72 CDO Clergy attend Alpha Course

CDO diocesan priests (above) attend the Alpha Course for the Clergy seminar

Relishing the spirit of the “Year of the Priest,” 72 CdO clerics including Archbishop J. Ledesma, SJ attended the Alpha Course for the Clergy organized by the Commission on Faith and Evangelization (Ad Intra Ministries) of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Alpha Course Philippine Foundation Inc. , Alpha Asia Pacific, and Kahayag sa Dios Community at Pearlmont Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City last March 9– 10, 2010.  

The 2-day course was also participated by 16 more priests, 7 religious women (five are from Cagayan de Oro) and 13 lay participants coming from the Dioceses of Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Tandag, Iligan and Tagum.

Rev. Fr. John Gnanapiragasam, the spiritual adviser of Alpha Catholic Context came all the way from Malaysia to facilitate the course and shared his conviction on Alpha as a timely movement of the Holy Spirit where the Catholic Church is in need of re-evangelization and conversion.  Ms. Caroline Soon, the adviser and Catholic Coordinator of Alpha Catholic Context in Asia Pacific also helped facilitate the seminar.

Rev. Fr. Boy Salvador, Director of Ad Intra Ministry and Spiritual Director of the Alpha Course Philippine Foundation, Inc., in his homily delivered during the culminating Mass of the Alpha course said Archbishop Ledesma is strongly recommending the Alpha Course to be used as basic formation for the BECs and other apostolate in the archdiocese. He said further that the bishop has appointed him and Architect Benny Sy, Director of Alpha Course Philippines to manage and coordinate the alpha implementation to all the parishes.

The Alpha Course for the Clergy was designed for parish priests, heads of ministry and apostolate and parish lay leaders.


By Mary Anne Padilla, FSP

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Serial conman Bernard Alejo aka Dominic Tacleon apprehended

THIS IS THE PICTURE OF SUSPECT DOMINIC TACLEON AKA “BERNARD C. ALEJO” TAKEN MARCH 28, 2010 AS HE WAS BROUGHT FOR TEMPORARY DETENTION IN CAGAYAN DE ORO SHORTLY AFTER HIS ARREST FOR THEFT CASE.

THIS MAN IS A SUSPECT AT LARGE . HE FOUND TO HAVE STOLEN VALUABLE THINGS FROM MANY RELIGIOUS HOUSES AS HE FREELY GOES AROUND THE COUNTRY DISGUISED AS: 1) 2) AN APPLICANT FOR BROTHERHOOD/PRIESTHOOD; OR 2) A BROTHER BENEDICTINE or A MEMBER OF THE CONTEMPLATIVES OF PIERCED HEARTS WHO REGISTERS IN RETREAT/HERMITAGE HOUSES FOR RETREAT/VOCATION DISCERNMENT/OTHER SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES.

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF HE POSTS BAIL AND BE RELEASED WHILE WAITING FOR HIS TRIAL…

Interview with Bishop-Elect Vilsom Basso, SCJ, Bishop-Elect of Caxias, Maranhão

Thanks to that modern innovation called the Internet, we were able to get in touch with Bishop-Elect Vilsom Basso, who has left this country. Here is our correspondence with the former missionary to Dansolihon, who never expected himself to be elevated to the episcopacy:

1. How did you receive your appointment as Bishop of Caxias, Maranhão?

I was surprised when I received the appointment, because I was working as a missionary in the Philippines, and I never thought that I would be called back so soon to Brazil.

2. What was your immediate reaction when you received the appointment?

I requested to be given time to pray and to think about it. Eventually my answer was: “I accept it with humility, simplicity and joy.”

Pastoral Message: Electing Our Future

for April 2010

The Easter message of Christ’s resurrection and victory over sin and death offers us the promise of rising above our own brokenness and rebuilding the structures of our fragmented society. It is fitting then that our coming elections should take place during this Easter season. For Easter is the season of hope – and concrete action for building the future.

The apostles were filled with joy, mixed with initial incredulity, as the first witnesses of the Resurrected Christ. But they were also impelled by the Holy Spirit to share this joy and conviction over the good news of Christ’s resurrection with the whole world, even at the cost of hardships and martyrdom.

A Preliminary Interview with Bishop-Elect Jose A. Cabantan

Appointed bishop of the Diocese of Malaybalay on February 18, 2010, Fr. Joe Cabantan will be formally installed on May 15, 2010. In this issue of LAMDAG, Fr. Cabantan speaks about his new mission, entrusted to him by God and the challenges that await him.

How did you receive the news of your appointment as Bishop of Malaybalay?
This came very unexpectedly. The secretary to the Nuncio called me in my mobile phone minutes after we laid to rest the late Fr.Idroy telling me to come to the nunciature the soonest possible. He would not even agree when I asked to go there the following week.

What was your immediate reaction to the appointment?
Right after the call, I could not understand myself. I felt I was floating in the air. I was really wondering why that urgency. When the Nuncio told me about the appointment I could not believe it. All my feelings of unworthiness, inadequacies and even sinfulness engulfed me. I did not accept the task immediately and I asked more time to pray over it. I was given few days to discern over it.