Days before Christmas, a 94-year-old man from Puerto Galera passed away quietly at a Church-run home for the elderly. In the days leading to his death, visitors often found him sitting peacefully before the image of the Divine Mercy at Hapag Aruga, absorbed in silent prayer.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines, together with civil society organizations and sectoral groups, will convene a three-day convergence aimed at confronting what Church leaders describe as “tolerated evils” in governance, ecology, and the economy.
Joy and gratitude marked several days of celebration in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines, as the Good Shepherd Parish—under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose (AVSJ)—was solemnly declared an SVD Perpetual Parish on January 8, coinciding with the 150th founding anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD).
The Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose (AVSJ) in San Jose, Southern Luzon, Philippines, joined the global celebration of the 150th founding anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) with a thanksgiving program honoring the enduring service of SVD and Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) missionaries in Occidental Mindoro.
Standing at the entrance of the city is a memorial monument at Finnemann Plaza in Barangay Calero, dedicated to Bishop Wilhelm, also known as William Finnemann, SVD, the first bishop of Mindoro and a martyr of the Second World War.
The Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose will hold a thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration on January 7, 2026, at St. Joseph Cathedral, to honor the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) and the Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) for more than a century of pastoral service in Occidental Mindoro.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines has endorsed a stage play aimed at raising awareness about mental health and wellness, hoping to empower individuals and communities to respond with compassion and support.
“I really treasure their songs, for they helped me survive and overcome the darkest, most challenging moments of my life by giving me comfort and peace. These songs always remind me of God’s presence whenever I feel hopeless,” confided Sam De Castro, a psychometrician and TAK warrior (Takayasu Arteritis, a rare autoimmune illness).
Mangyan missionary Fr. Ewald Dinter, SVD, 88, was laid to rest at Arnoldus Eternal Garden, in Quezon City, the common cemetery of the SVDs and SSpS sisters, on Friday, November 21.
Every great mission begins with a dream. For the Steward-Leaders Multi-Purpose Cooperative (S-LMC) of Oriental Mindoro, that dream took root many years ago, not in a boardroom, but in the heart of a young seminarian who believed that faith, hard work, and unity could transform communities.
