The Southern Luzon Annual Deacon's retreat was held at San Pablo City from April 17-19, 2012. With about 25 deacons and 3 deacon trainees from the different parishes of the diocese attending, the retreat started with an orientation by his grace Most Rev. Paulino Villavicencio at the new church facility in the center of San Pablo. There were three deacons from Bicol, although Dcn Darwin intimated that he will attend yet for unknown reasons, he did not show himself. This year's reatreat will be last one for Deacon Dado for he will be ordained into priesthood on May 23, 2012. He will undergo a rigorous one-month training to prepare him to handle the fledging CEC community in Gubat, after majority of the clergy and the parishioners converted to orthodoxy under the ecuminical patriarchate last 2008. God has great plans for His people in Gubat for He allowed the younger ones and the most educated to remain in CEC.
The retreat was a time of refreshing for us deacons. In the words of Bp. Paul, we have to shift gears to maximize our involvement in the advancement of the Kingdom.Fr. Pier acted as facilitator for day 1 and we were asked to write our response to the challenge to map out our one-year resolve to serve the Lord as his ministers.
Since I intend to go home early I finished the output and submitted it to Fr. Pier the next day. The next two days started and ended with a liturgical daily office of prayer. After dinner fellowship follows. The younger ones enjoyed the cool waters of the swimming pool while we the mature ones shred our own experiences in the ministry.
Renewed and refreshed we all resolve to enhance our commitment and keep our focus in serving the Lord.
May God grant our request to serve Him faithfully as His ministers.
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