SPIRITANS PEER CIRCLE REACHES OUT TO BARANGAY T. PADILLA YOUTH (SK) “ Youth ministering to youth” that is what it is all about. On the 21 st of September 2008 at the gym of Barangay T. Padilla, a group of young professionals founded under the auspices of Spiritan Fathers in Cebu City, known as Spiritans Peer Circle, organized a seminar/formation for the teenagers of the Barangay. The Spiritans Peer Circle began in July of 2008 following the opening of Fr. Poullart des Places Catholic Youth Center. These are young graduates that passed through Spiritan Fathers as students at the Catholic Center Campus Ministry in Iligan City and their friends working in Cebu City. In coming together as a group, they committed to be meeting twice a month, 1 st and 3 rd Sunday, and came up with vision-mission statements to guide them in their lives and the activities they plan to carry out for the benefit of themselves and others, hence; Vision: To be a responsible adult in the society, by following the teaching of Christ in the Church through the principles of Spiritan Spirituality. Mission: The Spiritans Peer Circle is an organization of young people united to provide the best quality services for the individual and the community through God-centred and people-oriented programs, grounded on the holistic development of the human person to face the challenges of the world. After several meetings that helped them to bond together and know each other more. They elected two leaders, Boge and Pamela, and also decided to reach out to the teenagers living in T. Padilla barangay with the aim of inculcating in them personal cleanliness and the knowledge of God. It started with a Holy Mass

celebrated by the chaplain of the group, Fr. Martin Okafor-Ilozue, CSSp, the founder of the Center, and his visiting cousin from Nigeria, Fr. Augustine Ndukaji. The mass was attended by the Barangay Captain and his councillors, some barangay workers, the members of the Spiritan Peer Circle, the barangay youth (SK), and some children. Frs. Martin (Chaplain) and Augustine SPC members singing at the mass The mass was followed by the talk on personal hygiene, presented by Mr. Ian Bangcong. It was well participated and at the end, there was dinner donated by a family and other snacks brought by some other members of the peer circle. More than 100 people were there, and the barangay captain acknowledged that it was a big success in an effort to work with young people and the first time ever that such an event took place in the barangay. The members of the Circle also were happy with what they were able to do and are committed to do more outreach programs in the future.

In another milestone for the Spiritans working in the Philippines, a youth Center was blessed and opened on the 13th of July, 2008 in a ceremony well attended by past students of CCCM Iligan City who are now working in Cebu and some friends of the Spiritans. The occasion was honoured by the presence of Fr. Mike Obi Onwuemelie, CSSp, the general councillor in charge of the Spiritans working in Asia, who presided the occasion and blessed the office. In an opening remarks by Fr. Martin Okafor-Ilozue, CSSp, Superior of the Philippine group and the chaplain of the Center, introduced the guests, the students present, lay staff, and the name of the Center, Fr. Poullart des Places Catholic Youth Center. Fr. Martin went on to explain what the Center will be used for: it is established to foster a renewed zeal of Christian living among young adults in the spirituality of Fr. Claude Poullart des Places, who as a young man, formed a group who lived together in a boarding house and later became a missionary Congregation. It is an off campus youth ministry and the main target is college students who study in schools in Cebu city. It is open to all and will cater for the spiritual formation of college students, mainly those who live away from families and are staying in boarding houses. It will be used as a place for vocation promotion to the Spiritan Family, Religious, and lay. It also will cater for young professionals, mostly past students of Catholic Center Campus Ministry, Iligan City. NEWSFLASH FROM CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES In addition to this, the Center will be used as base for Spiritan Spirituality in the Philippines, a demand from the Congregation, and is open to any lay group or individual who would like to share in our spirituality. The Center also houses an office for Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation, a Spiritan mission for the poor and the voiceless, and saving the environment for future generation. The Center is located at door #303, J. King Building, T. Padilla Street, Cebu City. After the remarks, the Center was blessed and snacks were served to all. The next thing now will be for the chaplain and staff with some few volunteers to begin the tedious task of reaching out to young people living in boarding houses, visiting schools in the vicinity, and community building among the numerous families squatting in the area Fr. Mike Blessing the Center.