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As a General Councillor of the Society of Mary and link person to the General Administration Fr. Ben visited the District of Asia in June 2018.  He first came to Davao on 8-13 June 2018. He met every Marist and visited all the ministries that we do in Davao and Digos. He also enjoyed his time with our seminarians who are training to be future Marists.

After his time in Davao, he went to Ranong to meet the other members of the District.  Again, he had personal time with them and visited the Centre for Ministries of Marist Asia Foundation. MAF provides education for Burmese refugees as well as cares for people who are affected with HIV-AIDS.

While in Ranong, he also attended the meeting of the leaders of the Marist Asia Pacific.

His presence with us bring life, joy, encouragement and hope. He listened to our stories, met lay people that we are working with and participated in our prayer, meals and even recreation and bonding. He also challenged us to deepen our contemplative life, work for vocations, to stay united and radiate joy to others in our ministries.

This is Fr. Ben’s first visit to the District after being elected as General Councillor in September 2017.

Thank you Fr. Ben and see you again! Blessings!

After 6 years as District Superior, Fr.  Pat Devlin, SM has finished his term as the leader of the Marist Fathers in Asia. He started his mandate as District Superior in June 2012.

During the time of Fr. Pat, he has stabilized the District by setting up structures, systems and policies that would sustain the Marists and their mission in Asia for the future. He has encouraged confreres to do on-going formation and studies to better equip them in doing their ministries and harnessing their potentials and gifts.

He has also fulfilled the ‘dream’ of the District to have a ‘complex’ in Davao where we merge our houses and personnel to better serve the needs of the District and its mission.

We are very grateful to Fr. Pat for the many good things he has done in our District over the past 6 years.  We thank him for sharing his life and gifts to the people of Asia. We will be forever grateful for what he is and will be to our District.

Taking the place of Fr. Pat is Fr. Christopher Thadeos Ganzon, SM. He will be assisted by his councillors namely: Fr. Lauro Arcede, SM (Vice-Superior), Fr. Arnold Garferio, SM and Fr. Pat Muckian, SM.  Their mandate begins in 1 June 2018.

Please continue to pray for Fr. Pat as he takes on his new ministry in Rome and for Fr. Chris and his councillors in their role as leaders of the District Asia.

Please continue to support by your prayers and material assistance the Marist Fathers and their missions.

We are grateful to all our mission partners and benefactors who generously support and provide our needs and the needs of our missions.  May God reward you more with abundance!

On 28th April, 2018 on the feast of St. Peter Chanel, Fr. Larry Sabud, SM celebrated his 25 years anniversary as a Marist priest.

Fr. Larry was ordained by Bishop Juan De Dios Pueblos, DD at San Antonio de Padua Church on April 28, 1993. One of the assisting deacons in his ordination  Abel Apigo was just recently ordained as new Bishop of the Diocese of Mati.

As a priest, he has been a formator, missionary in Peru-Venezuela, a parish priest, prison ministry chaplain, an advocate of Inter Religious Dialogue, District Superior of Asia, and a missionary to non-Christian country in Thailand.

He celebrated his anniversary in Ranong, Thailand where he is currently living and working for the Burmese migrants. He is the new superior of the Marist community also.

During the mass which he celebrated, he was grateful to many people who have journeyed with him since he entered the Society of Mary. He expressed his gratitude to Fr Pat Devlin, SM, the person who recruited him and who became his first formator. Fr Pat was present in the mass. He also thanked his family (parents and siblings), all the Marists, and the many people who have prayed and supported him for many years as a Marist priest.

After the mass, dinner was shared by those who came for the celebration. He would have always wanted his anniversary to be celebrated as simple as possible. And his desire was granted since he celebrated it in a Buddhist country.

We continue to pray for Fr. Larry especially for his parents who are not well and for his perseverance in his Marist priestly life.

He is the first Filipino Marist to be ordained in the Philippines.

Congratulations, Fr. Larry!

After 4 years of studying at St. Francis Xavier College Seminary in Davao City, 3 Marist seminarians completed their degree in Philosophy last March 15, 2018. The graduation ceremony was held in REMASE Gym attended by their parents, friends, priests and bishops.

The graduates are John Cris Duerme (Mlang), Mark Emzee Lazaga (Upi), JV Rosebert Burdas (Upi). Together with their 36 classmates, they celebrated their baccalaureate mass presided by Arch. Romulo Valles, DD, the archbishop of Davao. In his homily, Arch. Valles reminded the graduates that their vocation and completion of philosophical are works of God that they should be grateful for. He also thanked their parents for giving their children to the Church to be trained as priests.

During the graduation ceremony, rector Fr. Orlando Angelia, conferred on them the Degree on Classical Philosophy. Fr. Angelia reminded the graduates that their graduation to philosophical studies is not the end but a beginning to another stage of formation which is the theological studies. He further reminded them that as disciples of Christ, they keep learning to follow and love him deeply to enable them to serve the Church effectively.

A happy celebration followed at St. Peter Chanel Community  house. During the simple program, their parents expressed their joy of seeing their sons complete their college studies. They expressed their gratitude to the Marist Fathers for welcoming and shaping their children to the values of Christ. Their parents encouraged their sons to continue in their chosen vocation. They are ready to sacrifice and offer their love and prayers as well. In return, each graduate expressed his gratitude to his parents and to the Marist fathers as well. They owed their achievement to God and to many people who supported and prayed for each of them.

Fr. Lauro Arcede, SM as formator spoke on behalf of the Society expressed his gratitude for the trust of the parents to send their sons to the community. He also reminded the parents to support and continue praying for their sons even if their sons may take a different path in their journey.

JV and Emzee will continue with their postulancy program. Johncris will have his own summer program too. Well done, JV, Emzee and John Cris on your graduation.

Congratulations! We are proud of you!