Bro. Robert Dulnuan will be Deacon

During the Ordination celebration of Fr. Ric Amiling, Bishop Rudy announced the ordination of Bro. Robert Dulnuan to the Order of Deacon. Bro. Robert is from Hingyon Catholic Mission and is finishing his theology this March at the San Carlos Seminary, Makati City.

The ordination is slated on 19 March 2011 at 9 o'clock in the morning at the San Carlos Seminary Chapel with the Most Rev. Bernardino Cortez, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Manila as the Ordaining Prelate.

Blessings Third in a Row

The ordination of Father Ricardo M. Amiling, Jr. comes with so much blessings for the Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe.

First of all, this is the third in a row that we are ordaining another priest for Bontoc-Lagawe. There were two ordinations last December, those of Frs. Jeason Cabacab and Ferdie Fulatao. After two months, comes another.

Second, this ordination is special for the people of Natonin. Less than a year ago, Fr. Denden Iddoba, the very first son of Natonin to become a priest, was ordained on 5 March 2010. Fr. Ric is only the second son of Natonin to be ordained for Bontoc-Lagawe. His grandfather Juan Maidun was a faithful leader of the Natonin Catholic Mission in its early years, recalls Fr. Eugene Van Ackere, CICM.

Hundreds of people flocked to the occasion held in the San Roque Church of the mission station on 25 February 2011. Bishop Rodolfo Beltran presided over the Eucharistic Celebration and the ordination rite. Together with him are the clergy of BonLag, some priests from Manila, including the formators of San Carlos Seminary where Fr. Ric graduated, and some former CICM missionaries who were former parish priests in Natonin that included Fr. Eugene Van Ackere, and Fr. Andre De Bleeker who baptized Fr. Ric when he was a child in the same church of San Roque.

There were also relatives of Fr. Ric who came all the way from USA to attend this joyful event.

In his thanksgiving, Fr. Ric thanked a long list of people that contributed to his vocation. People were touched by his humility and sincerity and were seen to be wiping their eyes in several moments during his speech.

The celebration ended with a sumptuous lunch prepared by the people of Natonin.

We look forward to a fourth blessing in a row!

Father Ferdie Ordained Priest

A day after the ordination of Fr. Jeason Cabacab in Bauko, Fr. Ferdinand L. Fulatao, a native of Talubin, Bontoc is ordained at the Sta. Rita Cathedral, Bontoc, Mountain Province on 14 December 2010 by our Vicar Apostolic, Bishop Rodolfo Beltran.

Here is the message of Bishop Rudy which appears in the foreword of Fr. Ferdie's souvenir book:

MESSAGE

The ordination of Reverend Father Ferdinand Fullatao reminds us of some elements surrounding the birth of our Saviour – the very mystery which we are celebrating this season. I want to underscore two of these elements.

First is God’s favor. I am sure that there is no community today that is happier than Talubin, Fr. Ferdie’s home, because they are not only offering to God a son of their own, but this son is in fact their very first offering to God. It is not an unknown fact that some people up to now, unluckily, still do not give regard to Talubin. Some people even deride this community, short of saying, “Can anything good come from Talubin?” But God has shown his favor on Talubin. And now our answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!” Yes, something good – indeed, one of the best – is now coming out of Talubin. And this is a testimony of how God favors Talubin because Talubin has also been faithful to God.

Second is God’s wonderful power. The ordination of Fr. Ferdie reminds us that nothing is impossible with God. Everybody knows that Fr. Ferdie’s vocation to the priesthood came a little late to him. There is a joke going around for Fr. Ferdie that after celebrating a few masses, he shall already be preparing for his retirement.

But the Gospels for this season remind us of how God has worked wonders to Elizabeth who was old and barren, and to Zechariah who was way beyond his retirement age. In the same way God made a miracle to Mary who was found pregnant at a very young age but had remained a virgin without a husband! The birth of the Messiah, as a matter of fact, is a testimony to how God can do a miracle for anybody he wishes to do it. When God wills, he can do anything at anytime to anybody, and even the impossible. I am not saying that Fr. Ferdie’s ordination is against an impossibility. What I am underscoring is the power of God’s will. God wills that Fr. Ferdie becomes his priest and now he is one.

I pray that more men – young and even those who are old but are qualified – follow in the footsteps of Fr. Ferdie who has decided to offer his life for God and His church.

May our celebration of Christmas be meaningful and truly filled with awe at this God who brings favors and wonders into our lives.

God bless us all! Matago-tago tako am-in!

(signed) Most Rev. Rodolfo F. Beltran, D.D.

Vicar Apostolic

Father JEASON CABACAB Ordained

In the morning of 13 December 2010, Father JEASON Anoyan CABACAB, was ordained priest at the Bauko Catholic Mission, Bauko, Mountain Province.

In his homily, Bishop Rudy reminded the ordinand-priest of the reality of the priest's human frailty and God's abiding call to holiness. Fr. Armand Quindo, Mission Rector of Bauko Catholic Mission, led the people in the preparation for the ordination of Fr. Jeason who hails from Bauko. A thanksgiving mass is scheduled on 18 December 2010 in the Capinitan Chapel, Sabangan from where his mother hailed.

Fr. Jeason was born on September 23, 1982 in Bauko. He finished his philosophy at St. Dominic's Seminary, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya and his theology at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

Bishop RUDY goes to ROME for the AD LIMINA visit

Some 35 Northern Luzon bishops, including Bishop Rodolfo F. Beltran, Vicar Apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe, were among the first batch of Filipino priests who flew to Rome for the quinquennial Ad Limina Apostolorum Visit to the Holy See from 27 November to 07 December 2010.

The word Ad Limina Apostolorum means "thresholds of the Aspostles." This is the obligation of local ordinaries to visit the Holy Father once in 5 years (quinquennial) to give an account of the state of their corresponding dioceses. It is also the time when these successors to the Apostles make a pilgrimage to the tombs of the apostles.

The Holy Father, in his audience with the Filipino bishops, commended them for their commitment to uphold life from conception and their efforts to counter any move to push for the approval of the Reproductive Health bill.

“In the light of this prophetic task, I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defense of the integrity of marriage and the family,” Pope benedict XVI said.