PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY HOLY FAMILY PROVINCE AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

(First Communication)

With the theme: “Heeding the Guidance of the Spirit, pointing towards the future with vision and courage”, we, the forty participants from the different communities-taller embarked as a province for our provincial assembly. We felt the pervading presence of the Spirit, alive and continuously guiding us all throughout the day, starting with the Eucharistic Celebration, which we consider as the fountain of our hope, strength and inspiration because it is our intimate meeting with Jesus the worker in Nazareth who consecrates us and impels us to mission as he did.

Sr. Milagros A. Maravilla, SSJ, our provincial coordinator, warmly welcomed us and directed us to the task ahead of us. Through a power point presentation, she put our hearts ablaze, disposed and inspired as she brought our awareness of our own giftedness as Siervas de San Jose in the church and of the impelling challenge of Pope Francis to have the heart for the least, the last and the lost. She set our hearts focused as she invited us to read the Vision of the Future and proposed to us to have it constantly in our mind and heart during the days of the assembly.

We could not help but explode with gratitude to God and to all our sisters in the province as we listened to the report from the following communities regarding the systematization of their work with women: C-T Butiña-TDN vestments, C-T Mandaluyong-TDN clerical polo and garments, C-T Rosario food production, C-T Silay garments and food production,C-T Silay MBSTC Skills Training, C-T Cebu- TDN vestments, C-T Korobosea, POM-TDNTC Skills Training and Archdiocesan Social Apostolate (ASAC),  C-T Iloilo dormitory, C-T PNG hostel and TDN skills’ training, C-T alotau- TDN skills’ training. We saw the passion of our founder and foundress for the promotion and evangelization of the woman worker and young woman at risk so much present and alive among the sisters of these C-Ts from the time they started recreating the charism in their respective places and realities and until the present. The humble beginning of their work with and for women of the poor working world has grown, indeed!

After the very touching and inspiring report mentioned above, we broke into four groups according to the specific type of our work with women: TDN Alotau & Korobosea (Skills Training), Loreto Hostel, PNG & Holy Family Home, Iloilo (convivence) Group, TDN Cebu and QC group (vestments) and C-T Silay MBSTC, TDN Silay, Mandaluyong & Rosario (garments &food) in order to look at again at the reports of the respective talleres assigned to each group and give our conclusions and recommendations. Amazingly, the task didn’t take us much time because as the saying goes: “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” It’s a fact that there’s still a big space for improvement but we were happy to be affirmed again by the following conclusions shared in the plenum:

• Jesus, the pray-er-worker in Nazareth is our point of reference in our C-Ts and missionary endeavors.
• Our Charism is very relevant to our realities especially those of women workers and young women at risk.
• The TDNCs (Talleres de Nazaret Centers) are responsive to the needs of the women workers and young women at risk in the poor working world. In similar way, Holy Family Home and Loreto Hostel continue to be a relevant response in providing a safe haven for the promotion and empowerment of poor young women at risk in today’s world.
• Our projects are a communitarian endeavor and a clear expression of our Charism.

We ended the first day with the Evening Praise where we continued thanking and praising the Lord for the work we have accomplished and most especially for leading us to the very root of our life and mission as Siervas de San Jose- WOMAN… in the poor working world… workers and young woman at risk.