News from the Marie Eugenie Institute

A celebration of thanksgiving

2011-05-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

Source: BusinessWorld

Posted on May 08, 2011 09:00:33 PM

Beyond Brushstrokes -- By Marivic Rufino

All comes from Jesus;
All belongs to Jesus
All must be for Jesus.
-- St. Marie Eugenie

On a sunny, breezy Saturday morning, amidst the splendor of mountains and pine trees, the congregation of the Religious of the Assumption led by the Provincial- Sister Maria Josefina Matias r.a., the "Old Girls" (alumnae) and families gathered at Assumption Sabbath Place in Baguio for a Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Baguio Carlito Censon marking the 172nd anniversary of the Assumption’s Foundation Day. (April 30, 2011)

It was the Golden Jubilee of four special nuns who have consecrated their lives to Jesus -- 50 years ago. They have touched the lives of thousands of individuals in their teaching missions around the world, and in the Philippines. The renewal of vows was a touching ceremony in the lovely chapel with flickering candles, blossoms, and music.

Our sincere congratulations to:

Sr. Ana Maria of Jesus (Ma. Lourdes Vasquez Melocoton) "Per Ipsum, Cum Ipso et in Ipso..."

Sr. Maria Isabel Villacarlos of Jesus Crucified (Lilia Solon Villacarlos)" "Dominus est."

Sr. Marie Leonie of Jesus (Ma. Leonor Susana Sanson Yusay) "Dominus est."

Sr. Remedios Carmen dela Vie Cache (Carmen Francisca Valencia Locsin) "Vita Vestra Abscondita est Cum Christo in Deo."

Thank you, dear sisters, for teaching us the spiritual values of the Assumption’s beloved Mother Foundress St. Marie Eugenie of Jesus:

"Fidelity to duty and love of simplicity."

* * * *
Keeping the blues at bay

When people feel blue, pressured, anxious or stressed, they have diverse, mild or extreme reactions.

Behavior patterns are interesting to observe. Some individuals react with anger and take out their repressed frustrations on their staff, family or innocent bystanders. Road rage is an example of aggression gone haywire.

Others go into denial like the proverbial ostrich. They refuse to confront the issue and expect the problem to go away.

Many individuals pamper themselves in delightful, healthy ways -- retail therapy (shoppers) or indulgence in a fancy spa for beauty, wellness, detox treatments. The energetic ladies go ballroom dancing and or have spurts of interior decorating binges.

The adventurers and travel bugs flee to distant places -- the mountains, a beach or another country. A long weekend away keeps the blues at bay. Expensive at times but very effective.

AAA Lunch with Sr. Diana and her council

2010-01-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

The 3rd Quarterly AAA Lunch will be held on Feb 3, 2010, Wednesday, 11:30-2:00 p.m. at Assumption College, 5^th Floor, Therese Emmanuel Bldg., San Lorenzo. (enter main gate)

This promises to be a very special occasion as Sr. Diana Wauters, our Mother General, who is based in Paris will be present together with her Council to grace this meeting. Our very own, Chinit Delgado Rufino, who is Head of formation of the Permanent Council of Friends of Assumption in Paris will be our guest speaker. We cordially invite you to come with your classmates to have this opportunity to be with Mother General and the alumnae and perhaps have a photo op with her. We will appreciate your reply for proper planning.

For reservations kindly call - 894-3561 or 894-3580

Text - 0917-808-1880 or 0917-800-0931 or 0917-886-8695

Email: assumpta@pldtdsl.net

Note: Lunch cost is P 380.00/ person

St. Marie Eugenie, Advent and the Kingdom

2009-12-16T22:25:00.000-08:00

Posted from: Religious of the Assumption English Province

One of the defining notes of Assumption spirituality is our desire, prayer and action for God’s Kingdom. In advent, this desire for God’s kingdom is strongly expressed in the Church’s liturgical life. Throughout Advent the church points us towards both Christ’s first coming, in humility, in a stable in Bethlehem, and his second coming, when his glorious kingdom shall be definitively established, Christ having won the victory over death, evil and sin.

In Advent 1882, St. Marie Eugene wrote an extremely beautiful reflection, encouraging her sisters to work and pray for the coming of Christ’s reign. She notes two main aspects of his reign; firstly, what she calls his ‘social reign’, where the values of Christ’s kingdom would be found in society, and secondly, his reign in us, in our hearts and in our lives.

