Published on March 31, 2020
Published in French on 15 March, 2020.
Brother François-Xavier, Prior General, the Brothers of Saint John and the families of the brothers have the pleasure of announcing the simple professions of Brother James (James Nicholson Gnanathickam) and Brother Charles (Sravan Jumar Basani), which took place on 15 March in the Priory Chapel of Our Lady of the Presentation, in Cebu (the Philippines).
It was a beautiful and joyful celebration, which you can see in the photos and video below.
Published on June 30, 2019
“We work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” 2 Cor. 1:24.
This is the theme the brothers chose to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their presence in the Philippines. They invite you to join them in a prayer of thanksgiving to God, especially on the 20-21 July, 2019.
The Brothers of Saint John founded a priory in Cebu in 1994, at the invitation of His Eminence, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who wanted the brothers to witness to their religious life and charism, to help in the formation of future priests at the seminary and to work with young people.
The brothers moved to Banawa, Guadalupe, in Cebu city, where they built their convent. They very quickly started up a number of missions: activities for young people, a programme of study scholarships and ministry to families, always with a priority for the poorest people living in the region. They also started to teach philosophy in a number of seminaries and institutions.
In 1995 the priory was blessed and in 1999 the church was consecrated. In 2008, a noviciate house was opened to serve the vocations coming from the Philippines and other Asiatic countries. The Brothers of Saint John now have ten Filipino brothers, the majority of whom are still in formation.
Some major projects have been started, motivated by a vision of the city in which there is a space for communion beyond the barriers that seperate people; a space in which people can encounter God, where hope brings forth joy and help to those who most have need. Inspired by this vision, the Brothers want to establish a new house for the mission of the Brothers of Saint John in Cebu.
Another anniversary was also recently celebrated in Cebu. Two years ago, on 17 June, 2017, the statue of Our Lady of Mercy was blessed. The brothers offer thanks for the presence of Mary, who is always with them.
Published on January 3, 2019
The Brothers of Saint John want to ever increasingly serve the youth of Cebu in the Philippines. In the video below some of the young people of Cebu testify to what they have discovered with and received from the Brothers. It is for these young people that the community wants to seize an opportunity to expand their youth ministry.
Watch the video below to discover more about our project to build a place of mission, consisting of a house for young people and a new priory in downtown Cebu.