Transcript of the Homily of His Grace, Most Rev. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon, DD, Archbishop of Cáceres, during the Ordination to the Sacred Order of Presbyters of Rev. Fr. Michael Angelo C. Escriba, and to the Sacred Order of Deacons of Rev. Joseph B. Bascuña and Rev. Leoneil Arce B. Belen on Saturday, 14 December 2024 at the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Minor Basilica and National Shrine, Pilgrim City of Naga. Most Rev. Rolando Tria Tirona, our Archbishop-Emeritus; Most Rev. Manolo Delos Santos, the Bishop-Emeritus of Virac; the parents and the family of our ordinandi; brother Priests; consecrated men and women, friends; benefactors; relatives of these, our brothers; seminarians; dear brothers and sisters:   Today, we are happy as we shall witness the ordination of these our brothers – Rev. Michael, Bro, Joseph, and Bro. LA. However, it is quite bitter-sweet, because yesterday we just buried one of our brother Priests. Bittersweet because we used to have eight (8) ordinations in the past, per year, and this Basilica would be full. But now we have only one (1) to be ordained Priest, and two (2) to the Deaconry. This situation is not only here in Cáceres. We are experiencing a dearth of vocations globally, nationally. That’s why it’s bittersweet. But certainly, we are very happy because these – your sons, brother, your friend – are about to be ordained.    In our time, we have been speaking about the future of work. And with the current advancements in technology and science, there are those who are afraid of work – you know that routine and repetitive works are now replaced by machines because of automation. You’ve seen that in the airports or even in the banks, the tellers or those who entertain have you know they’re numbers have decreased because we now have kiosks. Telemarketers, analysts – they are being replaced by machines. And so, if we are having a dearth of vocations, baka mas marhay kun mga robot na sana ano, robot na sana an mga Padi saka mga Diacono ta, asin garo kita si Elon Musk ‘no, he launched his optimus robot. Launching an apod bakong ordination ‘no. Ngonian ordination.     They were supposed to be initially ordained last June, but because of the announcement, the Archbishop[-Emeritus] deemed that they wait for me. So that when I came, I told them, “Brothers, you have to be patient. Hindi ko pa kayo kilala. Kaipohan bistohon ko pa kamo . You have to wait a little bit.” If you were robots, you just have to take your technical configurations, and if your systems are okay then we can say “go”. But yours’ is no technical configuration, yours’ is configuration to the Lord Jesus. A robot is made, maybe inside a garage, or in a span of weeks. But it took you years to reach this stage. There was the propaedeutic stage, the discipleship stage when you are philosophers, and the configuration stage, the theology – years of study of theology, and the vocation synthesis stage. And here you are, about to be ordained as deacons, and as Priest.   It takes a village. As we say, “it takes a village to raise a child”. It takes a village, the whole church, to prepare somebody for the deaconate and the priesthood. Bakò sanang spare parts ang kaipohan ta, bakò sanang kun anong data set ang kaipohan ta.  You have had years of experience living with your family, being in the Parish, learning in the seminary, connecting with people, building relationships with people, so that in due time you will be sent for the mission that is being entrusted to you. Today marks a milestone on your journey, and we are grateful to the Lord.   Three things which I wish to remind you, dear brothers, as you are about to receive the deaconate and the priesthood:   (1)   Do not forget, it is God who called you, and it is God who sends you. You are about to receive some authority and power. Take note, this comes from God. This comes from God through the church. This is not a reward for you. This is not something that you merit; it is something that is gratuitously given to you. And thus, do not forget this – without God, you are nothing. Without the church, you have no authority. Sometimes we forget this. Naordinahan na, ang paghunâ ta satuya ang autoridad. Bakò. Hale sa Mahal na Diós, sa paagi kan Simbahan. Kayà dai kita basta-basta nagboboót. Igwa nin nagboboót para satô. Asin an boót niato, an kabôtan nin mahal na Diós. There is always a temptation to think that we are entitled to it, but it is given to us gratuitously. And because this power and authority comes from God, we deal with the mysteries of God. We proclaim the message of God through our words, through human gestures and words, through human actions. But thus, do not forget God. Always commune with God who called you and who sends you. That’s the first. The second, well going back to the first, therefore habang ang mundo ngonian nagtatalas an isip  ‘no – intelligence – iyo baga nagiging  more intelligent na  – augmented intelligence, artificial intelligence. Man is becoming more intelligent, augmenting his intelligence, certainly continue to learn. But to approach God is not only with the mind, but with the heart. Kayà magrarom an pagpamibi, magrarom an pagpamibi .  Maging master sa pag-contemplate, contemplation.   We must continue to master. Master contemplation. Silence, communing with God. While there is an explosion of information; intelligence explosion, we are the people who walk about, preach mastery of contemplation – that is communion with God. Do not forget this. So, kayà sana dai mawarà an panahon sa pagpamibi, asin an lambang pagcelebrar kan mga sacramento tunay na pamibi. Bakò sanang mechanical . Maski bakò kitang mga makina, pero paminsan nagigin garo makina an satuyang pag-operate. And dear brothers and sisters, that also happens at home. Iyo po baga, kun mayo na kita nin contemplative spirit,  pati an pagsirbi ta sa harong nagigin mechanical . An paglaog sa trabaho, mechanical . An pagtabang sa kapwa, nagiging mechanical . Dai nagkokonek puso sa puso. Kayà sa Ordinacion po na ini, pinapagiromdom kita na dai mawarà an aspetong ini kan satuyang pagkabuhay asin satuyang pagtubod. Kayà tama na nagtitiripon kita sa pagpamibi, nagtitiripon kita sa pagkarakan, nagheheras kita kan satuyang mga pangitorogan; kan satuyang mga kamâwotan; pati man kan satuyang mga kulog sa puso o kulog sa boót. Huli sa paagi kaini nagigiromdoman ta an kakayahan na maghorop-horop o  contemplate, to commune with God and with one another. Ika-duwa , the second, brothers and sisters – Do not forget that you are being sent to and for the community. The ministry, the authority, and the power that is given to you is not for you. It’s certainly for you as well, but it is for the community.  