In order to understand Marie Eugenie’s Advent reflection, it is necessary to understand the situation in which she was writing. By 1882 the congregation of sisters St. Marie Eugenie had founded in 1839 was flourishing, but times were far from easy for them. An anti-Catholic government in France had already forced the expulsion of the Assumption Fathers from Paris and Nîmes, and the Sisters too were under threat. Seeking the reign of God was far from the minds of most people, even practising Christians.

On Christ’s reign in society

Never before perhaps has the reign of God been as unrecognised as today. But, despite all, it is certainly not the moment to be discouraged. Consider the lives of the saints: despite the difficulties of their times they were never discouraged. They never gave up praying for the coming of the Kingdom of God, that His Name be honoured, that He be adored, that the Gospel triumph in the world. … We must never stop asking that the universal social reign of the Lord come - no matter how bad the situation may be.

It is fitting then, that the faithful beg God to establish His Kingdom in this world even though it does not seem to want Him. It is fitting to pray with ardent desire and to say to the Lord: “Come with your gentleness which converts, with your power which subdues. Come with the charm of your Wisdom and your Beauty. Come with the splendour of your doctrine and your Truth. Come, enlighten the world, come and save us.” These days we shall repeat often in the liturgy: “Come, Lord Jesus, and save us.”

As well as praying for a truly Christian society, Marie Eugenie was determined to work for the coming of Christ into people’s lives and for the transformation of society. Obviously there are many ways in which we all can work for the Kingdom, all of which Marie Eugenie would delight in. She was a firm believer in each one working for the good in the ‘little sphere’ in which they are situated, in each person having a mission here on earth, a particular way in which they are called to contribute to the building of Christ’s kingdom.

Her particular mission was that of education, particularly the education of young girls. She saw that educating girls, bringing them to a true knowledge of Christianity and a personal relationship with Christ, was a ‘root from which truly Christian families would spring’. It was a long-term goal, and although the Assumption pupils were given an excellent all-round education, the goal was always the Christ’s kingdom.

We are engaged in various works of zeal. We work with youth. Is our main concern that they pass their examinations, that they know more or less history and geography? No, our concern is that the reign of Our Lord be formed in them, that His Kingdom come in them, and that, by education, we form a Christian family, the marvel of a family in which the Christian spirit reigns in such a way that from birth the children are filled with all that should make them true Christians.

For Marie Eugenie action for the Kingdom should always be rooted in and nourished by prayer – all is to be entrusted to God in prayer, “we are certainly too little to perform the works of God…”

On Christ’s reign in our lives

Above all, Marie Eugenie urges us to look inwards and see how Christ’s reign in our lives could be furthered. She encourages us to pray for His Reign in ourselves, in our hearts and in our lives. Recognising that Christ does generally have precedence in our lives, she encourages to seek out ways in which we do not totally let him reign – perhaps times where we convince ourselves that our will is his will, or when our pride, selfishness or laziness prevents us giving God first place in our lives.

Certainly, He already reigns in us, and we all say with all our heart that He is our sole Lord and our King. But is His reign total in us? Who does not feel that in his or herself there is something more to add to the Reign of Our Lord? We have to ask Him, then, to become ever more in us, the Master, the Saviour… We should pray that the word of John the Baptist is realized in us: “He must increase and I must decrease.” (John 3:30) …We should tend towards this ideal, and, since this is not always what we find in ourselves, we should ask with ardent longing that Our Lord reign totally in us and that His coming be renewed in us.

Click here to read reflections of St. Marie Eugenie for the different seasons of the liturgical year.

Strategic Planning

2009-11-14T22:58:00.000-08:00

The Marie Eugenie Institute had it's strategic planning in Tagaytay with Chuki Feria facilitating the process. Present were Sr. Marjo, Sr. Fe, Sr. Regivic and Sr. Barnie together with lay partners Chinit Rufino, Bubut Neri, Cristina Estrada, Cory Villafania, Lizette Cojuangco, Gretchen Recto, Lirio Mapa, and with Christine Javier, Ria Salvania and Beth Montemayor.

After 18 years in existence, the Marie Eugenie Institute is planning for next steps and new directions. From its inception, it was a formation institute primarily for educators and has served the school communities of the Philippine-Thailand provinces as well as Assumption Together as part of the international lay formation committees.

Tomorrow's MEI will include more lay formation programs, extending to school communities outside the Assumption and hopefully also giving formation in spirituality in the workplace.

Are you an Eagle living the life of a Chicken?

2009-08-21T01:10:00.001-07:00

Who I Am Makes A Difference

2009-08-21T01:08:00.001-07:00

The Power of Conncection

2009-08-21T01:07:00.001-07:00

Engage: Conversations in Philosophy: Marcus Borg Podcast Now Available!

2009-03-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

A new post about faith, prayer, adult formation, from the Marie Eugenie Institute . Read and let us know how we can help you with your journey of faith with St. Marie Eugenie.

Engage: Conversations in Philosophy: Marcus Borg Podcast Now Available!

Eclipsing Empire: Paul, Rome and the Kingdom of God

2009-03-29T04:10:00.001-07:00

Marcus Borg on Adult Theological Education

2009-03-29T03:35:00.001-07:00

Beyond Atheism -- Marcus Borg

2009-03-28T22:41:00.001-07:00

First Light: Jesus as Lord part 2

2009-03-28T22:18:00.001-07:00

Part Two of an overview of "First Light," a 12-session DVD and web-based study of the historical Jesus and the Kingdom of God featuring John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg -- two of the world's leading Jesus scholars -- on location throughout the Galilee and Jerusalem.

First Light: Advent of the Messiah

2009-03-28T22:17:00.001-07:00

Part One of an overview of "First Light," a 12-session DVD and web-based study of the historical Jesus and the Kingdom of God featuring John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg -- two of the world's leading Jesus scholars -- on location throughout the Galilee and Jerusalem.

MEI Visayas Regional Tracks

2009-03-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

A new post about faith, prayer, adult formation, from the Marie Eugenie Institute . Let us know how we can help you with your journey of faith with St. Marie Eugenie.

MEI is an adult formation center that provides formation programs for Assumption Schools, geared towards the educational philosophy and pedagogy of St. Marie Eugenie.
This was from the MEI Visayas Regional Tracks Oct 2008.

Our Offerings

2009-02-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

Programs

The Marie Eugenie Institue offers various programs specifically designed for its various clientele: faclulty and staff, parents, alumnae, and friends.

A. For the Faculty and staff, the Marie Eugenie Institute ffers THE ASSUMPTION EDUCATORS' FORMATION ROGRAM (AEFP)
The AEFP is a 3-year course consisting of 3 Tracks:

TRACK 1 - The Fundamental Principles of Assumption ducation
TRACK 2 - Character Formation and Leadership....for ervice
TRACK 3 - MISSION: THE KINGDOM OF GOD, A Place for God's Glory

Faculty and Staff of all the schools of the Assumption Philippine-Thailand Province are required to attend this 3-year course upon being hired. The Program is conducted annually on a Regional basis: Luzon and Visayas. The Assumption presence in Mindanao is by affiliation to the local church of Mindanao (Kauswagan and Kibangay) and to the Campus Ministry of the University of Ateneo in Cagayan de Oro.

Although the AEFP is not extended to the faculty and staff of the schools being managed by Assumption for the Diocesan Church nor for the Campus Ministry group of Ateneo, the sisters in these communitites attend the Visayas Regional Sessions and echo highlights of the sessions to their faculty and staff upon their return. In Thailand, the Assumption sisters have shared the Formation Track 1 to the faculty of St. John University in Bangkok and in a mission school in Thabom. The program has been adapted to fit the Thai culture.

The AEFP is a developmental training program. Attendance to Track 1 must first be accomplished before the participant is eligible to attend Track 2. Attendance to Track 2 must first be accomplished before the patricipant is eligible for Track 3. Upon completion of the 3 Tracks, the participants are given a Certificate of Completion and are bone fide members of the Marie Eugenie Institute.

B. LIFEPATHS The program presents various themes that St. Marie Eugenie wrote extensively on. These are:

1. God and the Present Moment
2. God and Our Vocation
3. The Mystery of the Incarnation
4. Transformation in Christ
5. Mary
6. The Kingdom

Extending the Kingdom

- In ourselves

- In the world

Obstacles to the Kingdom

7. Christianization of the Intelligence
8. Virtues Proper to the Assumption

Humility
Joyful Detachment
Conformity and Abandonment to the Will of God
Love of Our Neighbor
The Spirit of Sacrifice
Natural Virtues as the Foundation of Supernatural Virtues
Straightforwardness
Honor
Kindness
Courage
Simplicity

9. Church
10. Liturgy
11. Contemplative Life

C. TAHANAN - a parenting module specially designed to familiarize parents on St. Marie Eugenie's teachings on character formation, faith formation, and leadership for service of the young. It also increases the awareness of the parents in their role in the development of a truly Christian home that nurtures and forms society's future Christian leaders.

Click Here for a more detailed description of TAHANan.

D. CLAy Formation Programs - in partnership with Provincial Lay Representative for Assumption Together, the Marie Eugenie Institute was requested to undertake the Formation Program for the different groups of Assumption Together. To-date, the Formation Programs for the Community of Lay Assumption (CLAy) are:

a. Pre-Commitment Program - given to those who seek to commit to the deeper spiritual path to holiness of St. Marie Eugenie. The topics given in this program are based on the teachings/writings of St. Marie Eugenie, following the 4 aspects of the Way of Life for the Lay, as follows:

i. Perfect Knowledge & Love of Jesus Christ / Jesus in the Assumption
ii. Prayer
iii.Community in the Assumption
iv. Mission and Service

Note: If you wish to receive copies of the content of these topics, please email the Marie Eugenie Institute at: mei@assumption.edu.ph

b. Ongoing Formation Program for Committed Members- given to those who have decided to commit to CLAy.

Being an ongoing Formation Program, the topics listed herein are only those that have already been given:

i. Adoration of the Rights of God
ii. Faith & Love of Truth
iii.Paschal Moments of Marie Eugenie
iv. Perfect Love of Jesus Christ: Humility
v. Perfect Love of Jesus Christ: Charity
vi. Joyful Detachment
vii.Love of the Divine Office
viii.Anniversary of the Congregation

Note: If you wish to receive copies of the content of these topics, please email the Marie Eugenie Institute at: mei@assumption.edu.ph

To-date, the MEI has 555 members.
Click Here to view the list of Graduates

MEI Vision, Mission and Values

2009-02-18T05:15:00.000-08:00

VISION:

Sisters and their Lay Friends (teachers, parents, alumnae, and friends) who witness to a Christ-centered Assumption Spirituality by their lives, focused on making "this earth a place of glory to God."

MISSION:

To conduct Formation and Training Programs on the teachings of St. Marie Eugenie of Jesus in order to develop and promote Assumption Spirituality and to train Sisters and their Lay Friends (teachers, parents, alumnae, and friends) according to the philosophy of education of St. Marie Eugenie.

With Jesus Christ as our model, and in the spirit of our Foundress, St. Marie Eugenie, we contribute to making this "earth a place of glory for God" by providing a Christ-centered formation on Assumption Education that is attentive to the development of the spirituality of the person.

Through our formation programs, we empower sisters, faculty and staff, alumnae, parents, and Friends of the Assumption to become effective agents of change in their own spheres of influence as they learn to understand, appreciate, and apply the philosophy and pedagogy of St. Marie Eugenie in their work in the school and in their own personal lives.

VALUES:

We promote responsible stewardship of the environment and a just society by living out the Assumption values of:

LOVE FOR TRUTH Believing in the uncompromising challenges of theWord of God
LOVE AND JOY Respecting individual giftedness of persons and celebrating their innate goodness
SIMPLICITY AND HUMILITY Accepting oneself as an expression of God's creative love
STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS Being honest and transparent at all times
FIDELITY TO DUTY Being faithful to our responsibilities; sacrificing personal preferences
INTERIORITY Having a contemplative perspective towards life, always reading in the signs of the times, God's wonderful work of creation in ourselves and in others

Backgound

2009-02-18T03:13:00.000-08:00

About MEI

Founded in 1992 as the Significant Act of the Centennial Year of Assumption presence in the Philippines, the Marie Eugenie Institute is a Center for Research and Adult Formation on the philosophy and principles of education of St. Marie Eugenie Milleret de Brou, Foundress of the Congregation of the Religious of the Assumption. By its organizational structure, the partnership between the Assumption sisters and their Lay Friends is expressed:

The Marie Eugenie Institute has a Board of Trustees composed of 15 members, 8 sisters and 7 lay. Each Trustee has a renewable term of 4 years.
The Officers of the Board consisting of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurers are elected annually during the Annual Meeting usually held on March 10. Two (2) officers must be sisters while the other 2 officers must be lay.
The Board appoints the Managing Team of the Institute consisting of two (2) Co-Executive Directors: 1 sister and 1 lay. Since 1992, the Managing Team was Mother Carmen Reyes, r.a. and Ma. Stella D. Rufino. When Mother Carmen Reyes, r.a. passed away in 2005, she was replaced by Sis. Regina Victoria Yulo, r.a. in 2006 for a term of 4 years until 2010. In 2006, Ms. Rufino was also renewed for a 4th term until 2010.

