The Sacred Heart Formation and Mission Office is directly under the office of the President. It contributes to the realization of the institutions vision-mission by striving to build a school community of believers that worships, serves and witnesses the compassionate love of God. Towards this direction, the SHFM endeavors the integration of faith and life among members of the Cor Jesu Community through programs and services that help incarnate the Spirituality of the Sacred Heart and nurture a family of peacemakers.
Objectives
- To enhance understanding and internalization of the Christian Faith and the Social Teachings of the Church;
- To foster life-giving expressions of faith through devotions and meaningful and participatory faith-life celebrations;
- To facilitate formation to the Spirituality of the Sacred Heart and strengthen Small Faith Communities in CJC;
- To concretize apostleship by providing opportunities for creative pastoral response towards building genuine peace; and
- To build and strengthen linkages and networks within and outside the school community for effective mission work.
Programs
- Religious Instruction
This program covers the teaching of the Catholic Christian faith in classroom-based setting and the facilitation of learning sessions as part of a life-long search for ultimate values for personal growth. Included also in this program is building the capacity of RS teachers in the field of theology.
College Religious Studies Subjects
RS 1 – God’s Salvific Act
RS 2 – Jesus Christ and The Kingdom of God
RS 3 – The Church and Her Celebrations; Liturgy and Sacraments
RS 4 – Christian Discipleship; Stewardship and Morality
Professional Development Program
The SHFM provides opportunities for career development of RS teachers and office staff through trainings, seminars, fora, scholarships and other learning activities that will keep them updated in the field of theology and enhance their teaching skills.
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- Faith-life Celebrations and Devotions
Prayer and contemplation are essential to the life of the disciples of Christ. This program provides experience of personal and communal relationship with God through liturgy and other forms of faith-life expressions. It gives particular value to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the reflection and articulation of the Sacred Heart Spirituality.
Institutional and Weekly Prayers and Liturgy
The SHFM takes charge of the Fiesta, the Holy Spirit, Thanksgiving, Ash Wednesday Masses and other institutional Eucharistic Celebrations that precede institutional activities. Additionally, the office takes charge of weekly masses both within the campus and at the Mary Mediatrix Cathedral. The schedule is as follows:
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- 1st Friday Devotion – Holy Mass; 8:00AM, 10:00AM, 3:00PM
- 2nd Friday Liturgy (Paraliturgy)– 3:30PM
- 3rd Friday Liturgy (Holy Mass) – 3:30PM
- 4th Friday Liturgy (Holy Rosary) – 3:30PM
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Devotion to the Sacred Heart
The SHFM ensures that the CJC Community observes the First Friday Devotion and Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and takes charge of First Friday Mass inside the campus for the Basic Education Department, offices, and College Department.
Adoration / Visit to the Blessed Sacrament and Confession
Integrated within special celebrations like fiesta and other occasions within the school year, the SHFM, in coordination of offices, departments and organizations, holds the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Simultaneously, a priest is available for the community members who would like to avail the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Holy Rosary
The SHFM leads the celebration of the Month of the Holy Rosary. The celebration usually starts with a launching and then followed by other activities like daily rosary prayer, living rosary for departments or offices and others.
First Confession and First Communion
In close coordination with the Basic Education Department, particularly the Religious Studies Teachers, the SHFM facilitates the preparation and the actual reception of Grade IV Pupils of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist.
Liturgical Season Activities
In union with the Catholic Church all over the world, the SHFM organizes celebrations like the blessing of the Advent Wreath, imposition of ashes during Ash Wednesday Mass, feast of saints and other liturgies that are in line with the liturgical calendar within the school year.
Prayer Celebration and Mass for the Dead
In the spirit of solidarity to the bereaved family of CJC employees, students, alumni, parents and friends, the SHFM organizes and/or assists initiatives from Basic Ecclesial Communities in the campus to visit the family and hold a prayer for the dead or celebrate the Holy Mass.
Liturgy Workshop
The SHFM facilitates liturgy workshop for groups, organizations and divisions who want to hold prayer celebrations. These workshops aim to enable Cor Jesians to hold community prayers that can enhance the meaning of the events they celebrate.
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- Formation and Faith Community Building
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This program aims to nurture Small Faith Communities (SFCs) in the CJC campus where each Cor Jesian feels a deep sense of belongingness and contributes his/her gifts of the Spirit. Central to this program is the formation of members that are bound and inspired by the compassionate love of God. Gathered at the Heart of Christ, these small communities strive to live the Spirituality of the Sacred Heart. Altogether, they form a communion of faith communities – the Cor Jesu College Community, who journeys in communion with the Local Church.
Retreats and Recollections
As a culminating activity of the spiritual formation program, the SHFM facilitates retreat for all graduating pupils / students. In coordination with RS teachers, the SHFM also facilitates recollection every year for those taking up RS subjects. Animation activities are also laid down for all RS teachers and SHFM staff to nurture their spirituality as partners in mission.
Institutional and by Cluster/Class/Clubs Bible Study
The SHFM organizes, coordinates and facilitates institutional, by-office/clusters, classes, clubs/organizations, bible study.
Small Community Sharing and Prayer Sessions
The SHFM assists classes, organizations, offices and departments in their initiatives to form small faith communities by providing guides for community sharing, reflection and prayer sessions.
Formation Activities for Small Faith Community Animators
The office also provides formation activities among small community leaders to enhance their capacity to lead and animate their small groups. This includes training-workshops, reflection sessions, and exposure-immersion to the poor.
Support and Strengthening of Campus-Based Organizations
The office also provides venues to enhance the dynamism of campus-based organizations specially those who are directly engaged in campus ministry work. This includes formation and capacity building of members and leaders so they can serve faithfully and perform their functions effectively.
Fellowship Days and Vocation Festival
In coordination with RS classes, the SHFM spearheads the celebration of Fellowship days. This activity is celebrated yearly as an integral part of RS classes. The SHFM also organizes Vocation Festival to help students reflect on their calling in life through testimonies and promotion and recruitment by religious congregations.
- Pastoral Action Towards Peacebuilding
This program aims to put into concrete expression the Cor Jesian spirituality of compassion and sense of mission. As apostles sent to proclaim God’s love, Cor Jesians, in communion of the Local Church and in partnership with various peace stakeholders, participate in seeking and pursuing peace. Through this program, they express their solidarity with the poor and reach out to specific groups and communities in response to specific pastoral needs.
Interfaith Campus Organizing for Peace
In coordination with the other offices and student organizations, the SHFM initiates and/or supports activities that will bring together students from other faiths and Christian denominations in sharing, reflecting and holding joint activities in pursuit of a specific peace agenda.
Peace Education
The SHFM initiates and/or supports activities such as training-workshops, symposia and other forms of learning activities to enhance peace awareness, develop skills for peacebuilding, and promote understanding of peace issues like poverty, the plight of lumads and environmental degradation.
Peace Campaigns
The SHFM supports and/or organizes annual peace campaigns in coordination with the Bro. Polycarp Foundation and other offices in partnership with other peace stakeholders in the province of Davao del Sur to promote culture of peace.
Outreach
In cooperation with other offices, campus religious organizations and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, the SHFM extends its services to other parishes and schools that are in need of support in the animation and the life of worship of its parishioners, students, faculty and staff.
Other Social Action Apostolate
In coordination with the Bro. Polycarp Foundation, the SHFM spearheads in collecting donations in response to specific needs of partner communities and for those who are victims of calamities. It also joins religious clubs in their apostolate to the jails and other communities or groups in need.
Office Personnel:
SHFM Director – Jahmil B. Mabida, MAT
Staff – Clenton A. Oplas