Last Tuesday, March 22, 2022, a wide range of emotions were felt. Everyone was ecstatic to see each other again after almost three years of not seeing each other physically due to COVID. Adding to the excitement was the surprise visit of Fr. James McTavish, whose last visit was in December of 2019. That night, he officiated probably his last mass for the community in Cagayan de Oro City prior to his permanent assignment in Rome.

Together with Fr. James were Antonio Miralles and Marisol Diaz, missionary married couple from Spain, who arrived in the Philippines as the new Responsible for the Married Couples Branch. Cagayan de Oro was their second stop since their arrival a few days earlier.

After the celebration of the mass, a casual get-together was held. Dinner comprised of pizza, cakes and home baked desserts. It was simple yet fun-filled especially when Fr. James showcased his Scottish roots with his repertoire of songs on bagpipes.

The night ended with the traditional send-off and welcome words as it was both a despedida and bienvenida, after all!

You will be missed, Fr. James! God bless your efforts in Rome and your future endeavors, wherever the Holy Spirit leads you.

Antonio and Marisol, welcome to the Philippines and to  the city of Golden Friendship! We hope you have a fruitful, spirit-filled and memorable stay here.
​
“For every goodbye, God also provides a hello.” - Donna Gable Hatch

The Jaime Bonet Series Going to the Roots offers fascinating and inspiring glimpses into the life and spirit of our founder.  The third talk of the series was another “deep dive” into the heart of Jaime.  Entitled, “The Missionary Profile of Jaime Bonet,” the talk was given on February 26, 2022 by David Rolo, FMVD, our Spanish misionero based in Vietnam.   
 
David successfully brought to light the elements of Jaime’s missionary personality, drawing not only from Verbum Dei’s documented history but from his many personal experiences as one who lived with Jaime during the last few years of our founder’s life in Loeches, Spain. The anecdotes and personal stories were a treasure trove, giving us a clearer picture of Jaime’s missionary character.  
 
Sources and Influences
 
The missionary seed was planted in Jaime by his parents, who were models of faith in catechism and apostolic work. This seed of missionary love was later nurtured by his vocation and apostolic experiences.
 
It was interesting to learn that there were many other sources that influenced his unique style of carrying out the mission. Influenced by Ignatian spirituality, he sought spiritual exercises, mindful that people needed the best version of himself to accompany them. In the spirit of the Ignatian motto “ad majorem Dei gloriam,” Jaime believed in looking for the glory of God in everything we do, saying that we preach to bring others close to God and we pray to discern only the will of God.  Another Ignatian motto which Jaime adopted was “En tanto en cuanto” (“as long as”), which means that one has the freedom to do anything in mission—as long as it is good, and as long as it is good for the mission.  
 
Jaime also drew inspiration for mission from John the Baptist--who always pointed to Jesus, and not to himself—and from St. Paul, who strove to create Christian communities and form apostles.
 
Missionary Traits
 
Jaime was known to have a strong character.  Thus, it was remarkable to learn that mission was not always easy for him in the beginning. Mission and preaching was always a personal “fight.” As an apostle, he struggled with his own frailties on the one hand, and on the other, the call to preach the Word of God. The struggle would get so bad that Jaime would turn very ill moments before preaching. “I am a sinner, and yet I must speak about You, Jesus.”  This, David said, was how Jaime felt. 
 
For Jaime, everything revolved around mission. The Verbum Dei motto of “hacer hacer” (to enable others to make) stemmed from the desire to look for people committed to pursue and promote the mission and to form them as apostles. The term “motorcycle spirituality” grew out of Jaime’s habit of travelling from town to town on his motorcycle to preach the word of God, constantly working on more effective ways to transmit the truths of faith.   
 
Jaime’s missionary spirit was based on a strong spiritual experience. He always insisted on prayer. “If you have to preach for one hour, you have to pray for two.” His boldness, courage and zeal for the mission are akin to his fidelity to do the will of God. For him, nothing was more important than to do God’s will and he strived to form people in the same way. He urged everyone to do mission because in mission, one consecrates one’s self to God. “Mission is consecration and consecration is mission,” David echoed Jaime as saying.
 
Full of passion, Jaime’s preaching was charismatic and always testimonial. He saw preaching as a dialogue between God and the people, in which the preacher was a witness and intermediary. He had a special ability to “read” the people who listened to him and adjust his preaching accordingly.  His passion was such that he wanted as many people as possible to hear the preaching on the Word of God, and receive, as well, personalized “accompaniment” (follow -up, guidance, and spiritual direction) in their journey of conversion.   
 
Perhaps there are many more elements of Jaime Bonet’s missionary personality we have yet to discover from his writings and meditations. For now, which missionary trait would you choose to emulate? 

​“Let us remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm and look forward to the future with confidence!” (Pope John Paul II)  This quote was the theme of the Recollection attended by a group of employees from Muntinlupa led by Verbum Dei couple Allan and Lyn Geron. The Recollection was facilitated by Sr. Melaine Fuentes, FMVD and assisted by VD disciple,
Mila R. Abigan.
 
          The group came to the VD Retreat House last February 11-12, 2022. Tagaytay’s cool weather brought joyful smiles to the participants and contributed to make their activity smooth and its intended objectives achieved.
 
          There were three parts of the Recollection based on the main theme: remembering the past with gratitude, living the present with enthusiasm and seeing the future with much confidence and hope. The first part highlighted on how we need to look at our past experiences through the eyes of faith and with a wider perspective. (1 Chronicles 16:11-12) A realization that God is faithful and is always with us in every circumstance. (Lamentations 3:22-24) Our belief that God will continue to reign in our hearts is what will bring us the peace which comes from God alone. (Colosians 3:15)
 
          In the second talk, participants were guided to live out life with much enthusiasm and passion. Whatever each of us may be going through due to the pandemic and other personal situations, we need to believe that God truly loves us and wants us to be free and genuinely happy. (Ezekiel 36:26) This can be achieved if we can truly trust God whole-heartedly.
 
          The last part focused on how participants can look at their future with so much hope and trust in God. The story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector guided the attendees in seeing themselves as he was and making the necessary changes in their lives. (Luke 19:1-10) His story highlighted how Jesus does not look at our sinfulness but on His mission to save the lost and the sinners. His gaze to Zacchaeus gave him freedom and the needed transformation in his heart.
 
          The sharings made by the participants touched everyone’s heart as they opened up some painful experiences and situations they have gone through due to the pandemic and other heart-rending circumstances in their lives now. Some even shed tears as they recalled painful events like, losing a loved one or a spouse, or a relative and going-through other difficult moments.
 
          The weekend Recollection ended with the song “Trust His Heart” which served to remind the participants to trust God in all circumstances and to emulate the qualities of Jesus in their journey through the year 2022 and onwards. They went home with joy in their hearts knowing that they have gained a friend in Jesus! Amen.

Valentine’s Day this year marked another milestone for the Fraternidad Misionera Verbum Dei in the Philippines, with the Launching of the Pre-Formation Course for Missionary Married Couples. After completing their one-year Discernment Course last November 2021, two married couples now enter a period of even more deepening of their YES to God’s call to mission.  Manuel and Imelda Manceli are part of the Verbum Dei Family in Cebu, while Resti and Cecilia Bautista hail from the community in Quezon City.

The Launching kicked off with the celebration of the Holy Mass, officiated by our dear missioneros Fr. Michael Cheong and Fr. Iwao Ikegami at the home of Resti and Cecilia in Antipolo City.  They were joined via Zoom by Manuel and Imelda as well as their formators Antonio and Marisol from Madrid Spain, Bimbo and Cookie from Cagayan De Oro City, and Eryle and Ann from Cebu City.  The ecclesiality of the Verbum Dei Fraternity was very palpable as the Mass was also attended by the student-missioneros from the Batasan Hills Formation House, our dear missioneras from Pasig and Manila, and the missionary couples from CDO and Cebu.

In his homily, Fr. Michael exhorted the couples to take on the attitudes in James 1:1-11: to pray for perseverance, to ask for wisdom and to walk in faith.  He reminded those present of their consecration, which is to be a sign of God’s presence in the world today.  We continue to pray fervently for these two married couples, their families and their formators as they embark on another journey of discovery in God’s everlasting love.

Read the first issue on the newsletter of the Verbum Dei Missionary Family of Quezon City. 

On Jan 9, 2022, an online recollection, “Bagong Taon, Bagong Buhay” was held specially for youths. There were about 100 participants altogether both via zoom and facebook live from different parts of Luzon coming together to listen to the Word of God through guidelines given by Br. Gelo. It was a good, fun and energizing moment to get to meet and listen to youths, and to know that I am not alone on this journey toward newness that 2022 will bring.
​
In this recollection, one of the things that I learnt and the message I received from God is compassion. Be compassionate to others, to me, and to Him. Through my journey as a nursing student, all the lessons and topics from my subjects are different but there is one similarity: to take care of the patient. To care for all peoples - rich or poor, acquaintance or stranger, men or women, and neighbor as the Good Samaritan has set the example (Luke 10:25-27). With the image of the Good Samaritan, Jesus invites me in the start of 2022, I can be compassionate as a student, classmate, daughter, sister, stranger, and person just as He is!  

