From December 2021 to December 2022, the Philippine Province celebrated the 150^th anniversary of its foundation as a separate Province in the Congregation of the Mission. With this sesquicentennial celebration, the Province commemorated the beginning of the Province in 1871, originally called “Province of Manila” and later renamed “Province of the Philippines” in 1894. Aside from going back to its historical roots, the celebration also included liturgical events on specific feasts, monthly formation sessions, and selected popular missions.

The sesquicentennial anniversary was launched at a concelebrated Mass on December 13, 2021, presided by Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan. This was held at the Santuario de San Vicente de Paul, in Quezon City. The next big event was also held at the Santuario on the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, last September 2022. Presiding at this Mass was Bishop Pablo David of the Diocese of Kalookan, the current President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. Among the invited guests to this celebration was the former Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines, Madame Lenny Robredo, who counts herself as a true Vincentian in word and deed, having been trained in the schools of the Daughters of Charity where confreres also had exercised some ministry. In November 27, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles J. Brown preached and presided at the concelebrated Mass on the solemn feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. This took place in the National Shrine of our Lady in Sucat, Paranaque, Metro Manila. The culminating celebration was held once more at the Santuario de San Vicente de Paul on December 12. This time Cardinal Jose Advincula of the Archdiocese of Manila preached and led the concelebrated Mass, where he highlighted the legacy left by the Vincentians throughout these 150 years particularly in the formation of the native clergy in diocesan seminaries.

In order to reflect and learn from this momentous anniversary, the Province also conducted several formation sessions. In January 2022, a Province-wide retreat was held on themes relating to the resolutions of the 2021 General Assembly. Likewise, various themes were developed every month from January to November. Led by some confreres, these on-line conferences dwelt on various aspects of Vincentian life and spirituality. Among these were “Mysticism of Charity,” “Vincent’s Political Charity,” “Jesus’ Way of the Cross as Model of Vincent’s Self-donation,” “Vincent’s Missionary Zeal,” “Vincent and Divine Providence,”” Vincent’s Vision of the Community of Disciples,” etc.

On the pastoral front, popular missions were held in selected places throughout the country. Led by confreres and assisted by sisters and lay volunteers, the missions were given in San Fernando, Bukidnon; San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; Cadiz, Negros Occidental; and Guihulngan, Negros Oriental. Youth Gatherings were also organized in several parishes, and the housing program for the homeless was also launched towards the end of the anniversary.

The entire Province took to heart the various activities in order to re-enkindle the flame of the Mission which it received through the dedication and commitment of hundreds of Spanish confreres who spent their lives in these islands. Many of them have moved on to the next life, but to represent them the two Spanish Provincials, Fr. Santiago Azacarate of Zaragoza and Fr. Jose Manuel Villar of the Province of San Vicente de Paul (erstwhile Provinces of Madrid, Salamanca and Barcelona) came to grace special celebrations from December 17 to 20. Accompanying him was Fr. Teodoro Barquin, one of the few surviving Spanish missionaries, who continues to consider himself a son of the Philippine Province. Because the Superior General, Fr. Tomaz Mavric, was unable to come, his Vicar General, Fr. Gregorio Banaga, led the celebrations which he himself, as former Provincial of the Philippines, started in December 2021.

Guiding the Province in this celebration was the theme, “The Beat Must Go On!” Set to music this theme encapsulates the feelings and aspirations of the member-confreres of the Province: thanksgiving for the Spanish missionaries and all the confreres who brought the Mission to us, while also looking forward to take on once more this same Mission into the next 150 years. These same sentiments found expression also in the special Sesquicentennial Prayer formulated for this occasion.

All this for the glory of God and the evangelization of the poor!

                                                                                              Fr. Manuel Ginete, CM.