Kaya  Rev. Mike, from Deacon to the Priesthood – one rank higher. From a Seminarian to deacon – one rank higher. Always remember, when we are, so to speak, promoted to one rank higher – it is not really promotion in the sense, as we say that we merited it. Igwa man arog kayan. But it is one rank higher in service. It is not so much a reward.  Kun minsan, kaitong naordinahan ako, may nagsabi sako “ay deserve mo ‘yan, reward ‘yan saimo.” No , let us resist this temptation. It is not a reward, rather it is an obligation. It is mission. Bakong premio kundi mision para sa comunidad.    When you consider the promotion as a reward, what happens? Sometimes, you may not take it seriously because it is not for the community. You may take it lightly because it’s simply for you. But if you view from the optic that this is not for me, bako ini para sakò , then we become more serious in fulfilling our obligations. We become more sincere in performing our duties and functions, because the ministry to serve is not really for us. And so, thank God for this gift because you are being entrusted with such responsibility. And now that you are sent for the community, you are called to be companions. Companions of people. The capacity to celebrate with people. The celebration of the sacrament is to be joyful; to share in the joy of our brothers and sisters; to share in the pain and the burden of our brothers and sisters. In the celebration of the sacraments, these are very important moments in the life of our people. And it is to be with them, to walk with them, to embrace their pain, and to carry their cross as well. So, it is not simply the mastery of the Rites, but it is the capacity to walk, to walk with our brothers and sisters in their life as a family, in their life as a community. And that is the reason why the Rites are there – because those are the moments when we accompany our people, our community, our faithful in very important moments of their lives. But as human companions, realize your imperfection, our imperfection. As there is this human quest for perfection, realize, see that we will always have our imperfections. That is why, as we accompany our people, what was mention in today’s Gospel – that we become ministers of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Ministers of God’s mercy and forgiveness. We will, there will be moments that we will feel our weakness, then we will have to stand up again, relying on the mercy of God. We will also accompany our people so that they will experience the mercy of God. Thus, you are being sent to the community, be sensitive – be sensitive to the people; to their needs. Be sensitive.  You know, we are expanding our sensors, ‘di ba?   Nag eexpand ang sensors ta kayà an mata ta nag eexpand kayà may mga camera na kita. Ang mga auto ta may mga sensors na. The paradox is,  nagrarayo an naaabot kan satuyang mga sensors, pero si harani sa satô, pagtaraid ta, dai ta nasesense si mga pangangaipo kan mga kairibahan ta sa laog kan harong. Powerful  na an mga tools ta. Nahihiling ta na an laog kan hawak ta, etc., pero itong sensitivity to the heart is something that we still are you know  harayo pa . Dear brothers, dear brothers, continue to develop the sensitivity for other people. The sensitivity that is in the heart, where sincerity and truth is found.   And the third, you will also be servant leaders. And as servant leaders, certainly you must be knowledgeable. But as servant leaders, grow in self-giving today. Today, you will receive some power and authority. But you are not only receiving, you are also giving yourself. Giving yourself. And when you give yourself, what do you say? Lord, I am at your disposition. I am at your disposition. Lord, tell me what to do, tell me where to go. I am at your disposition. That is a servant. And this is… When we do this, this is LOVE. Love. As servant leaders, we are to lead in love. We must be knowledgeable; we must be capable; but we are to lead in love. And what is love? Happiness in serving. We are happier in serving, than in being served. Because this is the example of Jesus – “I have come not to be served, but to serve…” Servant leader, servant leader. We have often used the image of the captain of the ship – naglulubog na an barko, an huring malukso an Kapitan. An eroplano, an piloto dapat magpahuri. Ini an image  na pirmi tang gigiromdomon; ini ang image kan  Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd, sabi niya,  “I am not a hired hand, bako akong bayaran . Kayà kun may mga lobong maabot , if there are wolves – dai madulag . And I am willing to offer my life to others.” This is the servant leadership. This is the kind of a leadership, the leadership of a good shepherd. And this is not very easy. Dai ta ini kakayanon kun kulang an satong pagtubod sa Mahal na Diós. Dai ta ini kakayanon kun kulang an satong pagkamoot sa Mahal na Diós asin pagkamoot sa kapwa.  We can only be capable of total self-giving if we are in love with God and if we are in love with our people. But if our only love is the self, ang unang ililigtas ta ang sadiri ta . That is not the example of Jesus. That is not the example of Jesus. And this is not very easy, that is why we ask for God’s grace. It is grace that you will receive, and this grace will be for you and for our people.   So these are the three (3) things that I remind you of. Be assured of our prayers as we thank your family, your relatives, the benefactors, the seminary formators, all those who have accompanied you and assisted you in your formation. I beg you to continue to pray for them, and to assist them, as we ask the Lord to continue to bless them.   Dear brothers, you will minister in love. In love. Today is the Feast Day of St. John of the Cross. Was it St. John of the Cross who said “In the evening of your lives, you will be examined in love.” In the evening of our lives, we will be examined in love. You certainly are not robots, you are human beings. You have been raised in love, called by God in love, and now being sent to the people, by the church, to the community, in love. Today, savor that love that God has for you, in choosing you, in electing you. And bring the same love to the people who will be entrusted to you.    Our congratulations and prayers for you!   A round of applause, for these, our brothers.

