Today, December 18, 2021, in the Eucharistic Celebration presided by Fr. Robert Sablon, MSP here in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, as we celebrate the 122nd Death Anniversary of our dear founder- Fr. Francisco Butinya, we are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Religious Consecration of Sr. Concep. Twenty-five years ago, she decided to leave her family in order to follow the call of God to be a Sierva de San Jose (Servant of St. Joseph), embracing the life of a woman-worker religious. To answer to the invitation of Jesus to follow Him is not easy because it means a lot of letting go but when there is Love to do the will of God, like Mary and Joseph in Nazareth who also offered to God their Yes to take care of Jesus, then nothing is impossible. For sure, Sr. Concep had many very meaningful experiences of serving God in her different ministries and what have been sustaining her were: her Faith in God’s love Who is always faithful, her hope that God will always be with her in all her endeavours, and her deep and profound love for Jesus in Nazareth and her love for the Church especially for the less privileged and underdeveloped young women at risk. Living Nazareth in simplicity, charity and humility continues to inspire her that is why she is now enjoying her life as a missionary in Rabaul.
Congratulations, Sr. Concep, for your life of commitment and dedication to live our Nazareth Life and with you, we thank our Loving God, for His faithfulness all throughout your 25 years of religious life.
Thank you, too, for your fidelity. With your family who generously offered you to God, we give glory to God… With all the SSJ Sisters especially the present community where you belong, the collaborators, the Lay Josephines and all the people who became part of your life, we give thanks and glory to God.
WORDS OF GRATITUDE OF SR. CONCEP BEFORE THE END OF THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION (DECEMBER 18, 2021)
My heart is full of joy today as I celebrate the 25th Year of my Religious Consecration, of God’s fidelity to me as a consecrated woman-worker. I thank God for loving me unconditionally and for the gift of my vocation as a Sierva de San Jose. My religious life may not have been smooth sailing during these 25 years but the very words of Jesus from the Gospel of St. John 15 : 4a, 5b, 10b: “Remain in Me ... Remain in my Love… Bear much fruit …” have kept holding me until now. Truly, Jesus is enough for me! Because of him, I was able and continue to give and dedicate myself fully to the congregation, to my mission, to our different apostolic tasks assigned to me.
For all these years thank you, Lord. Thanks for the all the sisters in the Communities- Taller where I have been assigned. Thanks for the residents in our Sheltering Apostolate, for our women workers in the Talleres de Nazareth Centres with whom I have shared my life of harmonized prayer and work. I am very grateful for the mission entrusted to me here in PNG where I have been for 11 years now. It has been a long but very fruitful journey with the Ladies of Loreto Hostel, Talleres de Nazareth Skill’s Training Centre in Korobosea and ASAC in 5 Mile, and an apostolate for Life Skills of mothers, young women and out of school here in Rabaul, PNG.
Thank you my sisters in our Province, Clusters and CTs, for my formators, my coordinators, the Provincial teams past and present. Thank you for all the opportunities that you have given me and responsibilities entrusted to me. Thank you, too, for my family especially for my mother who loves me and never ceases to pray for my perseverance.
I am grateful to Fr. Robert Sablon, MSP who generously accepted my invitation to preside in the Holy Eucharist on my Jubilee and likewise to Fr. Francis Pasca, our Parish Priest at St. Joseph , Malagunan, for gracing this occasion with his presence. My continuous thanks to the FMI Sisters for their support and generous sharing of their resources especially when we started last year when we had nothing; to the Christian brothers for allowing us to use their House so that we have shelter and for sharing with us their resources from the beginning of our stay until now; to Clara for staying with me during the months when I was alone and waiting for the sisters who would be my companions; to Eli our Lay Josephine here who supports our new presence here in Rabaul.
Thank you so much my sisters in the community for your constant love, support and trust. Above all I want to give glory and thanks to you, our God, for your unconditional love, unchangeable goodness and enduring fidelity… May you continue to grant me the grace to be faithful in following Jesus in Nazareth and in ministering to your people especially to the socially and economically disadvantaged women workers and to the young women at risk. To you be honor, glory and thanksgiving forever and ever! Amen!
SIMPLE EXTENDED CELEBRATION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF FR. BUTINYA
As a continuation of our celebration of the death anniversary of Fr. Butinya we had gift-giving to the children from the different areas of the village. We gave simple advanced Christmas gifts to our staff and volunteers. The gifts were donated to us by our generous Filipino friends residing in Rabaul and in Port Moresby.
We also introduced to them the person of Fr. Butinya.
They listened to us very attentively and enthusiastically especially upon knowing of Fr. Butinya’s special love for women workers, youth and children belonging to the poor working world.
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