Religious men and women of Caceres gather for congress

By Myrna Bermudo

The Association of Communities of Consecrated Life in Caceres (ACCLIC), an organization of religious men and women in the Archdiocese of Caceres gathered to celebrate the 25th World Day for Consecrated and Religious Life.

The gathering, ACCLIC’s third Congress, was held at the covered courts of the Ateneo de Naga University. Instituted by St. John Paul II in 1997, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is also the World Day for Consecrated Life.

All participants observed the minimum health protocols such as wearing of face masks and physical distancing.

Caceres Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona, O.C.D., D.D., presided over the Eucharistic Celebration at the start of the Congress. It was followed by a talk by Rev. Fr. Richard Ho Lung, MOP, founder of the Missionaries of the Poor.

“Consecrated Persons: Gifted to Give,” the theme of the Congress, echoes the theme of the celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines, “Gifted to Give.”

Men and women in consecrated life are those in monastic life, in the order of virgins, men and women hermits, consecrated widows and widowers, contemplated institutes, in apostolic religious life, secular institutes and apostolic life (Vita Consecrata, 5-12).

There are seven (7) men religious congregations and twenty three (23) women religious in the Archdiocese of Caceres. Most of them are working in the education ministry and social services.

ACCLIC’s new officers are: Fr. Henry Lozano, MOP-President, Fr. Celerino Reyes, SJ - VP for Men Religious, Sr. Josie Fe Presbitero, OP- VP for Women Religious, Sr. Ludy Dy, DM- Secretary, Fr. Willy Villanueva, SOLT-Treasurer, Fr. Ioahannes Jeremy Ma. Salise,FI-Auditor.

(L-R ) Outgoing ACCLIC President Sr. Aline Barde, ACI and Sr. Agnes Torrejas, SLMD, outgoing treasurer, join the ACCLIC’s new set of officers: Fr. Celerino Reyes, SJ - VP for Men Religious, Fr. Henry Lozano, MOP-President, Sr. Josie Fe Presbitero, OP- VP for Women Religious, Fr. Ioahannes Jeremy Ma. Salise, FI-Auditor and Fr. Willy Villanueva, SOLT-Treasurer. The new set of officers were chosen last February , 2021 during the Third Congress of the Association of Communities of Consecrated Life in Caceres (ACCLIC) at the covered courts of Ateneo de Naga University. /mb (ACCLIC FB)