Revitalizing and Sharing Our Contemplative Life as We Journey in the Now

Guided by the Spirit, accompanied by Our Lady Regina Rosarii and convened by our Mother Superior Sr Epifania Brasil, OP, the 5th National Convention of the Regina Rosarii Collaborative Harmonious Association of Mission Partners (CHAMP) was held on October 6 and 7, 2022 at RICA Retreat, Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal.

180 delegates were present representing 18 of the 19 member organizations, the Dominican Sisters of Regina Rosarii, RICA Employees, and special guests. The program was designed to follow the theme “Revitalizing and Sharing Our Contemplative Life as We Journey in the Now.”

Part 1 Revitalizing and Sharing our Contemplative Life

Flowing from the trinity of Breathe, Silence, and the Word, the delegates were led to returning to the roots of our Contemplative Life.

We began with a Contemplative Sit with our Foundress giving the Teacher’s Talk.

The Word was highlighted with the Enthronement of the Bible. The proclamation of the Word of God from John 17:21, “That all may be one” served as the scriptural text of the convention. This was preceded by the Procession of Leaders using the two step forward one step backward pace that symbolizes our embrace of past, present, and future as part of the Now.

Rev. Fr. Donagh O’Shea OP from Ireland served as the first keynote speaker via Zoom. Introduced by Sr. Mary Carmen Advincula, OP, Fr. O’Shea is a known teacher, spiritual guide, author, and retreat master. He is a friend of our Foundress and companion to the Sisters.

Fr. O’Shea spoke about three important points.

1. Our NOW is the continuity of the life. The seasons of earth is always natural. There is autumn and winter but spring and summer will surely come. The pandemic might have brought us to a deep winter experience, but we shall experience spring soon. A contemplative allows and accepts this naturalness of the flow of life. All shall be well.

2. Contemplative Prayer is not so much looking up and looking deep within. The sacred is within us and in the silence, we enter into this sacred space.

3. Jesus is experienced Sophia or wisdom. Contemplative Prayer leads us to this experience of the wisdom of God. In Latin form, Sapientiae also means good taste. Wisdom is knowledge you have tasted.

Our two reactors, Ambassador Grace Princesa of ROCA Intramuros and Mena Carreon of ROCA Pampanga shared testimonies of how Contemplative Life has transformed their lives and their families.

Our journey to our roots was done through photos in our gallery and through an evening serenade that featured the favorite songs of our jubilarians through the years held at the Santo Niño Park.

We ended Day 1 with prayer led by Sr Menchi Advincula.

Part 2 Feast of the Holy Rosary
Theme: We Journey together….

The morning activities followed the meaning of Synodality – walking together, worshipping praying together, learning together, and growing together.

Walking together is when we had a Dawn Rosary – when we walked from Aquam Sapientiae to Our Lady Regina Rosarii via the Sacred Trail.

Worshipping together was when we had our Fiesta Mass presided by Bishop Noli Buco, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Antipolo, with three other priests.

Praying together was led by ROCA Davao as we honor Our Lady Regina Rosarii.

Learning together was listening to a wonderful talk by our second keynote speaker, Rev Fr Roland de la Rosa OP. He is an accomplished academician s and world-renowned theologian who has been Rector Magnificus of the University of Santo Tomas for three terms and where he is currently a member of the faculty.

Building on the theme of Synodal Church, he talked about the themes of communion, participation, and mission.

1. Communion is best experienced in the family. According to Amoris Laetitia, the family is our experience of the Holy Trinity. Synodality begins at home. Our presence is essential today, not just visibility but availability.

2. Participation and mission is about our role as lay and the urgent need for lay empowerment in the church. There is a need also for families to serve the church together.

Growing together is our time to listen to the testimonies of growth, transformation, healing, and forgiveness given by six volunteers: Lito Carreon on physical health, Junjun Estoque on mental health and financial struggles, James for the struggles of the young people, and Sally Lee for the life of the senior citizen. A synthesis was given by Joey Imahen of ROCA Davao.

Part 3 in the Now

We expanded our consciousness of who we are by listening to other member organizations as they made their report.

We listened to who we are from the consolidation of the Reap and LEAP given by Rey Barnido.

1. We are the third tent in the triple mission of God to Sr Eppie Brasil, OP.

2. Like Moses, we were led to an Exodus experience from slavery to freedom – slavery from our past, our pain, and our problems, to people and to promises.

3. Like the Exodus journey, we are guided, protected, and provided for by God through the intercession of Mama Mary.

4. We are called to promote a contemplative way of life following the example of Our Lady.

All proposals have been approved by the majority.

A living Rosary dramatizes our theme of revitalizing and sharing our contemplative life as we journey together in the Now.

We ended the Convention with Renewal of our Oath as CHAMP Members.