“We need Recoletos who are truly human, alive, and glorifying God,” Father Soc on the 25th of the Province

Cebu City – The Closing Ceremony for the 25th Anniversary of the Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno finally concludes on November 28, 2024, at Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora del Carmen – La Limpia.

The last day of the event was started with a Eucharistic Celebration presided over by His Excellency, Most Rev. Socrates Villegas, DD, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, and concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Bernard C. Amparado, OAR, Prior Provincial, Rev. Fr. Javier Francisco Monroy, OAR, General Councilor, together with the Augustinian Recollect Priests and Religious. Also present were the Augustinian Recollect Sisters, Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity, Recollect Augustinian Youth, Awardees, and students of USJ-R.

In his homily, Fr. Soc (as he is fondly called), remained the religious of the province of the three realities of this world, “First, we are living in a truly digital world. Unfortunately, the digital world has also affected our being humane and our being human beings. And therefore if you are asked, what kind of Recoletos do we need in this digital world? I can only answer that you must be real, not virtual, that you must be real not just distant. Real in the same way that the real presence Eucharist is real… So Recoletos of the Philippine Province, I request you to stay human and do not allow the digital world to rob you and steal from us the reality that God has encountered us–that God has met us in flesh and in blood.”

“Second, the developing understanding of family, life, and love. So what kind of recoletos do we need in a society that is constantly changing its concept of love, choosing to be loving, and choosing sacrifice as the expression of love? So if the digital world is a blessing, it is also a challenge for us… In our brokenness, God still calls us. God will never get tired of calling us no matter how broken we may be.”

“Third reality, the wave of populism. Populism focused on the people. Unfortunately, people with small letters–the people. We just focus on what the people like. We just focus on surveys. We just focus on what everybody says. Unfortunately, the Lord also told us there are some absolutes that cannot be changed by surveys. In other words, there can be no real community life of people separated from God, and let your community life prove to the world that community life can only prosper, can sanctify if it is the Lord in our midst.”

Lastly, the good bishop concluded, “These are the Recoletos that we need, truly human, truly alive and glorifying God in our wounded humanity. These are the Recoletos that we need who understand the meaning of life, love, as the Lord exemplified. The Recoletos that we need are people who live in community, who live as a people with God in our midst.”

Immediately after the Holy Mass was the conferment of the awards Brothers and Sisters Provincial. They were: Engr. Jerry R. Benavidez and Dra. Dahlia Virginia E. Benavidez of the Recoletos de Miranila, Atty. Oliver L. Tabin and Judge Ma. Clarita C. Tabin of the Recoletos de Baguio, Mr. Reynaldo A. Cepe of the Recoletos de Caidiocan, Ms. Beatrice A. Gaviola of the Recoletos de San Carlos, Mrs. Priscilla L. De Leon of Recoletos de Provincialate, Sis. Corazon A. Padua, SAR of Recoletos de

Miranila, Sis. Fe Violeta B. Taring, SAR, of Recoletos de Valencia. The Brother General of the Order was awarded to Archbishop Socrates Villegas, DD of Recoletos de Pangasinan. Engr. Eric D. Taganile and Mrs. Ma. Teresa V. Taganile of Recoletos de Laray. The award was given to those who showed sincere friendship with the Recoletos friars and their extraordinary dedication and support in their many projects. The entire activity ended with a Barrio Fiesta lunch held at the University of San Jose – Recoletos Main Campus.