Orthodox Mission in the Philippines – Exclusive

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines
Philippines Mission- 16/12/13

OCP News Service 

Manila: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Mission Team in the Philippines is headed by Clergy Men of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian together with the lay partners in promoting the Orthodox faith in the Philippines. The Clergies are Fr. Rick Lawrence Aleria (Fr. Lawrence), Fr. Richard Lamsen (Fr. Luke), Fr. Eugene Melendez (Fr. Timothy), Fr. Dcn. Fidel Ruiz Jr. (Fr. Dcn. Joshua), Bro. John Jerome Taupan (Student) and with the lay-partners Mam Jeanneth D. Avenido (Teacher), Mam Maria (Teacher).

At present the Clergy in the mission are making tireless effort to guide the faithful by organizing groups and house visits. The situation of each mission varies according to the areas of operation. Fr. Timothy’s mission is in the mountain were people come from different places who are informal settlers. In the beginning, the Orthodox Priests were accused as a cultic group because of the Black Rasa or Sotana they wore. Fr. Timothy together with Fr. Dcn Joshua and Bro. John and lay worker Mam Maria, has made amazing progress especially changing the mentality approach and attitude of the local people to Orthodox faith. At present the mission is growing with large number of faithful embracing the Orthodox Faith.

Fr. Lawrence is a chaplain of at the National Children’s Hospital, located in E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue of Quezon City. The hospital caters infants to the age of 19 years. He is serving the sick and needy kids on a voluntary basis without any pay. The Hospital is the best Government Hospital for kids and the only Public hospital for children in the Philippines which was erected after the World War II to cater the needs of abandoned and wounded children. Fr. Lawrence also leads another mission with informal settlers (Squatters); serving them with organized house ministry.

Fr. Luke has the biggest mission area with a group of devotees to the holy Theotokos and a mission in mountain part of San Miguel Bulacan or DRT. These missions in the mountain are having many fiathful but has shortage of clergy. This mission in the DRT is a newly opened mission by Fr. Luke with the help of Fr. Lawrence and Fr. Dcn. Melchizedek (transferred to other mission area). The mission teams strongly believes that their team effort to preach Orthodox faith will flourish in the coming years.

At present the mission needs a church to be built for the faithful to have regular and organized liturgical worship along a place convenient to build a small parsonage for a Priest to have his continued presence in the mission area. Orthodox liturgy and prayers are now held at the residence of the faithful or in open space  and sometimes at temporary built sheds .

May God send good heart to help build a church for this mission, and the mission team request your humble prayers for them, unworthy servants of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Philippines.

For more Info in sharing/donating for the building of the Church and its mission, please contact:

Fr. Rick Lawrence Aleria
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Australia,
New Zealand and the Philippines – Philippines Mission
abunalawrence_aleria@yahoo.com
+639103142528 or +639228509073

Or send your donations to Account Name:
Rick Lawrence Aleria
Account Number: 3899 0199 96 Bank: BPI Account: Savings

Source:
OCP News Service