I have been chaplain to this band of religious brothers, whose main charism is the Christian education of the young, for since the summer of 1997. I was assigned chaplain to their school community and the Brothers at the Lipa Community in the summer of 1966. In a sense, since I have been accompanying them during their annual retreat as a district, I have become the District's unofficial chaplain. I preside over the liturgy, as this Institute has no priest-member.
It is not only during their annual retreat that I get to be invited. I presided over countless district rites, e.g., acceptance to postulancy or to the novitiate, most of the time in Greenhills and Lipa, where the Novitiate is located; jubilees of brothers in their silver or golden as religious brothers, beginning or ending of important occasions like assemblies, chapters, etc.; the annual memorial of the dead.
I have always described my 11 year stay at the Lipa community as my utopian stage. I have found much spiritual solace as I have a community to pray with, work with and grow with. I have been blessed even with material amenities that helped me grow as a person and a professional. For instance, this technology -- I never had so much access to it than when I was with the Brothers. The Lipa community gave me my first ever laptop!
As long as I can and it is officially permissible (e.g. not assigned to take care of a parish), I will continue to be at their service (for spiritual exercises). Of course, it will depend also -- and that is the deciding factor -- if the Brothers still appreciate my being with them during those moments!
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