Salvatorians Celebrate Foundation Day

The largest gathering of Manila-areFDay1a SalvatoriansFDay2 took place on December 8, 2010, as Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, students and friends observed SDS Foundation Day. Nearly 60 people began with celebration with Mass at Mother of the Savior Formation House, followed by a festive dinner with a menu of Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian dishes. Fr. Artur, SDS, was quick to point out that the largest assembly of Philippine SDS occurred just the Saturday before with the Puso sa Puso party(see related story). We had many things to celebrate on this Feast of the Immaculate Conception such as the 129th anniversary of the founding of the Society, the 122 year of the Congregation, and the first year of the East Asian Vicariate. Other firsts were noted in a letter from Fr. Andrew Urbanski, SDS, superior general, such as the first Sri Lankan foundation with its first ordained priest, the first professed Vietnamese, the first Salvatorian bishop on the Comoros Islands.

FDay3According to custom, the professed membersFDay4 renewed their religious vows during the Mass, echoing those long-ago voices of Fr. Francis Jordan, and Blessed Mary of he Apostles, as they took the first tentative steps of establishing the communities which now make up the world-wide Salvatorian family.

The evening ended on a hopeful note as in his letter Fr. Andrew reminded us of the well-founded expectation that the long-awaited beatification of our Founder may soon become a reality. We were all encouraged to pray for this happy outcome.FDay5