Ceremony at the Novitiate of Oblates
In preparation for their ceremony, the Oblate Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows Novitiate in Davao City attended a Marian retreat under the guidance of their Prior, Father Timothy Pfeiffer at the usual venue “The Calinan Retreat House” owned by a family benefactor. The days following the retreat and preceding the ceremony were loaded with preparations for the chapel, rehearsals of the Gregorian Chant and of the two little presentations on the recorder, the decoration of the venue and many other details. Finally, on September 15th 2021, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows, at 9.30 a.m. our three SSPX priests in Davao City, Rev. Father Timothy Pfeiffer, celebrant and delegate of the Superior General for the occasion, Rev. Fr. Fidel Ferrer, deacon and Rev. Fr. Alexander Hora, subdeacon, celebrated the solemn Mass wherein two Filipina novices made their First Oblation, received the black veil as well as the ring of the Oblate Sisters. Moreover, five Oblates renewed their temporary Oblation so that Our Lady had the joy to see seven Sisters pronouncing all together their Oblation to console Her of Her seven sorrows. Father Pfeiffer, reminded them of their duty to lead a sacramental life, based on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the means by which all the graces contained in the Sacred Heart of Jesus are poured in time upon the world, through the hands of Mary.
After the ceremony, around seventy friends and faithful remained at the priory for the festive lunch where the Sisters performed two short plays with their recorders and sang a hymn while a guest beautifully sang the “Ave Maria” of Gounod at the interval. As usual, the gathering was concluded by a short film showing on the life of the Novitiate, which is placed under Our Lady of Sorrows patronage. The community is now composed of eleven Oblate Sisters, two novices and two postulants. Deo gratias et Mariae!