WHAT IS THE REAL JOY TO CELEBRATE MONS. RAMON ZUBIETA´S FEAST IN THIS TIME OF CRISIS?
“My Spirit will always be with you”.
November 19, 2020 is the feast day of Fr. Ramon Zubieta, as usual, the whole Congregation is preparing videos, and songs to remember him. We, in the Philippines, also celebrated this feast in respective communities. Each sister in their mission land has come together in the spirit of Fr. Zubieta to praise God and thanking Him for being a great father and Founder.
In Reina de La Paz Community, our Provincial house in Baliwasan, Zamboanga celebrated together with the sisters of Ramon Zubieta Community in Culianan to honor Father Ramon Zubieta along with our benefactors who support us in many ways. We divided into two groups: afternoon sessions and evening sessions since our schedules differ (some of our sisters has to go first to school before came to Culianan while others has to go ahead to prepare the place and help the sisters).
In the afternoon, we only had the Claretian Parish priest as a visitor who with us at around 12:00 pm and shared lunch with us. It was also our first time to explore the place of Culianan. Indeed, Culianan is a beautiful place which composes of huge farm, vegetables and fruits. There are also many workers who work in this farm.
The highlight of the celebration was at 6:00 pm. with the presentation of Sr. Gloria Marquez and Sr. Ester Rojas explaining the life and mission to of Mons. Zubieta to all present, our sisters, benefactors and guests (families and relatives of some of our sisters). They have been with from the beginning of our celebration until the end.
We have shared our meal, videos of Father Ramon Zubieta and the messages of some of our elderly sisters. We felt as one, at this particular time also, the three communities in Manila (Santa Rosa De Lima, Virgen Fiel, and Teresa, Rizal) have joined together to celebrate this day in liturgical prayer and lunch.
The diversity of the gathering has strengthened our missionary spirit. Our hope and joy have increased as we saw each sister in the community did participate in sharing their joys, talents and love attributed to “our Hero”. As we believe in the unity of humanity, we also believe in the unity in the communities of each of our sisters. That, together, we can fight against the calamities of Covid-19 or any temptation that may cross our way. Covid-19 is real and still presence among us, yet our hope lies in God, through the example of the missionary spirit
of our Founders.
In other communities of our sisters this day was a celebration too, like: Holy Trinity Community Mabuhay, our sisters together with their youth (sharing of the gifts); in St. Joseph Community (Subanipa), Sr. Willy gave a talk on the Life of Mons. Zubieta to the youth and the faculty of the school whereas, Blessed Ascension Nicol Community (Bidau Timor-Leste) celebrated the feast on Sunday together with the birthday of our junior sisters (Alda and Cecilia) and to welcome the new Juniors sisters: Cecilia, Dionisia and Madalena after their quarantine.
Being new in a mission land has broadened our knowledge of being a missionary with the Millennium Work amid Covid-19. Yet, the environment is so peaceful that our fear and worries has lessened each day. I am happy to be part of MDR, our celebration and our togetherness makes us believe in our efforts in sharing and creating hope, which is one of the best tools to fight against this Global Crisis. Monseñor Ramon Zubieta y Les must be very happy and proud to have been a Founder, seeing the joy and unity of his daughters.
YOU ARE THE REASON OF OUR CELEBRATION
Life is not about power or honor, it is about creating and sharing love.
Arise, oh Missionary Dominican Sisters of the Rosary
for the day is at hand.
Let us celebrate; let us dance joyfully.
He is gone but spirit is with us.
Monseñor Zubieta´s mission continues in each of us
in our enthusiasm to share and to create.
We are not left alone, we´re with him who has started this mission.
His promise is not in vain “My Spirit will always be with you”
This very reason and mission,
to be flourished in each of our love for Jesus´ mission.
Thus, let us stand up to live this reason:
“To be poor, with the poor and among the poor”.
O Padre Ramon Zubieta,
you have been the cause of this joy, of life, of celebration!
It was through you that the cry of the natives was heard.
The poor had been your morning and evening concern.
They, the apple of your eye; the contemplation of your heart
and the evening prayer of your soul.
Indeed, you are God’s loving messenger.
Stay with us as we continue our journey following your footsteps.
Pray for us that we may never to stumble nor lose heart.
Rosaria Ximenes
Provincia San Luis Beltrán