LCENWRD FINAL

LCENWRD

Believer’s
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

Page 6

BR. JOHNNY ABELLERA ESMILLA JR.

Religious Vocation

Page 9

[NAME]

Single Blessedness Vocation

Page 12

MR. AND MRS. HAROLD QUIAMBAO

Marriage Vocation

Ddifefdeirceanttedpelrisvpeescitnives

FROM THE AUTHORS

This magazine encompasses the various
vocational experiences from different
perspectives, namely in the religious,
single blessedness, and the marriage
vocation. Additionally, the various
works of the authors are shown to
showcase the various learnings and
talents of the students.

So sit back and enjoy reading the
BELIEVER'S DIGEST.

WRITER/INTERVIEWER

She is a third year

undergraduate at the De La

Salle University-Manila

taking up BS Civil

Engineering.

WRITER/ORGANIZER

She is a first year
undergraduate at the De La
Salle University - Manila
taking up BS Biochemistry

WRITER/INTERVIEWER

He is a first year
undergraduate at the De La
Salle University - Manila
taking up BS Biology

WRITER/EDITOR

She is a first year

undergraduate at the De La

Salle University-Manila

taking up BS Biology.

WRITER/ORGANIZER

She is a third year
undergraduate at the De La
Salle University - Manila taking
up BS MS Civil Engineering.

WRITER/EDITOR

She is a first year

undergraduate at the De La

Salle University-Manila

taking up BS Biology.

WRITER/EDITOR

He is a first year

undergraduate at the De La

Salle University-Manila

taking up BS Biology.

WRITER/ORGANIZER

He is a first year

undergraduate at the De La

Salle University-Manila

taking up BS Biochemistry

Believer’s

Religious Vocation

Single Blessedness
Vocation

Marriage Vocation

Module Works
SJA Reflections
Fun Page

FEATURE | BELIEVER'S DIGEST

Religious Vocation

The call of God comes to us by means of mediation which is communal.
God calls us to become a part of the Church and after we have reached a
certain maturity within it, He bestows on us a specific vocation. The
vocational journey is undertaken together with the brothers and sisters
whom the Lord has given to us: it is a con-vocation. The ecclesial
dynamism of the call is an antidote to indifference and to individualism.
It establishes the communion in which indifference is vanquished by love,
because it demands that we go beyond ourselves and place our lives at
the service of God’s plan, embracing the historical circumstances of His
holy people.

- 06 -





FEATURE | BELIEVER'S DIGEST

Single Blessedness Vocation

Being single is no longer a lack of options - but a
choice. A choice to refuse to let your life be defined
by your relationship status but to live every day
happily and let your ever after work itself out.

- 09 -





FEATURE | BELIEVER'S DIGEST

Marriage Vocation

As God by creation made two of one, so again by marriage He
made one of two. God intends and expects marriage to be a
lifetime commitment between a man and a woman. The
relationship between Jesus Christ and His church is the
supreme example of the committed love that a husband and
wife are to follow in their relationship with each other.

- 12 -





MODULE
WORKS

- MY CORE STORY -
- THE STORY OF THE BIBLE -

- Jesus for the jews -
- christ in the religions -

- may call waiting ka ba? -
- sisters of the poor of
st. catherine of siena -

- [name] -
- [name] -

Charlene Annika B. Pandi

One of the most memorable events that
happened to me was my grade 10 retreat.
My classmates and I had an overnight
stay in Mother Teresa Spinelli’s Treasure
in Tagaytay, and I believe that it is the
best retreat I have ever had. I had only
had three retreats overall, in grades 7, 10,
and 12. I love my classmates, but I have
to say that I felt most connected to my
grade 10 class. I was having problems at
that time, and I shared what I wanted to
say without feeling like I am being
judged. I also learned a lot about my
classmates that I never thought they
would be experiencing even though I
spend most of my days with them. We did
not just talk about God and our
experiences with Him. Although I did
enjoy lectures about those, the best times
were when my classmates and I would sit
next to each other and talk about
ourselves. I also love the night I spent in
the dorm, which I shared with 2 of my
female classmates. I was not even that
close to both of them, but I did not mind
sharing. I got to talk to them both about
countless things, and I am glad I did. My
grade 10 retreat changed my perspective
about life, and I don’t think other retreats
could beat that.

See Judge

I was with my classmates, adviser, and I was having a problem at that time. I
retreat lecturer during my grade 10 have told other people, but those are
retreat in Mother Teresa Spinelli’s people that I met online. I love my
Treasure in Tagaytay. At first, I was online friends, and I trust them, but I
tired and sleepy from the road trip realized that typing out my problems is
since I am not a morning person. When different from having to say it
I got to the retreat house, I personally in real life. It was the first
immediately felt happy and excited time I admitted my mistakes and the
because I was away from school, and I things I was thinking of. I made a big
spent time with my friends and decision that day that changed my
classmates. Then it got sad. After all, I relationship with a few people. From my
learned a lot about them that I never problem that time, I realized a few
would have expected, then happy things: (1) friendships are hard to mend
again because I felt connected with but easy to break, and (2) it's those
them. I felt numerous emotions during closest to you that you should make
my grade 10 retreat because of my more boundaries with since losing them
experiences with God, friends, and would hurt the most. From the retreat
family. though, I also learned that: (1) there are
people with who you can trust and talk
about your problems, and (2) people
are understanding. I decided what I
had to do during the confession part of
the retreat, and I felt good about
sharing my experience.

Act

I shared this story with my mom whom
I have a very close relationship with. I
tell her a lot of things about me,
including how much fun I had during
my grade 10 retreat. I have also talked
about it to my grade 10 classmates
because I wanted them to know that I
enjoy my time with them.

Ritualize/Celebrate

Objects that remind me of my life-
changing experience are birds, bells, and
seeds. The first object, the bird,
represents freedom. As I said, I was
having problems at that time, and I had a
lot to think about. When I talked about
my worries to other people, I felt free.
The second object, the bell, means
warning. My friends were a big part of
my decision. They did not tell me what to
do, but they made me realize what I
should do. My friends were the bell in the
story. The third object is the seeds, which
symbolize new life. With the decision I
made, I felt like I made a big difference.
I believe I have grown a lot ever since
my grade 10 reunion, and I am happy
with how I am now. The song “Blackbird''
is one of my favorites by The Beatles.
Blackbird reminds me of my grade 10
retreat. It is a beautiful song as it talks
about freedom.

Annika

CYRIL ETHAN A. DE GUZMAN

I. Video

The video talked about what the Canon, some accept more
Bible is all about. Prophets were second temple writings, while
literary geniuses and answer lots of others only accept the Old and
questions regarding life and death. the New Testaments. I guess I
Along with some history, it ended up could say I was amazed at
explaining Tanakh or the Jewish how the Bible was radically
Scripture as they called it in the formed differently from how
past. Tanakh comes from three books are formed today. It
words: Torah, meaning law; Nevi’im, was written by a lot of authors
meaning prophets; Ketuvim, and was written while multiple
meaning writings. The combined generations were passing. I
Scripture tells the narrative of how have nothing more to say but
God commanded in all the chaos to question how these
occurring in the world. The Bible Scriptures were mended
seems to be created by multiple together and how the authors
writers over a very long period of communicated with each
time. There were other Scriptures other.
that didn’t make it through, but
people debated about it. The New II. Video
Testament was written by the
Apostles and the Tanakh were the The second video explores the
Old Testament. There were different story of the Bible, how the
perspectives of different churches creation and the choice that
on the other Scriptures that didn’t the first humans made shows
make it. Others accept the Deutero- us the concept of sin. Because

of such choice, Babylon was full of chaos
and God made a reset to everything
through Sarah and Abraham. Alas, even
with God’s guidance Israel had failed, but
God was going to send a new leader to
transform the hearts of the people so they
can make the right choices this time. And
that ends the Old Testament, for the New
Testament, however, narrates the story of
Jesus the Nazareth and how He overcame
the same odds, the same evil, and how His
love was even greater than evil and death
itself. He took our sin and its
consequences and gave us the chance to
freely choose His way or the old
Babylonian way that would eventually
lead to destruction. I feel deeply reminded
of God’s love for me. Writing right now
feels very peaceful compared to how I
was feeling before watching the video:
anxious, full of fear of the future, and
insecurities. It’s amazing how these
thoughts wash away instantly just by
being reminded of Christ. Right now, I am
feeling loved and full of peace.