By Myrna Bermudo Photo: Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon delivering his homily at the Parish of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Quipayo, Calabanga, Camarines Sur on December 8. On his right is Fr. Charlie Audal, parish priest.(Screenshot /Archdiocese of Caceres Facebook Page) “Do not allow yourself to be robbed of [the] simple things in life, more  burloloys  and more gadgets might bring you a dissipated spirit,” warned Archbishop Alarcon. “It’s not so much material preparation; let us not forget also the spiritual preparation progress. The reality is we cannot bring material things when we pass away. What we can bring is what we have given away. In the end, what will bring you happiness are the moments when you have given and shared what you have. True riches are the things you gave and shared.”  Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon offered these pointers during his homily on December 8 at the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Quipayo, Calabanga.     Prepare the way for the Lord The prelate mentioned that “Christmas preparations are sometimes focused on the externals. We are reminded not to forget the more essential things in life. This is the time to stop, a time to reflect because in the midst of busyness, we might be – out of focus and have a dissipated spirit. Prepare the way of the Lord- this is the message of St. John the Baptist on this second Sunday of Advent,” he continued.   Speaking on the importance of the feast of the Virgin Mary, he said that the Immaculate Conception is the grace given by God to Mary to prepare her to be the Mother of God. “When she was conceived, she had no stain of sin. For us, we experience the consequences of original sin. In baptism, this is washed away but we still experience the effects of sin. Thus, we need to be aware of the enticement of material things and progress which leads us to be more materialistic, more tech-savvy, prone to anger, and no longer capable of being sensitive to the needs of others. Your life has been robbed of [its simplicity]. You find yourself having more gadgets and multi-tasking but [without] focus. You have more social media friends but no real friends.” “The message of St. John the Baptist and Mary, the Immaculate, is for us to prepare the way of the Lord. This is our challenge -to prepare our hearts, cleanse our hearts, minds and souls. Even if we don’t have Christmas decorations, [what is important is our] internal preparation, [which] is the better preparation. Let us prepare our hearts where Christ will be born anew, Christ, our hope. He is the assurance that God does not abandon us,” said Alarcon.   “[Again], let us not forget the spiritual progress. True happiness and riches are the things you gave and shared,” the Archbishop emphasized.     History and identity Archbishop Alarcon greeted the parish priest, Fr. Charlie Audal, the parish pastoral council, the barangay pastoral council, members of the religious organizations, parish ministries and the young people on the occasion of their parish fiesta. He extoled the brick church of the Quipayo parish saying that it is one of the most beautiful churches in the Archdiocese of Caceres. It is also one the first parishes of Caceres founded in 1578 together with the churches in Nabua, Bula and Naga City. He challenged the parish community to preserve the church because with the structure comes the history of the Christian community.  “History is very important because it gives us our identity,” explained Alarcon, who is a church historian.

In a pastoral letter read throughout the Archdiocese last December 1, the 1st Sunday of Advent, Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon announced the Archdiocesan Pastoral Thrust for the Jubilee Year 2025, themed "Pilgrims of Hope", and enumerated the goals of the Archdiocese for the said year.   The Archdiocesan Pastoral Thrust for the coming year is " Education towards Communion " (" Magsabot pasiring sa Simbahan na nakikisumaro "). This was inspired by the recently concluded Annual Clergy Retreat, wherein Alarcon and the Caceres Clergy revisited the objectives of the 2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II), and the 1st and 2nd Archdiocesan Pastoral Councils of Caceres (APCC I and II). In all of these Councils, the Church hoped to be a Community of Disciples and a Church of the Poor. In addition, Alarcon mentioned in his letter that these objectives were to be met by creating Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) as discussed in the Congress of the Laity.   However, the Caceres prelate also said that these objectives are still far from completion. Hence, a renewed commitment to achieve these objectives through education and formation in the year 2025. The prelate also hopes that after a year of journeying together, the following will have been met: 1) a deeper understanding of the nature and mission of the Church by the priests, religious and the lay, 2) lay empowerment through the process of being a synodal Church, 3) increased participation of the Vicariates and Commissions of the Archdiocese in strengthening the Church as one community, 4) increased participation of the numerous religious organizations and associations in the life of their respective Parishes and the Archdiocese at large, and 5) to support the current BECs of the Archdiocese and eventually, make a model BEC for the Archdiocese.    Prior to his transfer to Caceres, Alarcon mentioned in an interview that one of his goals as a prelate is to increase lay participation in the Archdiocese.    It was in May 2024 that Pope Francis announced 2025 to be a Jubilee Year, which will formally open on December 29. The Holy Father wrote in his Bull of Indiction, "For everyone, may the Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the "door" (cf.  Jn  10:7.9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere and to all as "our hope" (1  Tim  1:1)." -Natalie Hazel P. Quimlat, MD (photo: Archbishop Alarcon with some priests in Caceres during the retreat when the thrust of Caceres was commonly dircerned.)

“Ngunian igwa nin mga nasa makuring kamugtakan. Dai kitamalingaw sa mga tugang niato orog sa mga nanganga-ipopakatapos agihan kan hagupit ni Pepito. Makapagbalos logodkita nin karahayan siring man maka-dolot nin mga sakripisyonin mga pasasalamat, pagtabang para sa satuyangkapwa."  (There are those of us who are in challenging situations. May we never forget those who are in need after being devastated by super typhoon Pepito (Man-yi). May we be able to give back the generosity we have received and offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and help those in need.) These reminders of Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew C. Alarcon that served as a call echoed inside the sacred walls of the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral St. John the Evangelist Parish at five in the afternoon of Sunday, 17th of November, in his homily after super typhoon Pepito’s strong winds passed by the province of Camarines Sur.     “An Catanduanes, Caramoan, Garchitorena iyo an nagsapo kanhagupit kan bagyo ( Catanduanes, Caramoan, and Garchitorenasuffered the brunt of the typhoon ),”  said the prelate.  “Kaya ginigiromdom nyato ngunian an satong mga tugang natinamaan kan bagyong Pepito asin ipinapamibi nyato sinda- an mga pamilya, mga gurang, an mga kasaraditan  (Thus, we remember today our brothers and sisters who were greatly affected by the typhoon Pepito. We pray for them, the families, the elderly and those in the fringes of society) .”   Preparing for Pepito Caritas Caceres, the Social Action arm of the Archdiocese of Caceres, reported that 1,702 families, a total of 7,531individuals, went to 33 parishes and Catholic schools which opened doors to evacuees. Hot meals were distributed to some. Since it was a Sunday, masses were either cancelled or adjusted due to wind signal #4. Fr. Marc Real, director of Caritas Caceres, said that opening the doors of the parish churches, parish halls and Catholic institutions as evacuation sites is a standard operation procedure (SOP).  The Archbishop himself gave the instructions, Real said. Many parishes utilized their social media accounts to announce the opening of churches and halls to welcome evacuees.    “Several parishes and institutions of the Archdiocese anticipate the onslaught of TS Pepito by opening up churches as evacuation centers, activating their Parish Disaster Response Teams (PaDRe) and Saradit na Kristyanong Komunidad (SKK) leaders to distribute early relief goods and hygiene kits to vulnerable residents,” the Archdiocese of Caceres reported in their FB account a day prior to the arrival of the typhoon.   In anticipation of the super typhoon and with the recent massive flooding brought about by typhoon Kristine, almost all frantically prepared for Typhoon Pepito. Archbishop Alarcon said  “dakulang bagay na kita nakapag-andam sa pagpanaray, nakadakit sa lugar na ligtas maski ngani dai pa man girarayniato magibo an gabos. Ining satong pag-andam nagtao sato nindikit na kumpiansa  (It is a good thing that we were able to prepare and to transfer to a safer place. Although we cannot really say that we have done what we have to do, at least, it gave us some confidence to face the coming super typhoon) .”   Be watchful Continuing his Sunday reflection, Alarcon said,  “Iyo man ini an mensahe kan ebanghelyo: magmaan, maging marigmat, magbantay huli ta sa pag-abot ni Kagurangnan igwa nin mgasenyales.Kaipuhan na maging bukas kita para mahiling niato an mga pasabong kan panahon kan Mahal na Dios sa buhay ta. Huli ta dakul kitang pinagkakasibutan sa panahon nyatongunyan. Alagad pag mina-abot an bagyo dai daw nyatonaririsa an mga kinakasibotan niato garo nawawaran ninhalaga- an kayamanan, an kapangyarihan, mga kaogmahanpatin mga kapangganahan, garo kita nai-babalik, garo nare-reset kita sa mahahalaga o essential na bagay na sana.  (This is also the message of the Gospel for this Sunday: be on guard, be watchful because the coming of the Lord will bear some signs. We need to be open so we can see the promptings of the Lord in our life especially now that we are preoccupied with so many things. But when a storm comes, the thing that occupies our attention seems to become worthless – power, wealth, success, happiness. We are being reset (sort of) to the more essential things only.) ”   In summary, the archbishop shared three points to ponder on: “First, our life has an ending. Keep in mind the end of times, says the gospel. Don’t live as if there is no ending. Second, we will never know when the end will come. We have no capability to prolong life. Only God knows and He has the last word. This calls us to trust in God alone. To Him we owe all the goodness we have. Third, prepare and be watchful. Be on guard. Use your capability to prepare. And if it does not suffice, leave it to God.”   An Appeal for Catanduanes The Diocese of Virac, in their social media post, appealed for help after Pepito devastated Catanduanes. “The island province of Catanduanes needs your help. Typhoon Pepito has left our kababayans with devastated homes, disrupted livelihoods and shattered hopes. We humbly appeal for your generosity and kindness to support them in this difficult time.” With a maximum speed of 195 km per hour, Pepito made its first landfall in Panganiban at 9:40 pm Saturday, 16th of November. Wind signal at that time was no. 5, which was also raised over Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy and Presentacion. Needless to say, these strong winds made heavy and life–threatening impacts on the towns and islands where it passed.    Alarcon concluded his homily with an appeal: “May we be able to give back the generosity we have received and offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and help those in need. It is right and proper that we gather to give thanks, to pray and to invoke help because the Gospel tells us that God is the source of all goodness and in God alone all will have a culmination.”  -Myrna S. Bermudo

Delivering his message to the youth of the Archdiocese of Caceres for the local World Youth Day last November 24, Sunday, also the Solemnity of Christ the King, Archbishop Rex Andrew C. Alarcon called on the youth to be instruments of hope. "I am united with you in  celebrating the local World Youth Day,” he said in a video message published through the social media account of the Caceres Youth Commission.    Alarcon said, "Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe, we also mark the 39th World Youth Day. This year, Pope Francis reminds us, the youth, not to abandon hope and to journey forward with hope. This message aligns with the theme of the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025, which invites the Church to become "Pilgrims of Hope." We look forward to the future as pilgrims of hope. We, the young people, hope in the Lord, and in God’s love. Thus, despite being saddened and affected by Typhoon Kristine, we do not fret. We do not lose hope because we rely in the Lord."   Furthermore, he said, "We also rely on you, dear young people, to be instruments of hope.  First, by accepting the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which will provide you with hope and deep joy, and strengthen you amidst life’s challenges and in the midst of uncertainties. [The Good News] will also ignite our growth in the grace of God and in God’s mercy."    "Happy Feast of Christ the King," the prelate said as he concluded his message. "I wish you a meaningful and fruitful celebration of the local World  Youth Day. You are the ‘now’ of the Church and of  society. You are [our] future, and together we march forward with Jesus, our Lord and Savior."   -Myrna S. Bermudo

For the past 15 years, the Parish of the Immaculate Conception (ICP) has always celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King with the Annual Tinagba Festival. Parishioners are encouraged to offer cash or goods as a sign of thanksgiving for a fruitful year and to ask for continued graces for the next year. The said event is always held at the Parish Church. As ICP celebrates 60 years and as the ICP-SKK (ICP-Saradit naKristyanong Komunidad) prepares for its 15th anniversary in 2026, the SKK leaders, through the approval of Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Marcel Emmanuel DP Real, brought the TinagbaFestival to the different clusters of the Parish. The Parish held a Triduum of Masses and Prayers preceeded by a Holy Hour on November 21 to 23. On the feastday itself, parishioners gladly made their offerings during the Mass at 6:30 in the morning. A Eucharistic Procession was held after the Mass, ending in front of the statue of Christ the King outside the Parish Church. The Cluster Tinagba Festival followed. SKK leaders and members decorated designated chapels, namely, San Roque, StoNiño, San Rafael, and San Isidro Chapels. In these chapels, each cluster offered goods to be shared with the cluster’s beneficiaries: children, youth, young moms and seniors. Before the distribution, doctors of different specialities conducted a Medical Mission preceded by a lecture on nutrition. Volunteer Physicians were Dr. Marimil Bombase, Dr. Joey Rañola, Dr. Gerardo Villafuerte, Dr. Michellaine Tolentino, Dr. Philip John Amanse, Dr. Michelle Semańa and Dr. Agnes Claveria. Volunteer Nutritionists were Ms. Melba de Vera and Ms. Gemma Gonzaga. It was a very fruitful Sunday morning for both clergy, SKK leaders, health care workers, communities and beneficiaries. Each November, as Catholic Church closes the Liturgical Year, ICP renews her commitment to adore, serve and follow Christ the King. -Dr. Ma. Asuncion P. Quimlat (Pediatric Consultation with Dr Michellaine T. Tolentino at San Roque Chapel, Concepcion Pequeña during Christ the King celebration at ICP. Photo by Dr. Marita Quimlat)

After braving the storm Kristine and witnessing the flooding and turning parishes into evacuation centers and temporary shelters, the Caceres clergy traveled to San Alfonso, Cavite to start their Annual Clergy Retreat at St. Paul Center for Renewal. It is the first time for all of us, clergy of Caceres, to have and be with our new Archbishop Rex Andrew C. Alarcon as Retreat facilitator with the theme: Magtiripon Asin Magtanaw: Gathering around Jesus and Seeing How Jesus sees (Mk 6:30.33). The retreat turned out very timely and an opportunity for a much needed spiritual rest and recreation for the clergy. Inspired by the writings of Fr. Henri Nouwen, a renowned Dutch Catholic priest, Archbishop Rex guided the clergy on the first day of the retreat to a deeper reflection on solitude, community and ministry leading to the rediscovery and appreciation of the fundamental dignity of being God's Beloved. The three disciplines of discipleship “Solitude, according to Fr. Nouwen,” as echoed by Archbishop, “is being with God and God alone in order to listen. To pray is to listen to the One who calls us beloved. Hence, retreat is creating more space for God and God alone. Community on the other hand is more than an organization or formal in nature. It is a way of living where one gathers with the others to proclaim that all are beloved sons and daughters of God. Community thrives in the disciplines of forgiveness and celebration. So it includes even the person you least want to live with.” On ministry, Archbishop stressed that “ministry is not something that one does but something that one have to trust. Jesus' ministry which is essentially a healing ministry is expressed both in gratitude and compassion. “ Citing Luke 6: 12-19 “the matrix of Jesus life and mission is divided into night for solitude; morning for community, and afternoon is for ministry. This ought to be the matrix of his disciples too.” The Synodal method:conversations in the Spirit In an innovative and striking way, Archbishop Rex adapted for the sharing and dialogue among the clergy, the synodal way. The 151 Caceres clergy who attended were divided into 24 groups seated on 24 round tables (minimum of 6 members). The dynamics of discernment started always with invocation of the Holy Spirit with the prayer Adsumus Sancte Spiritus. There were 3 rounds of sharing with 2 minutes allotted per sharer. The first round is Taking the Word and Listening (What the Spirit is telling Me?). The Second Round is Making Space for others and the Other (What could the Spirit be telling me through the sharing of others?) The last round is Building together (Where is the Holy Spirit leading us?) The responses were submitted to the Secretariat for collation under Fr. Francis Tordilla, Rev. Mike Escriva and the two pre-diaconal brothers Bro. LA Belen and Bro. Joseph Bascuna. Towards the formulation of the Archdiocesan thrust On the second day of the Retreat, Fr. Wilmer Joseph Tria, head of the education cluster, led the Caceres clergy into the historical recap and survey of the developments of the vision - mission statements of the Local Church of Caceres beginning from PCP II, APCC I, APCC II, Congress of the Laity or CLAC, Diocesan Synthesis from the Synodal Consultation while taking notes of the current realities in the Philippine society and incorporating the teachings of the recent social encyclicals of Pope Francis - Laudato Si (2015) and Fratelli Tutti (2020). Highlighted among the vision - missions are the following: Being Church of the Poor, Community of Disciples, BEC/SKK, Integral Evangelization, Solidarity and Collaboration and Social Justice and Poverty Alleviation. He asked the clergy to identify two priorities or thrusts or focus on the integral formation towards the celebration of the Jubilee Year in 2025 and the Diamond Anniversary of the Archdiocese in 2026 with 3 choices: worship, education and social services. Eventually education emerged as top priority among others. The urgent need for safeguarding and protection In the light of the urgent need to establish ministry on safeguarding and protection of minors awareness, Fr. James Wenceslao Gascon of the Society of Jesus (SJ), gave a talk on the last day of the Retreat. The talk was only a teaser since the Basic Orientation Seminar on Safeguarding consists of 5-7 days. Being the head of the Catholic Safeguarding Institute, Inc. founded in 2017, its mission is to create Safe Spaces in the dioceses. Safeguarding is the response of the Catholic Church to create safe spaces in communities of faith. His talk centered on Creating Safe Spaces as Integral to Mission and Ministry. According to Fr. Gascon, safeguarding must not be an external restrictions or environment, but an interior disposition, a culture, a spirituality, a mission and ultimately a vocation. With lively and humorous sharing, and with candidness in telling the issues of the clergy, Fr. Gascon encourage the clergy to be open to take the basic orientation. The Archdiocesan thrust The final session together with Archbishop Rex Andrew was the presentation of the collations made by the Secretariat on the thrust of the Archdiocese. After synthesizing the slogans submitted by the clergy with the education as the top priority, he presented for approval the thrust: EDUCATION TOWARDS COMMUNION or translated in Bikol as MAGSABOT PASIRING SA SIMBAHAN NA SARARO. During the closing mass, Archbishop Alarcon thanked the organizers, the committee heads, the presiders and homilists, the participants with special mention of the senior clergy or GOG for their inspiring presence. He also thanked the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres for the warm accommodation and stay at St Paul Center for Renewal. Indeed, in the eye of the storm, Jesus is there leading us to peace and renewal, and calling us all His Beloved in our solitude, in our community and in our ministry! -Fr. Philip Francis Bersabe

Typhoon Kristine (international name Cyclone Tram) brought widespread flooding and destruction to the Bicol Region, hitting hardest Naga City and the province of Camarines Sur at large. Caritas Caceres, the Social Action arm of the Archdiocese of Caceres, swiftly mobilized humanitarian relief operations to assist families affected by the severe weather. The said organization launched a coordinated response to ensure affected families received essential relief supplies. Volunteers, parish leaders, local organizations, and local government units collaborated with Caritas Caceres, Caritas Manila and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to distribute food, drinking water and hygiene kits to evacuees and displaced families in the hardest-hit areas of Nabua, Baao, Nabua, Gainza, and Naga City. In addition, the Adventist Disaster Relief Assistance (ADRA) assessed the damage brought by the said typhoon and initiated sustainable rehabilitation efforts to help affected families rebuild their homes and livelihoods. The Call to Help Others As the flood water began to rise rapidly, 18 parishes, the Holy Rosary Major Seminary and the Ateneo de Naga University gym became evacuation centers to displaced families. Emergency response was conducted to thirty-three (33) parishes of the Archdiocese, providing food packs to 4,563 families (22, 815 individuals). “Our mission is to be there for those most in need. We stand with families as they rebuild, providing not only material aid but also hope and a message of resilience,” said Rev. Fr. Marc DP. Real, Executive Director of Caritas-Caceres (Naga), Inc. “We have just embarked on the first phase of our humanitarian operations, emergency quick response, and we are still facing the challenges of the rehabilitation phase: repairing houses and livelihood assistance. Even during this phase, there is still need to provide for the basic needs, such as food and drinking water." Other volunteers who made and are making the relief operations possible include many individual donors, the Daughters of Mary sisters, servant leaders of the Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program (YSLEP), and members of the Self Help Group (SHEG). Local parish networks consisting of both the Parish Disaster REsponse (PaDRe) teams and the Social Services Committees were specifically helpful in providing Caritas Caceres with situational reports in their respective parishes and communities. Caceres Archbishop Alarcon expressed his gratitude to all who contributed to the relief efforts. "In times of great adversity, it is the strength of our unity and faith that will bring us through. Let us continue to stand together in prayer and action, offering comfort and support to our brothers and sisters in need," he said.

NAGA CITY - “Pray for inner strength, that we may be able to bear all the trials and tribulations in the City of Man; so that one day, we may also find ourselves in the City of God.” This was the message of Metropolitan Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon during the eucharistic celebration on the Solemnity of All Saints, November 1, at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral St. John the Evangelist Parish. “Do not lose sight of the heavenly city,” Alarcon continued to exhort. The City of Man is only temporary, he said. “Our end goal is to be with the Lord.” Remaining in God In his homily, Alarcon spoke of St. Augustine’s Two Cities: the City of God and the City of Man. The first city, which is founded on selflessness and love of God, is described as a place filled with humility, sacrifice and obedience; while the second city, which is founded on self-love, is said to be a place where pride, ambition and greed abound. Drawing inspiration from the lives of the saints, Alarcon said that the saints, who led heroic lives, are perfect examples in following Jesus -for they are examples of people who had great inner strength in the course of their lives. He said, “[Saints] were human like us. They too were plagued with difficulties and tragedies during their lifetime; yet, they remained faithful to God despite the difficulties.” “Inner strength”, according to the Caceres prelate, “comes from God and enables us to persevere through life’s difficulties and tragedies. [It is] solid grounding in God. In spite of our fast-paced, noisy and aggressive world, [inner strength] allows us to give witness to [a life of] holiness through patience and constancy in doing good in the midst of suffering.” Alarcon gave this message in the aftermath of typhoon Kristine in Camarines Sur, which he said was “devastating” as “the debris, damage, garbage, and mud are still evident”. “Many are concerned where [they] will begin again,” he said.

