pope Francis said the words “I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!” (Christus vivit, no. 1)

It was an empowering day, June 9, 2019 after the Pentecost Sunday Mass at Verbum Dei Chapel in Tagaytay when participants of the on-going VD Youth Leadership Camp gathered together to attend the seminar on "Evangelizing the Digital Natives" conducted by Sr. Adriana Haro, FMVD in collaboration with the VD Missionaries and VD Retreat House-Tagaytay. The group was also joined by some members of the VD-Tagaytay Adult S.O.W. group.
 
The call to evangelize is not only a call for the religious, but for all people, especially the "digital natives." The young people are now being sent to be witnesses to the "digital continent," now considered as the 6th continent representing the biblical place, called the "ends of the Earth."
 
But who are the "digital natives?" It was interesting to note that there are different "citizens" in the Digital Continent:

• Baby boomers (1940-1959)
  
• Generation X (1960-1979)

Both known as the "Digital Immigrants" 

• Millennials (1980-1994)
• Generation Z (1995-2005)

Also known as the "Digital Natives." So, where do you belong? 
 
Hence the Digital Natives are being called to do the work of "inculturation" which is a necessary pathway toward Gospel evangelization of cultures in the Digital World.
 
This new world can offer a lot of distractions, both good and bad. Every "citizen" in this 6th continent can become addicted to many digital activities which expose them to negative behaviors and problems. That is why, there is truly a need to listen to the voice of the Lord as in Isaiah 6:8 "Whom shall I send?" Can, you, the Digital Native reply: "Here I am, send me!"
 
Sr. Adriana told us that God has always counted on young people to transform reality. Even our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal said: "The youth is the hope of our motherland."
 
Finally, how and where do the Digital Natives begin? First, by knowing what they are looking for. It is obvious that they are looking for themselves, for other people and their place in the world. They need to know who they really are and to project this image into the world. Honesty and sincerity in what one posts can be a good start to real reaching out. Occasional breaks from digital connection and from social media can also be a good way of recharging and finding oneself, even others, in the real world! 
Holy Spirit, guide us! 

​The merry month of May was indeed joyful for the Verbum Dei-Tagaytay Adult School of the Word (SOW) group. Apart from our regular Friday afternoon SOW gatherings, we also come together to do various activities, like:
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• Going on mission trips to nearby places of interest, like, the home for battered and abused children and youth.
  
• Facilitate recollections for high school students of Tagaytay City National High School (TCNHS) and Lucsuhin National High School (LNHS). 
  
• Participate in planning and implementation of the year—incorporating Mama Mary visits and Block Rosary to nearby "Pabahay Housing" area and other neighboring places. 
  
• Collaborate with other VD-Tagaytay groups (teens/youth/couples) to enliven the Sunday Eucharistic Mass through active participation in the Sunday Choir, Altar Servers' formation and regular participation as Lectors and Commentators. 

 
The month of May also saw us bonding together for a refreshing Summer Outing at Rio Villa Spring Resort, Indang, Cavite. The fresh spring water quenched our thirst for coolness and refreshment, not only for our physical bodies, but the spirit as well remembering that the Spirit is “grateful coolness in the heat” (Sequence of the Holy Spirit).
 
For the coming months, we look forward to strengthening more our Adult SOW group by inviting additional members, targeting at least one new member per current member. 
 
So we invite you to come, "taste and see the goodness of the Lord" (Psalm 34:8) at the Verbum Dei - Tagaytay for a refreshing experience of the Word of God. 
 
We hope to see you soon!

​Last April 18-21,2019, 105 participants from all walks of life participated in the 2019 “I Love You and I Give My Life To You" (cf. Galatians 2:20) Easter Encounter (Semi-Silent Retreat) 2019 at Tagaytay City Philippines. This year, the annual event also welcomed participants from Misamis Occidental and Guiwan, Samar.

The annual event is one with the Holy Catholic Church in commemoration of the Easter Tridium. There was the Holy Thursday Mass where the participants commemorate the Washing of the Feet, Veneration of the Cross, Way of Light and the Easter Vigil. There were also talks, dynamics and testimonies given to help deepen the understanding of the participants about the passion and death of Jesus on the Cross. There were moments that both the youth and adult were together in a session and there were moments separated to focus on the needs of each reality.

It's nice to see people with different background gathered to journey with Jesus in this this most important moment of our journey of faith as Catholics. The participants were given a chance to be involved in different committees to help them have a more meaningful experience.

One of the participants, Lola Tamar felt that attending the Easter Encounter helped her to deepen her faith more. She appreciated the catechesis given before important liturgical celebrations. She also liked the part of the Way of Light where we gave importance to the role of Mama Mary in the life of Jesus.

After the Easter Vigil, everyone eagerly participated in the Fiesta where the participants got the chance to represent the Resurrection of Jesus creatively through different group presentations.
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Lent is over and Christ already conquered death through Resurrection. May this amazing gift of our faith fuel us with hope and love each day.

Watch a video summary of the event:

Some photos of the event: