As planned, the Renewal Course for perpetually professed Camillian Brothers and Fathers took place in the first two weeks of October 2008 at the St. Camillus Pastoral Healthcare Center in the Provincialate Compound in Quezon City.  The six-day seminar was conducted twice from October 6 to 19 for two separate batches of a total of 32 participants.

The course, organized by Fr. Rey Sentillas, Chairperson of the Secretariat for Formation, was part of the ongoing formation program of perpetually professed Camillians in the Philippine Province.  Confreres from other English-speaking countries were invited.  Happily, several of them came.  Their presence undoubtedly enriched the interaction in and out of the formal sessions (particularly during and after dinner) and sharpened the Filipino religious’ awareness of Camillian realities outside the Philippines.

The course topics and resource persons were the following: 

• Lay Collaboration – Fr. Edwin Mercado and Ms. Helen Lastra
• Current Issues in Bioethics – Fr. Eric Marcelo Genilo, SJ,
• Pyscho-spiritual Issues – Fr. Dennis Paez, SDB
• Evangelical Counsels and Current Trends and Challenges of Consecrated Life – Fr. Domingo Moraleda, CMF
• Camillian Charism and Spirituality – Fr. Paolo Guarise, MI

A day of recollection and a day of outing to historic Corregidor were also integrated into the program.

All in all, the course proved to be a positive experience for the participants.  It is hoped that despite its shortcomings the seminar has significantly achieved its Scriptural inspiration: “I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you” (2 Tim 1:6).

The participants for the Camillian Renewal Course: