Pope Benedict to canonize 3 founders of congregations

Catholics around the world will gain three new saints on Sunday with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican leading the canonization rites, which three religious congregations with mission presence in the Philippines will be following closely. To be declared saints are Guido Maria Conforti, Luigi Guanella and Bonifacia Rodríguez de Castro. All three are founders of religious congregations. Pope Benedict approved their canonization last February. Missions in the Philippines Conforti was an Italian archbishop and founder of the Xavierian Missionaries, which has a theology house in Maligaya, Manila. The Xavierian Missionaries also administers the Parish of Saint Francis Xavier in Manila, the St. Francis Xavier Parish in Novaliches, and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Marikina. The Servants of Charity has Luigi Guanella as founder. It has a formation house in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. The Servants of Charity also runs a residential facility for persons with disabilities in Legazpi City, Albay province. Guanella is also the founder of the Daughters of St. Mary Providence. Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro is the foundress of the Siervas de San Jose, which has its provincial house in Teacher’s Village in Quezon City. The Siervas de San Jose runs the Holy Family School of Quezon City and the St. Teresita’s Academy in Silay, Negros Occidental. It also runs a shelter for abused and at risk girls in Rosario, Cavite. It is also present in eight communities in the country, including Krus na Ligas in Quezon City. The Siervas de San Jose has several community centers or talleres in Quezon City, Cavite, Cebu and Negros. The talleres in Quezon City and Cebu produce liturgical vestments. The talleres in Rosario, Cavite runs livelihood programs that produce crispy tahong, dried pineapple, and squid rings. The talleres in Silay churns out recycled products, uniforms and various food items. Year of Faith Last Sunday, Pope Benedict declared as the “Year of Faith" a roughly one year period from October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013. The pontiff said the Year of Faith will give Catholics the “opportunity to strengthen (their) faith in Christ and joyfully announce Him to the men and women of our time." The start of the Year of Faith marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, which was a continuing conference of church officials and theologians that undertook massive reforms in the orientation and practices of the Catholic Church. — Earl Victor Rosero, GMA News