In the evening of October 22, typhoon Kristine brought heavy rains in the Bicol region causing massive flooding and landslides, displacing many families and leaving travelers stranded. Virac Bishop Luisito Occiano was one of these many stranded individuals. An invitation to pause and listen to God’s voice The recently appointed Bishop wrote on his social media page that his initial trip back to Virac, Catanduanes was canceled due to the typhoon, causing him to return to Nabua, Camarines Sur. The prelate wrote of his experience, “Being stranded due to typhoon Kristine [was] challenging, but in moments like these, faith reminds us that even in unexpected situations, God has a purpose”. Occiano provided shelter for 35 evacuees in their residence in San Esteban, Nabua. “With rains pouring continuously overnight, our second floor was almost reached by the flood. We prayed the rosary daily for safety, and shared our limited food and water for 4 days,” he further wrote. Occiano also shared that he was able to bless the remains of a deceased person who was retrieved at the back of their house in the wake of the typhoon. In closing, he said, “God has a purpose why I was stranded. I was so worried for Catanduanes but I found myself in Camarines Sur, which suffered more. But, bayanihan and a deep faith made us survive. I continue to pray for those still suffering from this calamity.” Spaces of Hope During the course and in the aftermath of typhoon Kristine, several churches in the Bicol Dioceses opened their doors to evacuees. In the Archdiocese of Caceres alone, about 30 parishes (nearly a third of the total number of parishes in the Archdiocese) provided shelter and food to those affected by the typhoon. These parishes and institutions include the Basilica Minore de Peñafrancia, Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish (Naga City), Immaculate Conception Parish (Naga City and Calabanga), St. Jude Thaddeus Parish (Naga City and Iriga City), St. Rose of Lima Parish (Pili), St. Mary Magdalene Parish (Bula), St. Bartholomew Parish (Baao), St. Anthony of Padua Parish (Siruma), Sta. Rafaela Maria School, Holy Rosary Major Seminary, and the Ateneo de Naga University. The Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church Institute also provided food to those affected by the typhoon despite their Generalate House in Naga City being flooded. In addition, the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Naga City were among the many first responders providing food and relief goods in the wake of the typhoon. In the Diocese of Legazpi, the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great, the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Salvation, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, St. Padre Pio Parish, St. Jude Thaddeus Parish, St. Roch Parish, and the Redemptorist Mission Community were among the many parishes, institutions and communities that opened their doors as evacuation sites. St. Roch Parish also conducted an outreach to Balugo Parish in Oas in the aftermath of typhoon Kristine. According to the latest situational report of the Social Action Center of the said Diocese, a total of 123,647 families across the province of Albay are currently affected by the typhoon. 5 municipalities were identified with the greatest displacement. These are Daraga, Guinobatan, Libon, Oas, and Legazpi City. Several barangays remain evacuation sites, although other centers have started decampment. The Diocese also listed infrastructure, agriculture and transportation as industries severely affected by the typhoon. In the Diocese of Daet, evacuation centers included St. Francis Parochial School, La Consolacion College and the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Paracale. Last Saturday, October 26, Metropolitan Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon issued a pastoral directive for the Clergy of Caceres. Alarcon drew inspiration from the Holy Father’s latest encyclical Dilexit Nos. Quoting Pope Francis, he wrote, “Mission is experienced in fellowship with our communities and with the whole Church”. Hence, the Caceres prelate encouraged to create spaces of hope -places where shelter can be sought and help be given- and exhorted to strengthen the response team (PADRE Team) as he is anticipating similar situations like this in the future due to climate change. Caritas Caceres as of Monday, October 28, was able to distribute relief goods to 18 parishes. In addition, a medical mission organized by the Siervas de Maria Ministras de los Enfermos sisters from Lagonoy, Camarines Sur and Phileos-Spain was also held at the Legaspi Hall of the Basilica Minore de Peñafrancia last Monday, October 28. Environmental Stewardship According to Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon, the massive flood brought about by typhoon Kristine “is the worst flooding [they] have experienced in Albay in the last 30 years”. Moreover, he said that it cannot be denied that this is also an effect of the destruction of nature due to quarrying and road constructions that displace trees and loss of the proper environment where trees can freely grow and root themselves in, so they can be sturdy, stable and firmly planted even during heavy rain. The prelate exhorted, “Let us not forget that the cry of the Earth is intertwined with the cry of the poor, the vulnerable and those marginalized by society. By neglecting the cry of the Earth, we prolong the suffering of our brethren. We will be responsible before God.” Being responsible for nature was also advocated by Fr. Wilmer Joseph Tria, who explained that the “construction of irrigation canals and the reclaiming of riverbanks by villagers” were factors that contributed to the massive flooding recently experienced in Naga City and nearby towns. Tria also emphasized, “We need to rediscover the purpose of rivers and lakes, recover their natural design and preserve and optimize them so that we have enough water during dry season and avoid inundation of villages during rainy days.”

