On January 26, 2024, we mark the 35 th anniversary of the arrival of CMT Sisters (Teresian Carmelite Missionaries) in the Philippines. This is a reason to be grateful to the Lord and to celebrate life:
– the life of our congregation in this continent,
– the life of all the sisters who, in one way or another, have collaborated in the establishment and growth of our charism here,
– the life of the different animators, who pushed and sustained us along this path…
To all and each one, we give thanks today from the bottom of our hearts and we continue to pray for more vocations who can continue spreading our ecclesial charism, emphasizing the four axes of our mission:
1. to create communion
2. to announce the beauty of the Church
3. to restore the beauty of the Church, wherever it is vailed and
4. to listen and respond to the new needs of the Church
Blessed Francisco Palau, our Founder, pray for us.

For its tenth year, the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE X) with the theme “Salya! Let Us Cross to the Other Side” (Mk 4:35) from Jan. 19-21, 2024. CMT sisters, Sr. Sharon Villafranca, cmt, Sr. Chrezann Angulo, cmt, Sr. Shiela Alcantara, ncmt and staff of Sr. Teresa of Sto. Niño Center, Ms. Marian Seychelle Royola and Ms. Shaina Twain Enverga– Xperienced the synodality of everyone in the 3-day seminar/workshop at the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion. The theme Salya! mainly focuses on the synod of the synodal Church which is an experience of journey by walking together to the other side.

PCNE DAY 1 | Traslacion of the Nazareno

The first day started off with the Filipino tradition of Quiapo’s Traslacion of the Poong Nazareno before the celebration of the Eucharistic mass presided by His Eminence Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, PCNE Chairman. He invited us to reflect on the two practices of the Nazareno devotees as our symbols of synodality: salya! or pressing forth and crossing over, the meaning of the word Traslacion in Spanish which is crossing over, pagtawid, pagpapaibayo. While during the perspective setting, Fr. Jason Laguerta, PCNE Director, said that the attendees should have their own point of view of the theme, find our voices and selves and not just rely on his own perspective. He said that Salya is an invitation, but as often the case, it is a forceful call, it is pwersa, it is force, for us not to stagnate or to give up. Salya is a call full of energy. This was then followed by a keynote address about a synodal Church in Mission by His Eminence Cardinal Maria Grech, Secretary- General of the Synod. He shared to us that the content of synodality has three points (1) Facilitate deep listening – that we learn by listening with humility and appreciation, (2) It is a shared responsibility and mission of the Church and (3) Synodality is co-responsibility – everyone has a full and equal participation.
During the afternoon activity, we get to hear a “Heart-to-Heart talk about the Synodal Experience” facilitated by His Eminence Cardinal Luis Tagle together with the four guest panelists namely: Cardinal Jose Advincula, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara and Dra. Estela Padilla. The day ended with a very abundant and enriching listening experience for all of us attendees.

PCNE DAY 2 | Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo

The day started with the enthronement of the Nuestra Señora dela Paz y Buen Viaje de Antipolo. Sr. Althea Alfonso, SPC, shared to all of us her devotion, testament and journey on how the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage had changed her life. This was then followed by a Eucharistic Celebration celebrated by Cardinal Mario Grech. He shared in his homily that for if we are Christians, which means disciples of Christ, or better, Christ-like, then that means that the word existence should also describe our lives and our existence.
The morning session then started with a recap of what had happened during the first day, as well as a “Bahaginan sa Diwang Banal” or sharing the spiritual encounter wherein Dra. Estela Padilla shared to us the three major key points of listening: (1) Sharing from the heart -to give one’s voice and experience; (2) Lifting the voice of the others where we move from “I” to “we”; and (3) Building together wherein we asked ourselves “where is the Holy spirit leading us to?”. After this, the morning session concluded by breaking into groups we were registered into, particularly we joined the afternoon concurrent seminar and audiam sessions with the topics, Women, Family, and Digital/social media. Our day ended with the blessing of the body through a prayer ritual, a prayer invites the Holy Spirit to operate within us so that we may be a community and a people of grace.

PCNE DAY 3 | Sinulog

In the last day of the seminar/workshop, the program was also cut into two parts. During the morning session, the infamous Sinulog, a dance ritual performed during the Feast of the Sto. Niño in Cebu was brought to the Pavillion. Through a rhythmic dance movements and shouts of “Pit Señor!” that participants engage in during the celebration. After this, representatives per topics of seminar that happened during day 2 had a deepening for the concurrent workshop. Each representative synthesized the audiam sessions’ result and shared it for everyone to hear.
During the afternoon, we enjoyed a concert wherein various guest artists performed their talents through singing and dancing in praising the goodness and grace of God. After such exhilarating performances, a traditional Filipino mass was celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. In his homily, he questions us- what is the correlation of the celebration of Santo Niño, the Child Jesus between synodality? Cardinal Tagle tells us that the incarnation of the eternal Word of God born us a child is a kenosis of the eternal word in order to be one of us. Jesus being a child is a proof that His life started as a baby, a human – where He journeyed together with us. In His humility He was prepared to walk with us. this is the synodal path opened to us by the child Jesus, that synodality is walking together in humility, when God walks, He walks humbly. Remain a child and walk with God. Jesus taught us that the synodal path you walk with others but we always walk with our Father in heaven, a path always directed by the Father.

The three-day seminar-workshop is truly a fruitful, valuable and enriching experience. The synodal path is a humble walk, with people and God, an experience with the kingdom of God. Three days filled with listening with heart to the point of conversion and understanding. As what Cardinal Tagle had reminded us, let the Child Jesus always remind us that He became and remained humble to walk together with us. Let us not be the obstacle for many to walk with Jesus, but let us be the one to walk with them and cross to the other side.

In his message, Pope Francis invites us to “heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation.” Each year from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, the Christian family unites for this worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home. As Palautian family, the Delegation of San Lorenzo Ruiz JPIC team, the CMT Lucena Community, and Sr. Teresa of Sto. Niño Center responds to this common call to care for creation.

 September 15 (Friday) – the CMT sisters, staff, volunteer teachers and scholars have joined together with different agencies and NGOs with the Tayabas City Environment and Natural Resources Office for the 3^rd Quarter River Clean Up Drive at Alitao River Brgy. Wakas, Tayabas City. Sr. Sharon Villafranca, cmt was called to lead the prayer. Afterwards, the 125 volunteers were divided into three groups for the clean-up activity. More than 1,000 kgs of trash were picked up from the different sections of the Alitao River (500m range).  

 We are all invited to join the river of justice and peace on behalf of all Creation in this greater movement for justice, just like tributaries come together to form a mighty river. As the people of God, we must work together on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace and justice.

 We would also like to thank Ms. RJ Pabilonia, focal person, and the Tayabas City ENRO for allowing to participate in this fruitful and meaningful activity in hopes to restore the river back to life.