St. Camillus Scholasticate in a Blaze of Service

Last Feb. 11, 2008, the whole Catholic Church celebrated the 16th World Day of the Sick. In line with this, the Scholasticate community conducted a weeklong series of home visitations to sick people in Our Lady of Pentecost Parish. It was one way of making the Camillian presence felt in the vicinity.

What we did, as inspired by this year’s World Day of the Sick, marked a new experience in the history of the scholasticate community. For at last, we carried out the first ever medical mission that our community spearheaded, planned, initiated and conducted in the parish. With enthusiasm and zeal, we ministered to the physical and medical needs of the people in Daang Tubo UP, Diliman, Quezon City.  We offered them medical check-up and consultations, laboratory procedures and medicines all for free. We accommodated a total of 405 patients.  Because of this huge crowd, one day did not suffice to finish the whole task. So we used our weekday apostolate schedule to render service to all those who had registered.

It was indeed a successful activity of reaching-out to the sick people in the neighborhood.  This became possible through the help of the barangay leaders, our generous benefactors and volunteer doctors.  And so we heartily express our deepest gratitude to our volunteer doctors: Dr. Ana Reyes, Dr. Jeana Pless, and Dr. Joseph of the Philipine Heart Center and Dr. Marian de Guzman of Caritas Philippines.  Out of compassion and love they offered their services without counting the cost.

The zeal and burning desire of the community to reach-out to the poor-sick continued to blaze in our hearts.  Last Feb., 16, the Camillian scholastics studying at Maryhill School of Theology (MST) joined hands with the scholastics from different congregations and dioceses on a medical mission spearheaded by the MST Student Council. We offered free medical consultations, laboratory services and medicines to 289 patients in Magville Community in “Aroma” Village, Smokey Mountain, Tondo, Manila.

Again, many thanks to all our benefactors and volunteer doctors: Dr. Ana Reyes and Dr. Jeana Pless for their service and for making themselves available. We also thank Fr. Guido Everaert, CICM, Dean of Studies of MST, for supporting us and being with us in this noble cause. We also thank the Canossian Sisters for accommodating us and allowing us to use their social center, Canossa Health and Social Center, in conducting this successful medical mission. And of course, we thank God for making us instruments in manifesting His great love to the less fortunate, especially the poor-sick.

These outreach programs and activities play a major role in challenging our identity and mettle as Camillians - how far, to what extent and how committed are we in our ministry to the sick? With the grace of God and with the inspiration and example of our holy father Camillus, we resolutely commit ourselves to continue doing this noble work in the years to come.

Well done, brothers!  Let’s keep it up!  And let us make sure the fiery desire and compassion blaze incessantly in our hearts as we serve our “lords and masters”- the poor-sick!