Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres - Philippine Province

SISTERS CELEBRATE JUBILEE

The feast of the Assumption, August 15, was doubly meaningful as 13 Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres celebrated 60, 50 and 25 years of religious life. The Thanksgiving Mass in Our Lady of Chartres Convent, Antipolo City, was presided by His Excellency Most Reverend Archbishop Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.

The Jubilarians are:

SILVER JUBILARIANS

Sr. Jennifer Dayday

Sr. Ma. Celeste Rivas

DIAMOND JUBILARIANS

Sr. Fidelisa de Marie Portillo

Sr. Clare Leonard Garcillano

Sr. Mary Edwardine Columbano

Sr. Elvira Theodore Ibardolasa

Sr. Mary Urban Mago

Sr. Francesca San Diego

GOLDEN JUBILARIANS

Sr. Hipolita Collado

Sr. Helen Famisan

Sr. Jean Asok

Sr. Emma Jane Obsioma

Sr. Maria Danilla Garces

During the Holy Mass, the Jubilarians were led to the Altar by Sr. Emily Louise del Castillo, Provincial Superior and the members of the Provincial Council. Priests-friends, families relatives and lay collaborators in the mission witnessed the renewal of the vows of the Jubilarians and joined in their joy and prayers of gratitude.

In his homily, the Nuncio shared:

“Today, August 15, we celebrate the entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven at the end of her earthly life. That fills us with joy.

In the Gospel today (Luke 1:39-56), when Mary visited Elizabeth and Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’

Elizabeth was jubilant because Mary believed that what was spoken to her would be fulfilled. Those words that Elizabeth speaks in the Gospels we can direct to our Diamond, Golden, and Silver Jubilarians. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.

Every Jubilee celebration is a moment where we reflect on what happened in the past, the Lord called, the Lord spoke to you in different ways. All the influences that He used, spoke to your heart. He made you His own. He called you to Himself. He whispered His call to you our jubilarians. And we say to you with Sr. Elizabeth this morning, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.

In every Jubilee celebration, we say, ‘Thank you, Lord for fulfilling your promise. Thank you, Lord for your faithfulness to me after 25 or 50 or 60 years of religious life.’

The Lord does not abandon us, the Lord does not call us and then leaves us standing by the side of the road. The Lord is always with us, but we need to believe that Mary believed that the word would become flesh in her womb and so it did. Blessed is Mary because what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled in the incarnation.

Blessed are the Jubilarians because what was spoken by the Lord in their own lives – where they came from all and the circumstances, all the influences, all the decisions, the Lord was there calling, “Come, follow me.”

That’s what we celebrate today, their call, their vocation, the moment in which Jesus spoke to their heart. That fills us with jubilation