MANILA, Feb. 19, 2013—A Franciscan friar, a native of Almeria in Biliran province was elected as the new provincial minister of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) of San Pedro Bautista Province during a recently-held provincial chapter of the Franciscans.
Fr. Lino Gregorio Redoblado, OFM, the guardian of the Franciscan community in the Sanctuary de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati, has been elected as the new provincial minister of the congregation.
The election took place last February 15 at the Little Flower Retreat House in Baguio City during the Provincial assembly of the Franciscan friars of San Pedro Bautista Province, also called as the Luzon province.
Redoblado will head the 100 plus friars in the province, and will act as animator and adviser to his brother friars and members of the Franciscan community.
In an interview, he said the beginning of his term will be devoted to giving new assignments and appointments while other tasks will be carried out during the 6-year term of the provincial minister.
He thinks that difficulties during his term may pop up such as friars who are not willing to obey but believes that there are solutions to every problem.
Vocation
When asked about the problem of diminishing vocations, Redoblado said that friars must link to the youth.
“Friars must be a little bit open to the young people. We must understand them; listen to them in their situations and problems. And we must embrace realities, including their shortcomings. These will give us a chance to redirect them,” he stressed.
He emphasized the need for accompaniment and witnessing to the life that young people can see.
“Actually, you are not just promoting your congregation, the focus is to direct them to the kind of vocation they belong, whether religious life, single blessedness or the married life. And there must be a witnessing to the life that they see and promote it,” Redoblado furthered.
The provincial chapter was held last February 11-15 where attending friars had their retreat/recollection, discussion on issues concerning their community and other concerns, and strategic planning for the community for the next 3-6 years.
To date, Redoblado is preparing to transfer from Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Forbes Park, Makati City to his new assignment as the minister provincial at the Provincial House in Frisco, Quezon City.
The friars from the Province of San Pedro Bautista in Luzon is serving parishes in Sta. Ana, Casambalangan and Sta. Teresita in Cagayan Valley; Parishes in Palanan and Sto. Tomas in Isabela Province; Quezon Town in Nueva Vizcaya; Santuario de San Pedro Bautista Parish in Frisco, Q.C.; San Jose Tagapagtanggol Parish in Commonwealth, Quezon City; Our Lady of the Angels Seminary in Novaliches; Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish in Sta. Ana, Manila; St. Anthony Shrine in Sampaloc, Manila; Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Forbes Park, Makati; Juan de Plasencia Novitiate in Liliw, Laguna; in the urban poor communities of the post-novitiate friars in Sampaloc, Manila and Commonwealth, Quezon City; Parish in Donsol, Sorsogon; and the Poor Clare Monastery Chaplaincy in Katipunan, Quezon City.
Visayas and Mindanao are being served by friars from the Custody of San Antonio de Padua which is a separate entity from the San Pedro Bautista Province since 2007. (Jandel Posion)
