Dominicus Humus: Tita Esing's 80th Birthday!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Tita Esing's 80th Birthday!

Tita Esing, one of LFC's silent benefactors (and Fr. Mario's benefactor since his college days - more than 20 years ago) turns 80 year old! She decided to celebrate at LFC! More than 15o guests came including some priests whom she has generously supported quietly in the last 25 or 30 years. The entire community of college seminarians attended the celebration. Fr. Mario said that probably the seminarians don't know that the plates and glasses they are using have been donated by Tita Esing, and the rice that they eat is from her, or the aircon at the oratory is from her, and many others. They don't know because Tia Esing never blew her horn when she gave anything to support the Church, including her parish, the priests and seminarians.

Fr. Jijune at the end of the party wished her good health and happier years ahead. Prayers also came from many Neo-Catechumenate Communities, and priests from the minor and college seminaries.

Vocation and Mission of LFC

Christifidelis Laici, the 1985 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II on the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World, speaks very eloquently about the formation of the lay faithful. According to this document, the laity should receive a complete and integrated formation, one which bears its fruit in every sphere of their existence and activity.

1) The spiritual formation of the laity – their continual growth in communion with Christ is nourished by the help to holiness offered by the Church.

2) Doctrinal formation – which will enable them to explain to the world the reason for their hope. Systematic catechesis is also necessary.

3) A proper formation of a social conscience, especially in the Church’s social teaching.

4) An integrated program of formation that cultivates the human values and skills necessary for the lay faithful’s apostolic activities.

God is the first formator of the laity. The Church for her part also takes part in forming the lay faithful through the ministry of teaching and celebration of the sacraments. The Lay Formation Center exists for this purpose.

The Lay Formation Center (LFC) was established by Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz and the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Philippines, for the formation "especially of the laity." It opened on the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, the first Filipino Saint, who is a Filipino and lay person on September 28, 2005. Fr. Mario Dominic C. Sanchez was appointed its first Director. Since then, LFC has housed more than 500 groups from the entire country for retreats, recollections, conferences and seminars. Its location is about 7 kilometers from Dagupan City center (east) and 20 kilometers from the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag (west). It is only a kilometer away from Bonuan Tondaligan Beach (north).