Two Novices for the SVD AUS Province, Cuong Quoc Peter Dang and Chalerm Naruemankanthon, have professed their first vows as Divine Word Missionaries in a ceremony in the Philippines.
The two young men, from the Thai District of the AUS Province, have been undertaking their Novitiate in the Philippines for the past year and will now continue their formation and studies in Australia.
Reflecting recently on the experience of completing the Novitiate in a foreign country, Peter, who is from Vietnam, said it was a challenging but blessed time.
“As I have been in the Novitiate the past year in the Philippines, I can say that the Novitiate is a time for praying and working,” he said.
“In the Novitiate, I spent a lot of time in community and private prayer every day, so I can feel the power of prayer.
“I feel I am guided by God in my journey, so that I am able to go through the Novitiate, which I entered last May, 2017.
“As a foreigner in a new land, it is not easy for me to do my Novitiate here. I am being challenged by many things.
“However, I feel that I am blessed to have my Novitiate in Calapan, Philippines because here, I have the chance to be close to the SVD mission through outreaches, and other meaningful activities, especially the Mangyan mission - Mangyan are people who live on the mountain. This fuels my desire to become a good religious missionary.”
Cuong said that apart from learning the Tagalog language of the Philippines, he has also been learning English and practicing giving presentations.
“These skills are necessary for religious missionary life,” he said.
“In the Novitiate, I also took the opportunity to learn musical instruments. As a result of patience and hard practicing, now I know how to play the guitar and the keyboard to serve community in prayer hour or the Mass.
“I thank God for this gift, and I will use my skill to praise and glorify God in my life.”
Cuong also had the opportunity to take part in a two week exposure program on the mountain, with the local people.
“It was a meaningful experience that I was alone on the mountain to be with people, and learned about how missionary life is,” he said.
Cuong said he prepared for his first vows by praying and contemplating the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.
“Undergoing Novitiate formation in a foreign country is not easy; but this experience has helped me to grow in my vocation through God’s grace and blessing,” he said.
Both men completed their Novitiate after spending a year in the SVD Postulancy program with the Thai District.Chalerm spent his Postulancy with the Thai community in Nong Bua Lamphu, helping with work at Mother Mary House (for children from HIV families), taking one of the teenagers there to a special school in Nong Bua Lamphu and daily bringing one of the teenage girls to the hospital and clinic for medical attention.
Before going into the Novitiate program, he spent time in one of the SVD parishes with other confreres, and had the opportunity to make a retreat as well.
Cuong spent his postulancy with the SVD community in Bangkok, working with Vietnamese migrants.
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Chalerm (centre, left) and Cuong (centre, right) pictured after taking their first vows.
MIDDLE LEFT: Chalerm and Cuong with fellow SVD students in the Philippines.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Chalerm and Cuong with friends and supporters, including Fr Michael Quang SVD from the AUS Province.