​I am Jonnalyn Estrada from Verbum Dei Pansol and I would like to share with you all my experience of apostolate with the kids of our neighborhood. Recently we relaunched re the Kids SoW on October 9, 2021. It had been on pause mode because of the pandemic.
 
The first activity was a "Kumustahan" (How are you?). As I watched the children, I felt their eagerness to learn good lessons from God's Word. It was fun to listen to each of their stories. Yes, I will admit I got to the point where I thought it might be difficult for us teachers to handle the kids – maybe they would be messy and not listen! But actually, they were well behaved and very participative. And really, they were so willing to learn!
 
I am so happy because we were able to provide guidelines for the children. We teach them every Saturday from 11:00 am-12:00pm. And I am so grateful that I am part of this team working with the children. Thanks to Father Iwao also who guides us, and to Ma’am Cecilia and Doc Resti who continue to inspire and motivate us so that we can teach children well. I also thank the co-teachers - Tita Muriel, Ate Siony, Ate Belen, Ate Helen, Mylen and Kharis. We pray we can persevere and continue to inspire the children. God will inspire and guide us too so that we can be faithful to our mission.

Music is very powerful. It has the capacity to make other people happy and be transformed especially in this time of pandemic when many people are looking for inspiration.  That’s why the Ephphata Singles Group of Quezon City organized an online Song Forum entitled Hope and Healing last October 24, 2021.

It was an event open for all which was attended by over 30 people, through Zoom and Facebook Live. The activity consisted of ten songs rendered by some of the Verbum Dei Missionaries and disciples. There were also two testimonies given by two of Ephphatha Singles Group members.
​
As the saying goes “Music is the language of the soul.” May the uplifting songs inspire the people to have hope and healing amidst the difficult situation that we are in today. As Psalm 100 says, “I will sing of your love and justice; to you, LORD, I will sing praise.”

We marvel at God’s handiwork in the midst of these difficult times when this pandemic proves daunting more than ever after reaching the highest number of new Covid-19 cases a day at over 26,000 in our country. God has shown his faithfulness in choosing Reverend Jojo David to serve His people like Christ who had come “not to be served but to serve.” (cf. Mt 20:28)

The ordination to the Holy Orders of Deacon of Joseph V. David was held in the Parish of Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman, Quezon City last September 11, 2021. The ordaining prelate was Most Rev. Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D., Bishop of Cubao.

Following strict government guidelines, only a handful  of relatives,  members of the FMVD, and parish eucharistic ministers were allowed to be present. Despite this limitation, the event turned out to be grander than expected as people all over the globe united in prayer were able to witness the event virtually.

Bishop Ongtioco, in his homily, enthusiastically marked the words of Christ to Jojo “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you.” (Jn 15:16)

Jojo worked as a professional for more than twenty years and held high positions in several companies. He had his own plans but still, the Lord never left calling him to follow him closely and be his ordained representative in the world of today. Through his life, we can witness that “God is with us.” Truly, the spirit of Christmas is here as we start the “ber” months.

Filled with joy, Jojo echoed the words of our Mother Mary in his thanksgiving saying, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” (Luke 1:46-47)
​
Let us continue to pray for fidelity, fruitfulness, and felicity of our beloved and chosen apostle, Reverend Joseph V. David, as he prepares for his priestly ordination in 2022.

In the month of August 2021, a recollection given to a group of young working adults by the Manila VD missionaries (Ecclesial). It was a 3 full days online recollection with the theme: Many Parts, One Body inspired by 1 Cor 12. Below is a testimony given by one of the participants.

Testimony:
My retreat experience began with me feeling a bit of excitement but also feeling anxious from thoughts with regards to work and things from my daily life. One of the many moments of grace that I experience in the retreat was in the very first session. The question that stuck in my head is a simple how are you and yet, I don't quite know how I really am. I am glad that session was followed by moment of silence where I can once again reconnect with my interior self and be present with Jesus. in my interior mind: I see myself sitting in a room playing or just worrying with my own things yet I forget that Jesus was at the door waiting for me and to give me what true joy is. That moment of joy then came throughout the rest of the retreat. From the moment of affirmation of gifts to a heartfelt conversation with community members and also, the joy of the Lord that was clearly shown from the facilitators of our retreat! This testimony is written a week from the retreat and what changed is definitely my morning routine. A song from brother Isaiah (a youtube channel introduced) now often become the start of the day to get myself back into the right disposition. Life is still the same but that clarity with my inner self with Jesus and knowing I always have the backing of my community members helped me to retain that joy the Lord has given to me during the retreat.