III. Video

The video explains Genesis and how it was
divided into two parts. The first part was
about God and the World while the second
part was about God and Abraham’s
Family. The first part repeated all about
the creation story and the first humans
and the choice between trusting God’s
definition of good and evil or trusting
one’s own definition of good and evil. In
addition, it also explained the grief of
humanity, women being wounded victors,
Abel and Cain, and more. The stories all
repeated the same thing: God giving
humanity chances over and over and over
again until Babylon.

A revelation came to me how God really gives us second chances in
the first part of Genesis. I keep questioning though like why did God
even give us the choice to eat the fruit giving us knowledge of good
and evil and let everything spiral like this when He could have just
not let that tree exist. Was it a condition in creating a world with
humans in His image? But he was God why would He be bounded by
such? Or was He just really bored and wanted drama and make it
look like He was saving the world but it was all because of Him
creating that tree? I don’t know these questions bother me, even as a
believer.

IV. Video

This video explained how the first and second part was connected
and how it was all about God’s plan to rescue and bless His rebellious
world. The second part focused on three generations spanning
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Jacob’s sons and how these three
generations had similar repeated failures and how God also
repeatedly forgave and blessed them. The video basically
summarized it through how everything seems to be planned for evil,
but everything happened and was planned for good by God. I have
managed to get the gist of what Genesis is all about, but I still have a
lot and by a lot I mean really a lot of questions unanswered, and I
feel like I need to read the whole Genesis for my questions to be
answered. I doubt a lot of stuff as I tend to critically and logically
analyze events and how such events are likely possible and true. I
want to know more but I need to read more. With the knowledge, I
have about Genesis I do not have any right to doubt, but I have
every right to give myself knowledge and learn about it.

Ethan

MARY CORINNE D. ESCUTIN

Jesus Christ is regarded as the central figure of Christianity and Catholicism as it is
believed by believers that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, our Savior and
Redeemer, and the figure that connects us closer to God. It is true and believed
that Jesus was born and raised as a Jew, and the disciples He got were Jewish as
well. Even though there is no physical evidence that Jesus existed, many Bible
scholars believed that Jesus existed during the Roman Empire - a time where sects
are common and where the Roman empire had total control of everything -
including the interpretation of the Torah causing several tensions between the
Jews and the empire. The Roman Empire had great influence and control towards
the faith of the Jewish people. One major aspect that separates Jewish from
Christianity is that the Jewish people do not believe in the concept of the Holy
Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For the Jewish, it is widely believed
that there is only one true God. Contrary to Christianity, Jesus Christ is not
regarded as the Messiah or the Savior but is only regarded as a messenger or a
teacher of God’s message. Due to Jesus’ influence on the Jewish people claiming
that He is the Messiah, and that He is the Son of God greatly threatened the
Romans and therefore had Him executed not for religious reasons but for political
reasons. And it was His crucifixion that gave birth to the foundation of Christianity.

I myself was raised as a firm Catholic. My
family, being rooted deeply in the word of
Christ and on the beliefs of Christianity. I
myself am a strong believer of the Bible. All
events that occurred from the creation
story in Genesis to the prophecies and
predictions in Revelations. In the four new
testament gospels of Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, it was strongly
emphasized on the mission Jesus Christ had
in this World. He did not come to govern
and rule over it or to defeat the Roman
Empire. I see the four synoptic gospels as a
reminder to us that Jesus came to this
Earth to serve and to save humanity. He
will and will always be viewed as the
Messiah because without Him, we would
not have a direct passage towards God.
Contrary to the beliefs of the Jews, Jesus
is the Son of God as it states in John 3:16
that, For God so loved the world that He
gave us His one and only Son that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish
but have eternal life. That very verse in the
book of John gave meaning to the word
Messiah. God sent His Son not for control
and gain of power, but for love. And that is
the greatest gift we have received.