By Julma M. Narvadez   Sixty-nine (69) young devotees of Our Lady of Peñafrancia joined the First Peñafrancia Pilgrims’ Essay Writing Contest held on September 14 at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, Naga City. “The contest was a perfect avenue for the students to showcase their skills in writing. At the same time, it allows them to express their understanding of their faith and devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia. This kind of activity encourages the youth to get to know Inâ and help spread the religious tradition through their writing. It was also a joy seeing the youth eagerly partake in this event,” says Carrie Botardo Bien, one of the proctors. Bien is a professor at the University of Nueva Caceres, School of Business and Accountancy. Meanwhile, Ana-Liza Macatangay Philippine Information Agency Assistant Regional Director for Region 5, says “I felt reassured that the devotion to Inang Peñafrancia and the faith will continue to be passed down to future generations, especially after witnessing the strong participation of students in the first-ever essay writing competition organized by the Caceres Commission on Communications (CCCom). It was heartwarming to see such enthusiastic responses from the schools, with some coaches even accompanying their students to the event.” Bien and Macatangay are long-time volunteers of CCCom. The contest was held in celebration of the centenary of the canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. In his opening remarks, CCCom Director Fr. Francis A. Tordilla revealed plans to hold an annual essay writing contest and congratulated the participants for being the pioneer batch. The contestants competed in English and Bikol categories, by age group: 16 to 19 years old, and 20 to 25 years old. They represented either their schools or parishes. Participating parishes of the Archdiocese of Caceres were: Christ the King, Pili; Our Lady of the Annunciation, Magarao; Our Lady of the Assumption, Canaman; Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Naga City; Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Canaman; San Antonio de Padua, Camaligan; St. Jude Thaddeus, Naga City; St. John of the Cross, Agdangan, Pili; St. Raphael the Archangel, Pili; Schools were either private or public institutions, Catholic or non-sectarian. Schools represented were: Universidad de Sto. Tomas – Legazpi; Universidad de Sta. Isabel – Naga; Universidad de Sta. Isabel – Pili; University of Nueva Caceres; Saint Joseph School, Naga City; Siena College, Tigaon; Naga Parochial School; Naga College Foundation; La Consolacion College – Baao; La Consolacion College – Iriga; Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, Naga City; Colegio de San Raphael Archangel, Pili; Colegio de Santisimo Rosario, Libmanan; Central Bicol State University of Agriculture – Calabanga Campus; Camarines Sur National High School, Naga City; Calabanga Community College; and Ateneo de Naga University. The heavy rains prevented some of the registered contestants to attend. They come from schools and parishes, namely STI College - Naga, St. Benedict’s Academy of Guinobatan, Albay; Dominican School of Camalig, Albay; and the parishes of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Naga City and Our Lady of Most Holy Rosary in Bombon, Camarines Sur. The congested traffic along Naga City’s major streets also delayed the program. Scholars of the Consuelo “Chito” Madrigal Foundation – Bikol and the seminarians of the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary provided logistical support to the event. The winners will be announced on September 23. The awarding of prizes will be made on a later date.

NAGA CITY - Apostolic Nuncio the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown imposed the pallium on recently installed Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon last September 21 at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral St. John the Evangelist Parish. Alarcon received the pallium from the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in Rome at the Basilica of St. Peter last June 29, on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.The Pallium : A symbol of the yoke of Christ, the Good ShepherdIn his homily, the Papal Envoy to the Philippines explained the rich meaning and symbolism that a pallium holds, which is “a liturgical vestment, a kind of woolen collar ” said to be “associated with the Pope, the successor of St. Peter”. Historically, only a newly elected Pope receives such vestment as he “begins his formal ministry with a Solemn Mass of Inauguration [where] he is given two important symbols: the pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring”. Today, the Pope shares and gives this vestment to Metropolitan Archbishops as well. This serves not only as a “sign of the [Archbishop’s] communion with the Holy Father but also, of his special responsibilities, i.e., to watch over the [entire] Ecclesiastical Province, so the Catholic faith and the life of the Church [are] carefully preserved and enhanced”. The pallium , placed on the shoulders of its recipient, “is made of wool from lambs blessed by the Pope on the feast of St. Agnes, virgin martyr of Rome, whose name in Latin means lamb”. Once woven together, the pallium is stored “in an ornamental chest” at the Basilica of St. Peter, “close to the bones” of St. Peter. “Each year, on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, [these vestments] are given to the newly appointed Archbishops”. This serves as a reminder for the recipient “to be images of the Good Shepherd -to carry the yoke of Christ, the yoke of authority in the Church, seeking out the lost sheep bringing them home rejoicing”. “Every Bishop should imitate the Good Shepherd” Further, the Papal Envoy to the Philippines exhorted in his homily that “Pope Francis reminds us that only a pastor, a shepherd, who resembles Jesus, can earn the trust of His flock, for Jesus is the door”. Quoting Pope Francis, he said, “ The significance that Jesus is ‘the Good Shepherd’ thus becomes completely clear: He gives life. Jesus offered His life in sacrifice for all of us. ”Lastly, the pallium has six visible crosses on it. “These represent the Cross of Christ,” Brown explained and emphasized: “together, this image of martyrdom -the cross, and the yoke exemplify the weight of authority [of a Bishop] in the Church”. Hence, all Bishops are called to “exercise the authority of Christ” in the Church. “Faith is sustained by the preaching, the teaching [and] the governing of the Bishops,” Brown said and in conclusion, called on the lay faithful to pray for their Bishops for “they carry the Cross of Christ”. Closing the solemn occasion, Alarcon prayed, “May I not forget the lost sheep, whom the Good Shepherd set out to seek and upon finding it, bore it on his shoulders. With the three pins, may I remember the nails that pierced the body of Jesus, who became the Lamb of God, who was crucified for our sins. In union with the Holy Father, Servus Tuus Sum .” Alarcon was installed as the 5th Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Caceres last May 2 by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown. The Archdiocese of Caceres was first established as a Diocese in 1595 and was later elevated to an Archdiocese in 1951. It  has 6 suffragan Dioceses namely Daet, Libmanan, Legazpi, Sorsogon, Virac, and Masbate.  By Natalie Hazel Quimlat, MD Photo: Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown imposes the pallium upon Caceres Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon. “To the glory of God and the praise of the Blessed Virgin and apostles Peter & Paul, in the name of Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, and of the holy Church...we confer on you the pallium, to wear within the . (Photo credit: The Naga Metropolitan Cathedral)