The year 2018 is the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons. This was announced last year, 2017, by Archbishop Romulo Valles at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
This declaration means that 2018 shall be focused on nurturing religious vocations. This includes priesthood, sisterhood, and other consecrated titles.
According to CBCP news, the Archbishop stresses out the importance of the role of the members of the clergy in developing the Church.
Valles further adds “It will be a year, too, of revisiting ways of seminary and religious formation and the collaboration with the laity in the work of mission and ministry.”
Events and activites throughout the year have already been plotted in the Christian calendar. Here is the schedule provided by the CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity.
JANUARY 2018
- January 15 – February 16, 2018: Course on Human Sexuality & Celibacy
- January 22-26, 2018: National Conference on the New Ratio Fundamentalis and National Consultation on the Ratio Nationalis on Seminary Formation
FEBRUARY 2018
- February 02, 2018: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord / World Day of Consecrated Life
- February 05 — 11, 2018: World Retreat for Priests
- February 19 – 23, 2018: Training Workshop for Vicars for Clergy and Members of Diocesan Commission on Clergy
- February 19 – 23, 2018: Assessment Week 1
MARCH 2018
- March 5 – 23, 2018: Return Workshops 1
- March 5 – 16, 2018: Best Wine Served Last: A 2 – Week Retreat-Seminar for Senior Clergy (Ages 65 and above)
APRIL 2018
- April 02 – 6, 2018: Priests in Transition: Making Sense of Life’s Changes
- April 09 — 13, 2018: National Gathering of the Vicars for Clergy of the Philippines and Members of the Diocesan-Level Commission on Clergy
- April 09-13, 2018: National Convention for Vocations Directors · Theme: “Youth & Vocation Discernment” Good Shepherd Sunday, Fourth Sunday in Easter. · Vocation Jamboree with Overnight Vigil
- April 23 – July 20, 2018: Assisted Intensive Renewal (AIR-1) for Priests
MAY 2018
- May 10 – 17, 2018: Orientation for New and Incoming Seminary Formators
JUNE 2018
- June 08, 2018: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus / Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.
- June 18 – July 20, 2018: Celebrating Midlife Promises: A 5 – Week Retreat-Seminar for Priests in their Midlife Years (Ages 35 – 65).
JULY 2018
- July 2018: Annual Retreat of the CBCP during the month of July · Joint Retreat with Major Superiors of Men and Women Religious
- July 18 – 20, 2018: Reunion of Previous Batches of Assisted Intensive Renewal (AIR) for Seminary Formators at the Assumption Sabbath Place, Baguio City
- July 20-22, 2018: Philippine Conference on the New Evangelization (PCNE 5)
- July 30 – August 3, 2018: Assessment Week 2
AUGUST 2018
- August 05, 2018: St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney Sunday
- August 6 -24, 2018: Return Workshops 2
SEPTEMBER 2018
- September 01 – 30, 2018 (Tentative Dates): ‘Sabbatical sa Vatican’
- September 10 – December 07, 2018: Assisted Intensive Renewal (AIR-2) for Priests
OCTOBER 2018
NOVEMBER 2018
- November 25, 2018: Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe · Closing of the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons
Let us prepare ourselves with the clergy and the laity in mind this 2018.
Kristine Tuting
Senior Writer, Website Team - Media Ministry
Kristine Tuting knows she has developed a love-hate relationship when it comes to writing. She obtained her bachelor's degree in BA Communication Arts at the University of Santo Tomas and her high school diploma at Nuestra Senora De Aranzazu Parochial School. When she's not working, Kristine treats the writing process as learning, especially when it comes to religious terminologies.
