OMG MADE ALIVE IN C-T MURPHY

Edith      Eppie         Vangie    Maria   Marcie   Genelyn           

Spanish Translation

Our Community-Taller, the Juniorate International Community for English-speaking Junior Sisters is so far the youngest Community-Taller in Holy Family Province. It is composed of 6 sisters, three perpetually professed sisters and three temporarily professed sisters. As a C-T, we started to live together last March 14, 2014. 

Within the span of a few months, we had been into a period of integration that led us to a deeper knowledge and concern for one another facilitated by personal and communitarian prayer, formal and informal interactions, organizational meetings, sharing of life/faith, group dynamics.

Side by side with our community-building is the rubbing of elbows with our six young Residents, four of whom are High School students and two are Grade 6 pupils with their different realities and needs. Besides this, we managed to get to know and establish connections with the people in the vicinity particularly with the Parish Priest, the neighbors and the Barangay officials through home visits. The visibility of our presence in Murphy is enhanced by the involvement of the whole C-T in the monthly formation of forty Assisted Students of the Parish/Private Donors and the participation of the six Residents in the Parish Junior Choir.

The following OMG elements help facilitate the life and mission of our C-T:

Participation: This element is the most lived element in the community and is generally felt in the generosity and openness of each one especially during meetings regarding important matters that concern the C-T’s life and mission. In the revision of the Tahanang Paghubog Mother Bonifacia, Inc. (TPMBI) Manual and Handbook, participation is very evident as each

one gladly puts her share in the process from the brainstorming, planning, encoding and editing of the said documents. The same element is lived in the implementation of the said Manual/Handbook and in the actual accompaniment of the TPMBI residents. The sisters take turns according to each one’s capacity in the tutoring, skills training, IGP, recreation, song practice, formation, attending the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and in accompanying the residents to the counselors/consultants for their physical and psychological needs. Participation is also very palpable as the C-T gets involved in the fund raising project for the Formation Fund of the Province as shown in the selling in the HFS canteen, Harana for a Cause and in the selling of junk. 

Mutual Accountability: Each one gives an account of how the Charism is lived as she carries out the tasks assigned to her. The two Junior sisters are full time employees of Holy Family School as a teacher and as a social worker respectively.The other Junior sister is a full-time-in-charge of the sheltering apostolate with the active collaboration of the three perpetually professed sisters, one of whom is in-charge of the Staff Development Program of Holy Family School. Mutual accountability helps each one to live her life and mission as an authentic woman-worker-religious. 

Responsible Freedom: Each one is responsible in the tasks

given to her and carries it out in freedom and joy. Each one is responsible for her own growth and at the same time helps the others in the growth processes through affirmations and sisterly correction. 

Consensus: Consensus is a common practice in the community especially in the implementation of the Communitarian Apostolic Plan. The accompaniment of the Residents demands decision-making by consensus because we see the importance of being one as a community with a common stance in journeying with the residents according to the vision of TPMBI. These OMG elements continue to strengthen our community life and facilitate the smooth implementation of our C-T projects. However, our C-T needs to fortify Communication and Information because there are times that things are done before giving proper information or consultation which cause confusion or misunderstanding in the community. With all the lights and shadows as a C-T, we are enriched by the dynamics of living the afore-mentioned elements, bringing out the best in each one, nurturing each one’s giftedness for the good of our C-T, and at the same time giving dynamism to our vocation as Siervas de San Jose in the Church.