Corinne

JOHANN TIMOTHY C. QUE

Jesus is viewed differently in various Jesus Christ is the redeemer who sacrificed
religions. The article “Christ in the Religion” Himself for others and denied His own ego.
talks about the distinct perspectives and Buddhists have no interest in Jesus as the
traditions of the Jews, Islam, Hindus and son of God, but they believe that he is a
Buddhists. The first religion tackled was bodhisattva that has influenced countless
Judaism. Jesus for them was not the people. Whether it is a prophet, teacher,
Messiah nor was he an object of faith, but messenger, or is just seen as a belief, Jesus
He was still regarded as someone important Christ will always mean the same thing to
as he was a perfect messianic Jew. On the me. By having read the first books of the
other hand, the Islams see Jesus as similar Bible, the Synoptic Gospels, and my
to Adam, a human, as he was created from favorite book of the Bible- Psalm, one thing
clay and with the breath of life but He was will always stick to my heart and mind that
privileged to be one of the prophets. He Jesus for me will always be a symbolism
was viewed as an extraordinary person, and an embodiment of hope, love, and
the son of Mary and a Messiah. As for salvation. It was through the Bible that
Hindus, they see Jesus as a symbol. Jesus made me realize that no matter how Jesus
Christ in Hinduism is the incarnation of God is portrayed and described all around the
and a perfect master and guru of humanity world, it is always my personal view of
as He gives perfect knowledge. Jesus Jesus that will matter. As a true Catholic, I
Christ was admired by many of the Hindus, stand by my own principles and my own
but Christianity was not. Lastly, Jesus is belief that Jesus Christ, as the son of God
viewed as a master and liberator in the sacrificed His own life for us just for us to
Buddhist religion. be reconciled in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Additionally, as a child of God, I must (ABOVE) The Hagia Sophia. Built on
help spread the true meaning of Jesus 537 AD, was formerly known as the
Christ by setting an example to other Church of Hagia Sophia as it was built
people. I must be the person who as a Christian church, then converted
possesses the qualities of a righteous to a Muslim Mosque after the invasion
person so as people can see Jesus in of Constantinople (Istanbul), which
me since Christ is to be found was then reverted back to a church.
everywhere from the brightly lit areas Currently, it stands as a Mosque and
to the darkest of areas, from the as a museum.
highest mountains to the depths of the
ocean. I believe one can find Jesus if
only one chooses to see Him.

Whether it is a prophet, teacher,

messenger, or is just seen as a belief,

Jesus Christ will always mean the

same thing to me.

Johann

a constant commitment

PATRISHA GAILE L. NEPOMUCENO

I once heard someone answer the To hear Sr. Marjo say that she entered
question “how do you know that you while she was still unsure when she
are being called by God?” — you’ll just decided to enter the congregation and
know, because it will bug you and keep that she was just looking for something
you up at night. It is interesting to see that can fulfill her came as a shock to
how the invitation is just as persistent me, how random and unexpected and
even years after the call has been uncertain one’s vocation can arrive.
answered. Early in the video, it was Personally, I do not think that I am
mentioned that answering the call of being called into any “special” vocation.
God for some can be immediate and And even if I am, I don’t think that I am
sure, while for others, it may take a capable of the same courage and faith
long time. And even after entering their that the religious clergy in the video
respective vocations, no after how possesses. Uncertainty is a huge
many years may pass, the question of weakness of mine; I personally hate
whether this is where they are meant to taking risks. To enter into a
be in, whether this is truly what God congregation without fully knowing
planned for them, can still be ever what the outcome is or whether it is the
present and insistent. In the video, Fr. right path for me would scare me from
Jett mentioned that every time he even trying it out in the first place.
answers “yes” to this question, a wave Thankfully, I think that God’s call for my
of peace always washes over him, life is different, though still filled with
assuring him that this is the right choice uncertainty. I think that my vocation
for him. This is what struck me the most points to married life — one where I can
from the video; it never occurred to be build my own family. As of now, at my
just how possible and common it is for age, this is the persistent path that I
religious clergy to be filled with doubt believe is the call that I am to answer,
for their chosen vocation. I have the commitment that I will take
always seen them as people who are so constantly. Whether this will change as
sure of their decision in answering the the years go by or stay the same, may
call of God, which is the very reason whatever His will be done.
why they are religious people in the
first place. For me, I used to think that Patrisha
anyone who would enter into
sisterhood, brotherhood, or priesthood
are fully certain that this is the kind of
life that they want to pursue.













See
Judge

Act

- 34 -

















FUN
PAGE

\ ˈFƏN \
AMUSEMENT, ENJOYMENT

- 43 -