From the Master of Students

Beacon of Light and Servant of Christ: My Diaconate Journey

FR. CECILIO VLADIMIR E. MAGBOO, OP

PUNLÂ might seem our simple way of sharing to our friends and collaborators those things we do or accomplish in our apostolates. Looking closer, we see, that it is more than that. Yes, we could be glad and proud to tell others what we do, thinking that we have indeed been achieving a lot of successes in our ministry. But whenever we tell our stories we also open our hearts and uncover the stronger and deeper reasons for doing our work.

IN THE DOMINICAN PROVINCE OF THE PHILIPPINES, those who are ordained as deacons are usually expected to exercise their service for the Church in the Province-administered houses, convents and parishes wherein we have territorial presence. As for my case as a deacon, my superiors and formators assigned me to have my Diaconate exposure in a convent of the Province wherein its apostolic work focuses mainly on two things: formation and educational ministry. Here in the Convent of St. Albert the Great in Calamba City, Laguna, while the pastoral work here of the brothers revolves around the administration of a School (Colegio de San Juan de Letran -Calamba) and assisting in the formation of Pre-novices (Dominican Pre-Novitiate), little has been known and mentioned about their tightly-knit involvement with the local church in the city of Calamba, assisting the Diocesan clergy in the administration of the Sacraments and in providing spiritual support and nourishment to the faithful within their parochial territory.

ing formation in the Province are every now and then limited (because of a valid, formal or practical reason) to pastorally serve those people who only belong to our Dominican institution or community of assignment. Crossing the border or venturing into an uncharted territory outside of our Dominican confines and comfort zones in doing pastoral work may not be a viable or alternative option for some, but in my case, this is exactly what I have to embark on in my Diaconate exposure in order to appreciate what God calls and impels me to do for the ministry of service, of serving God’s people for the building up of His Church in the city of Calamba.

Over and above my pastoral involvement and duties in my own Dominican community in Laguna, this blessing and opportunity to serve in my capacity as an assisting minister to the local Diocesan parish community was indeed an equally enriching and transformative experience for me as a neophyte religious cleric.

That is why, this humble publication, would always embody two forces in our lives as brothers. The first force is centrifugal, i.e., oriented more towards our inner life as a community. In sharing our stories, we grow deeper into understanding of who we are by what we do in our apostolates. We realize that we are not simply working but at the very heart of these activities is an ‘Act of Faith’. We see that our ministry is our ‘prayer in work’ or a ‘prayer-work’.

The second force is centripetal, i.e., oriented more towards others. While Punlâ seems to be packaged as a reporting of events, it is a report animated by faith and our reflection on it. It is, therefore, our way of proclaiming to others the Good News. It is one of the ways by which we respond to our basic duties as Christians.

As we issue this third publication, may I therefore invite our readers as you pore through the pages, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps 34:8).

As a deacon, I know for a fact that I must completely immerse myself in different areas of Diaconal apostolate and service. I have to be involved in various Church ministries, such as the ministries of charity, of the Word, and of the liturgy. While the two main apostolates of the Convent would give me avenues and opportunities to be involved and exercise my Diaconate ministry in the Colegio and in the formation house and community of our brother Dominican postulants, I can say with candor and conviction that my exposure and involvement in the local Diocesan church community has equally taught and provided me with a lot of fond memories filled with valuable lessons. All of these would drive and propel me to become one day, a shepherd equipped not just with pastoral knowledge or know-how to do things acquired from years of rigorous study and formation, but more importantly, I was taught to possess and form an authentic pastoral heart and zeal to serve the people of God, both within and ‘outside’ of our reach or concern.

Here, I emphasized the word ‘outside’ for the simple reason that we ourselves who are undergo-

From the hundreds of children that I was able to baptize, on all the instances that I was asked by the Christian faithful here to administer solemn blessings for both the living and the dead, to various forms of human activity, needs and occasions, on all the several opportunities that I was able to visit small and big communities of faith outside of our convent to teach, bless and give witness to the Gospel truth and values — in all of these that I have imparted and shared here as a beacon of light and a servant of Christ in the Church, I graciously extend my utmost gratitude to the Province, the community of St. Albert the Great, our parish community in the Diocese of San Pablo and most especially, to the Triune God for entrusting me this gift of ministry and for making my Diaconate journey, amidst all its merits and flaws, a fruitful and meaningful one.

Fr. John Andrew S. Bautista, OP was ordained to the priesthood, through the imposition of hands and prayer of consecration by Most Rev. Socrates B. Villegas, OP, DD, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, on January 2, 2023, Memorial of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church, at Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City.

The DSMC Experience: How It Helped Me Prepare for the Priesthood

DOMINICAN STUDENTS’ MEDIA CENTER

Punlâ is the Pastoral Newsletter of the Dominican Studentate which features events and activities related to the ministry of the brothers and their apostolic groups. It aims to promote awareness about the missionary endeavors of the brothers and their lay collaborators who tirelessly contribute to the propagation of the Gospel in their ministries. It also serves as a means to express the brothers’ gratitude to their benefactors and partners for their invaluable help in responding to the needs of the Church and society.

