... from Fr. Alberic's office

December 1-17, 2005 We are graced by the presence of our 3 Chinese brothers of the monastery of Our Lady of Joy in Lantao island, HongKong, Fr. Giles, Br.Vincent, & Br. John who stayed with us for two weeks to have an experience of how our Cistercian monastic life is lived here in the Philippines. Br. John is one of their postulants while Br. Vincent is an observer. We are grateful of their presence for it strengthens the bond of communion between our two communities. They are planning to come back in the future and stay for a longer period to learn English. Of the three, only Fr. Giles can speak English while Br. Vincent has some Spanish. They fit in easily well in the daily grind of our life and were really very zealous for our Divine Office. None of them ever missed the Vigils at 2:30 am and the other Offices.

On the evening of December 3rd Fr. Giles gave a talk to the whole community about the current events of his own monastery and also did some magic as he used to do whenever he comes to us. The monasteries of the Asia Pacific & Oriens Region celebrate this day as ASPAC-ORIENS DAY in honor of St. Francis Xavier who evangelized Asia. It would not be farfetched to say that he is probably the greatest missionary the Church had ever produced after St. Paul. At present, though, he is surpassed by Pope John Paul II.

The workings of the Holy Spirit on the missionary activity of St. Francis was so tangible in the sense that he had no ability for languages, he is no linguistic, and knew nothing of native people, and yet after a year and a half in India he wrote St. Ignatius a 4,400 words letter that was widely publicized in Europe saying: "My arms are often almost paralyzed with baptizing and my voice gives out completely through repeating endlessly in their tongue, the commandments, the prayers, and the sermon on heaven and hell." And in one of his other letter to St. Ignatius, St. Francis said: "One of the things that greatly comforts us and make us hope increasingly for the mercy of God is the complete conviction we have of lacking every talent necessary for preaching the Gospel in pagan lands." By and large, this means that if a person has a complete trust in God, God can readily accomplish his work in that person. And this means also that the success of every missionary does not solely depend on their intelligence, but on the love that they have for God and the people they serve.

On December 12, we have a community dialogue in preparation for the coming abbatial election scheduled on February 20, 2006. The topic is on the "Needs of the community at present" which the elected abbot has to tackle. Seven areas were identified. These needs that came up from the four groups show how human we really are:
I. FORMATION:
1. Proper and adequate formation

a. formators had to be changed
b. trained and qualified formators
c. update formation
d. good books for formation

2. Novitiate - proper training in community life and monastic way.
3. Community-at-large - continuing education; priests
4. Inculcate monastic values/observances (including moderation, permissions, frugality).
5. Care of the environment; proper separation of refuse.
6. Adaptation of the RB (Rule of St. Benedict) to the contemporary setting.
7. Ask oneself what I need to do to myself and my monastic life.
8. To be mature.

II. OPUS DEI:
1. Proper chanting
2. Promptitude/punctuality and improve attendance

III. BUILDINGS & PHYSICAL PLANT:
1. Prioritize erection of new buildings
2. Maintenance and repair of existing structures

a. Treatment of novitiate for termites

3. Intercom
4. Canopy behind the monasticate
5. Centralization of office spaces
6. Transfer the garage outside the enclosure
7. New water reservoir
8. Additional roofing at the side of the gift shop
9. More display cabinets and shelves in the gift shop
10. New vehicle

IV. INDUSTRIES & BUSINESS:
1. Refocus on income generating departments - FM (Food Manufacturing), gift shop & guest house
2. Farm - new equipment
3. Water supply and distribution system
4. Stable source of income
5. Explore lay management for some departments

V. COMMUNITY LIFE:
1. Dialogue every two months
2. Two-week home visit every 3 years for the solemnly professed
3. Proper channeling of corrections
4. Openness to outside help when needed
5. Permissions to leave the enclosure to receive one's guests
6. Define what the common vision of the community is
7. Good leadership
8. Renew house rules and guidelines
9. Modify work assignment
10. Unity among the brothers
11. Regular sharing between the superior and the brothers

VI. SPIRITUAL:
1. See the superior as Christ
2. Fraternal charity
3. Provide time for personal prayer
4. Provide support and encouragement to the brothers
5. Go beyond material things
6. Holy priests
7. Personal conversion

VII. RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Openness to share responsibilities
2. Training for organists and other specific tasks

In January we will have another community dialogue. That time the topic will be "The Qualities of the abbot to meet these needs."

December 25, 2006 "A child is born for us a child is given to us." For most of the poor children in our area and probably also for their parents, this day had already become a part of their lives - an event they look forward to. As usual, the number of children and adults together were roughly between two thousand to two thousand five hundred, more or less the same as last year. A good number of these people are Aetas, an indigenous tribe living in the inland of Guimaras. Monks who did not have assignment in the kitchen helped in distributing the gifts after Mass at our Food Manufacturing building.

At about 8:00 in the morning, Fr. Jess and I said Mass for them using the Ilonggo language. It was a very simple celebration, yet full meaning for it speaks to their hearts. Their active participation, sustained by the accompaniment of Brs. Meme and Isaiah, made the celebration more alive and delightful. Br. Vincent took good care of ushering the people to maintain decorum in church, especially the children.

Fr. Jess confided that one of the things that touched his heart so deeply was the children's simple & innocent longing to see the baby Jesus just liked the poor shepherds of Bethlehem. In his homily, Fr. Jess just let the children shout for joy the Holy Name of JESUS together with Mary and Joseph. Undoubtedly, Fr. Jess was very much at home with this gesture as it echoes in his heart his own name, Jess, which means Jesus.

Beside the altar was a beautiful Belen built by Br. Isaiah where the baby Jesus was enshrined without Mary & Joseph's presence. It was only the little Infant in His humble and gracious appearance laid in a manger so as to capture the hearts & imaginations of those who gazed upon it. Br. Vincent, with all his ingenuity, chose two children from the crowd to act as Mary and Joseph setting in front of the Belen in adoration.

After Mass, before they proceeded toward our Food Manufacturing building where they were to receive a simple gift like a pack of bread, biscuits, mango jam, & rice, (& additional toys for children), Fr. Jess encouraged them to say the three love words: "JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH" in a spirit of THANKSGIVING. Their own happiness made us very grateful to God for bestowing us this abundant blessing so as to share it with, for they went home with a smile on their faces and a joy in their hearts. May the new born child bring more blessings to the children of Guimaras.

To The Infant Jesus in the Crib
(By one of the novices of OLP)

How could I ever thank you O God
This wondrous gift You manifest
In the wooden cradle You were placed
So humble in appearance, so sweet as an Infant

God of hosts, I am bewildered
Thou had joined the history of humankind
And by becoming Yourself as a Man
You had suffered the frailty of an Infant

Angels are adoring You
Seraphims worship before You
For they so perfectly know
That they have life or being because of You

But coming in the form of a human
You assumed the true nature of a Man
And born in the womb of a woman
You were constrained in the cradle built by human hand

O God how marvelous is Your wisdom
Far reaching, transcending our human mind
That in the mystery of Your Incarnation
You wrought wonder beyond all telling

God bless.

In Christ and Mary,
Fr. Alberic and the monks of OLP