Menu
Donate

Summer Community Outing 2023: The Gift of Life and Community in Christ

Apr. 23, 2023 03:56 PM

Rev. Fr. Rufino C. Sescon Jr., Rector & Parish Priest, celebrates his  birthday with the MBBB staff comunity during the three-day outing at Aureo Beach Resort, La Union (Photo by Mr. Alfrein O. Quirionez (EIAM & ADRM), Quiapo Church)

On April 17 to 19, 2023, the staff and clergy of the Quiapo Church had a 3-day break for a summer community outing at Aureo Beach Resort, San Fernando, La Union. The activity is a special occasion where 70 of the staff, with the clergy, had a well-spent time together to rest and bond as a way to establish camaraderie with the new set of priest administration led by Rev. Fr. Rufino “Jun” C. Sescon, Jr., Rector, and Parish Priest.

The 3-day break was full of fun that gave an opportunity to experience new encounters with one another through the activities organized by the HR Department with the help of Mr.  Mark Joseph Verdadero, Ms. Ali Castillo, Mr. Meldrig Costuna, and Mr. Ronald Orquin, who comprised the program committee for the said event. On the 2nd night, the entire community of staff and clergy had a special program and dinner at the front beach, where everyone enjoyed singing along with the in-house music band of Aureo Beach Resort. Without the full knowledge of the beloved rector, Fr. Jun, though he felt strange already with what was happening, that everything was actually being set up to surprise him for his 51st birthday. All the staff, seminarians, and his parochial vicars prepared a series of songs to serenade him such as, “Kung Maputi na ang Buhok ko” by Rey Valera, “Won’t Last A Day Without You” by Carpenters, “Kumusta Ka Na?” by Rey Valera, “Build Me Up Buttercups” by The Foundations, and “I Love You More Than Yesterday” by The Spiral Starecase. In return, Fr. Jun thanked everyone for such a surprise and, at the same time, reminded his famous philosophy that says, “Everything is Grace.” Therefore, everything a person receives comes from the goodness of the Lord. Thus, everyone has to be thankful to Him all the time.

Group photo of MBBN community with the Quiapo Church clergy (Photo by Mr. Alfrein O. Quirionez (EIAM & ADRM), Quiapo Church)

Rev. Fr. Robert Arellano, LRMS, shared in his homily during the first-day mass, that not all companies are capable of treating their staff with this kind of outing. Thus, the Quiapo Church community must be very blessed by the Nazareno. On the other hand, Fr. Earl Allyson Valdez as he presided over the mass on the second day, shared in his homily that, as the community continues to enjoy the outing, may everyone be reminded as well to anchor that joy to the risen Christ; that it’s indeed important that during this special and rare occasion to rest and unwind, everyone may see as well the need reconnect with nature and God to regain that positive energy and enthusiasm to work back well. Meanwhile, Fr. Jonathan Noel Mojica, as he presided over the mass on the last and third day, had given emphasis on his sermon about the significance of “connecting people” as one community of the Nazareno, wherein everything to be done in each respective department must be observed in the spirit of community life that breaks the walls of otherness and individualism in the church.

Before the last mass was concluded, Fr. Jun expressed express his gratitude to the community. He promised to start meeting each department next month, May 2023, for further consultation and dialogue with the Quiapo Church personnel. Furthermore, he reminded all the staff of what he said during the recent advent retreat held in Baguio last November 2022, in the line of work of each employee of Quiapo Church, everyone must not only work for money but to look for life, purpose and meaning which derived from the word, ‘hanap-buhay’. Fr. Jun furtherly explained that he is pretty sure that everyone is aware of the weaknesses and shortcomings of everyone, may it be among the faithful, volunteers, fellow staff, or especially among the priests assigned in the Quiapo Church. Hence, doing things for the Lord as the way, the truth, and the life is the real call and challenge so everyone may start to see differently beyond the imperfections of others. 

– Alfrein O. Quirionez | EIAM & ADRM