Research Work of the Marie Eugenie Institute:

As a Research Center, the Marie Eugenie Institute has an extensive source content on the teachings of St. Marie Eugenie in English. The content consists mostly of writings of St. Marie Eugenie and other related studies.

Training and Formation of the Marie Eugenie Institute:

As an Adult Training and Formation Center, the Marie Eugenie Institute designs and conducts various training programs on the philosophy and pedagogy, spirituality, and teachings of St. Marie Eugenie. These programs are offered and given to teachers of Assumption Schools of the Philippine-Thialand Province, to parents, alumnae, and Friends of the Assumption.These are:

* For faculty & staff: The Assumption Educators' Formation Program (AEFP). This 3-yr program is given to all teachers of the Assumption schools of the Philippine-Thailand Province in order to familiarize them with the pedagogy of St. Marie Eugenie. It is Assumption's way of ensuring that the teachers understand, internalize, and are able to apply the pedagogy -- Christianization of the Intelligence and Character Formation -- in their teachings.

Track 1 - Fundamental Principles of Assumption Education
Track 2 - Character Formation and Leadership...for Service
Track 3 - MISSION: THE KINGDOM OF GOD, A Place of God's Glory

A Certificate of Completion is given to those who complete the 3 Tracks, upon which they are bona fide members of the Marie Eugenie Institute.

NOTE: for a more detailed description go to Programs

* For parents and alumnae: TAHANan

A parenting module specially designed to familiarize parents on St. Marie Eugenie's teachings on character formation, faith formation, and leadership for service of the young. It also increases the awareness of the parents in their role in the development of a truly Christian home that nurtures and forms society's future Christian leaders.

Click Here for a more detailed description of TAHANan

* For Friends of the Assumption (FOA) and anyone who would like to follow the Assumption Spirituality: LIFEPATHS

Lifepaths is a weekly journal to accompany those who wish to embark on a spiritual journey with St. Marie Eugenie. It follows certain themes that marked the journey of the first Assumption and the Assumption family through the years all over the world.

Click here to access the LIFEPATHS online

Click here for more detailed description of LIFEPATHS

Lost Generation

2009-02-05T19:54:00.001-08:00

This is a great way to teach responsibility, accountability and mission.

Change and uncertainty: The making or the breaking of corporate learning and development

2008-12-09T01:08:00.001-08:00

On New Learning Styles, Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Change and uncertainty: The making or the breaking of corporate learning and development

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: oeb08 future)

MEI Newsletter Issue No. 1

2008-12-08T23:46:00.001-08:00

MEI Regional Tracks

ANTIPOLO Nov. 3-5, 2008. The recently concluded MEI ASFP Regional Tracks where teachers from four Assumptions schools gathered for the Assumption Spirituality Formation Program.

News from the Marie Eugenie Institute

A celebration of thanksgiving

Source: BusinessWorld

Beyond Brushstrokes -- By Marivic Rufino

All comes from Jesus;All belongs to JesusAll must be for Jesus.-- St. Marie Eugenie

AAA Lunch with Sr. Diana and her council

St. Marie Eugenie, Advent and the Kingdom

Strategic Planning

Are you an Eagle living the life of a Chicken?

Who I Am Makes A Difference

The Power of Conncection

Engage: Conversations in Philosophy: Marcus Borg Podcast Now Available!

Eclipsing Empire: Paul, Rome and the Kingdom of God

Marcus Borg on Adult Theological Education

Beyond Atheism -- Marcus Borg

First Light: Jesus as Lord part 2

First Light: Advent of the Messiah

MEI Visayas Regional Tracks

Our Offerings

MEI Vision, Mission and Values

Backgound

Lost Generation

Change and uncertainty: The making or the breaking of corporate learning and development

MEI Newsletter Issue No. 1

All comes from Jesus;
All belongs to Jesus
All must be for Jesus.
-- St. Marie Eugenie