The Filipino term “punlâ” not only signifies the seed, but more importantly connotes the act of sowing. This expresses the dynamism of the brothers’ apostolic ministry, rooted as it is in their life of contemplation as students committed to the sowing of the seed that is the ever-fruitful Word: “So shall my word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to me empty but shall do what pleases me, achieving the end for which I sent it,” (Isaiah 55:11).

Fr. Lauro G. De Dios, OP

Publications Adviser

Br. Gian Linardo Mari T. Estrella, OP

Editor in Chief

Br. Marco Miguel C. Lorenzo, OP

Managing Editor

Section Editors:

Br. Julian Christopher C. Morada, OP (DSMC)

Br. Joenner Paulo L. Enriquez, OP (MUKHA AD)

Br. Denver Marx B. Colegado, OP (KADAUPAN)

Br. John Rheed M. Caturza, OP (PST)

Br. Jonas P. Mediavilla, OP (KAPATID)

Br. Jimbo M. Mendejar, OP (R&R)

Layout Artists:

Br. Gian Linardo Mari T. Estrella, OP (DSPB)

Br. Rae Aaron A. Aguilar, OP (DSMC)

Br. Eugene Dominic V. Aboy, OP (DSMC)

Ms. Francine Nicole B. Castillo (MUKHA AD)

Br. Denver Marx B. Colegado, OP (KADAUPAN)

Br. John Rheed M. Caturza, OP (PST)

Br. Joevandro Alguter Triandi Putra OP (KAPATID)

Br. Eugene Dominic V. Aboy, OP

Editorial Consultant

Dominican Studentate Editorial Board:

Br. Jimbo M. Mendejar, OP

Br. Glendale P. Ancheta, OP

(DSMC), the social communication ministry of the Dominican Studentate, was my first apostolic group where I stayed for four long years beginning in 2012. I was assigned to the radio ministry, particularly running a radio show named “Usapang Kristiyano, Usapang Katoliko”. This radio program is a catechetical program of the student-brothers which aired on Dominican Radio in Manaoag, Pangasinan every Saturday night.

I vividly remember that during the initial airing of the UK radio, there were members of DSMC who were questioning whether the program successfully reached out to many people. Obviously, their main concern was if the effort was worth it or a waste of time. Unfortunately, we did not have a device that would check whether the program was heard or not by many listeners. During that time, social media was not yet fully developed unlike today when we could easily run the analytics using different platforms if you want to be seen in an on- line or a live show. However, there was one thing that really motivated us. We persevered not because we just wanted to be heard nor to be known but because we wanted to build our confidence in communication and in preaching the Word of God.

Now, as a newly ordained priest, I have realized the value of my exposure to media apostolate. My firsthand experiences in preaching through radio ministry brought me an opportunity to prepare myself for communication especially in preaching the Gospel. Thus, most of the time during my homily in the Eucharistic celebration, I developed in my preaching a more personal and conversational approach in delivering my prepared homily. At the same time, I am no longer afraid of speaking in front of many people as well as in front of the camera.

Indeed, in everything that we do in our pastoral formation, let us always remember that our learnings and experiences in the various activities of our respective apostolic groups will have a big impact on our future ministries.

The Vocation of Teaching

REV. ROBERTO S. CASTELLANO, JR., OP

NO ONE is born a teacher because teachers are made. Although the process of being a teacher is challenging, it is a priceless vocation. The vocation of teaching cannot be undermined because of its incomparable nobility and dignity. The sublime dignity of being a teacher is encapsulated in Henry Adams’ words, “A teacher affects eternity, he cannot tell where his influence stops.” This may sound fictional but in hindsight, the vocation of being a teacher do really affect eternity. It is because, the seed of knowledge, skills and values planted in the minds of students are continuously passed on from one generation to another with its ripple effect.

Yours truly does not come from a bloodline of teachers but I became a teacher myself because of the powerful influence of my teachers in the past. I witnessed how good teachers inspire their students to seek the skills and knowledge of eternal life. I also experienced the tutelage of not so good teachers who imparted to me lessons in life, in the most painful ways that no one could even imagine.

These last few months of my teaching min- istry, I observed that I have grown as a teacher. The tone of my lessons, themes of my learning strategies and styles of instruction are no longer confined within the bounds of the secular world. Now I am happily incorporating the tenets of values I learned in the Dominican formation I have undergone through the years.

I realized that the more one has been gifted by the Lord with multitude of learnings in different disciplines, the more one should be humble and docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because a teacher is a mere instrument of the One Great Teacher, Jesus Christ. If the teacher starts to deviate from the true source of knowledge and wisdom, the vocation of being a teacher will also start to cease because it will not be nourished by the grace of God.

Now, I am really convinced that the primary values that teachers should possess and constantly aspire for are humility and docility. With these two values, one can really be a true follower and emulator of Christ, the One Great Teacher.