MANILA Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle will lead the formal opening of the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center at the Catholic Trade Center in Tayuman, Manila, on July 16 at 9 a.m. To join Tagle in the blessing of the facility are priests and brothers of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), led by Fr. Ernesto Vitor, rector of the community at the Catholic Trade Center.

Named after the canonized German founder of the SVD, the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, according to Fr. Flavie L. Villanueva—mission secretary and coordinator for justice and peace issues of the Philippine Central Province of the SVD—will be a feeding and hygiene (toilet and bath) center for the poor. It will start operating on July 16 after the blessing and orientation.

The Kalinga Center was built in connection with the declaration by Pope Francis of 2015 as the Year of the Poor. Moreover, it heeds the call of the Pope in his Malacañang address during his recent Philippine visit for all levels of society “to reject every form of corruption which diverts resources from the poor, and to make concerted efforts to ensure the inclusion of every man and woman and child in the life of the community.”

Those who would like to financially help this propoor program may contact Father Flavie, tel. 0908-8838268.

Diamond celebration

The Legion of Mary (LM) will celebrate its 75th anniversary in the Philippines at the Mall of Asia Arena on July 19 with a Mass at 10 a.m. to be led by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo.

The diamond celebration will be spearheaded by the LM Senatus of the Northern Philippines, along with the Senatuses of Mindanao, Western Visayas, Cebu and Bicol. Members from Papua New Guinea, the Middle East and Guam will be coming. Two representatives from the Concilium, the LM headquarters in Ireland, will also grace the occasion.

Some 12,000 LM members are expected to attend. Production numbers by different Senatuses will survey the history of LM—whose Philippine office was established in 1940 by Fr. Manuel Antonio Gracia, CM, with Sisters Joaquina Lucas and Pacita Santos. The first meeting was held at Hospicio de San José on July 21, 1940.

LM was founded in Ireland by Frank Duff, whose cause for sainthood has been introduced. This organization offers service through prayers and apostolic works in parishes, and develops personal sanctification.

Theme of the diamond jubilee is “Legionaries: Servant of the Poor.”

Servants of Charity

Run by the Servants of Charity (Guanellians), the Guanella Home serves as a school and a shelter for hundreds of needy people with disability.

Services include development and rehabilitation programs, physical and occupational therapy, medical and legal assistance, job placement assistance, and special catechesis.

A new shelter home was added in 2010 to accommodate those who need full-time care.

The Servants of Charity is a Catholic religious missionary community of priests and brothers for the service of the poor. It was founded on March 24, 1908, in Como, Italy, by St. Louis Guanella (1842-1915), a pioneering Samaritan priest who, in spite of intense political persecution against the Catholic Church during his time, ministered relentlessly to the homeless, poor, orphans and people with disability.

“No one must be left behind in life, alone and abandoned. Every human life, especially the weakest, needs to be accepted and surrounded with respect and love,” said St. Louis Guanella.

The Servants of Charity is now present in 21 countries, with more than 500 priests and brothers.

In the Philippines, the Guanellians began in 1989 under the wing of the welcoming Order of Friars Minor in Bustillos, Sampaloc, Manila (St. Anthony Shrine). Later, the Guanella Center in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, was built as an “open tent of charity and Christian solidarity” for indigent children, persons with disability, sick and abandoned aged, youth, and families in distress.

The Servants of Charity are asking individuals and private companies to help sustain the Guanella Center. Tel. 9315549, 4568550 or 0929-5207070; visit www.servantsofcharity.org.)

Tagaytay retreat

Contemplative Outreach Philippines will be conducting an Introductory Centering Prayer/Lectio Divina Retreat on Aug. 14-16 at the Carmelite Missionaries Center of Spirituality in Tagaytay City.

Deepen your relationship with God in an atmosphere of silence, solitude and prayer.

Tel. 5015231 or 0917-8772402; e-mail [email protected].