PDDM PH-TW-HK: LOur celebration of the memorial of St. Mary Magdalene, Sunday, July 22, 2018, in Alberione Center became more meaningful with the presence of Sr. Ann and Sr. Patricia Fox from the Congregation of Our Lady of Zion. Sr. Patricia was invited by Sr. Mary Anthony, our Provincial Superior to share on her journey as a missionary.
Some of our sisters from PAC-Manila, DMC-Antipolo together with some members of the Rabbonni Choir and two seminarians from the Society of St. Paul who were in the Alberione Center for music practice joined us in listening to Sr. Patricia. At exactly five o’clock in the afternoon we were all in the atrium. The gathering commenced with a short prayer prepared by a seminarian, John Rabena after which Sr. Mary Anthony welcomed Sisters Ann and Patricia.
The Congregation of the Our Lady of Zion is well meant in their endeavour to see the realities in the Asian countries through the eyes of the poor and to serve them as long as they can. Philippines, the “Pearl of the Orient” was chosen as the locus of their mission. Sr. Patricia arrived in our country in 1991 and since then she has worked with the poor: unwed mothers, farmers, fishermen, those affected by the multi national mining companies and the victims of injustice and oppression like the lumads, one of the tribal Filipinos in our country. A lawyer by profession we will not wonder why she is actively involved in the advocacy of human rights. Immersed in her apostolate with the marginalized of the society she has become a suspect of engaging into activities against our government. This puts her into trouble with our government. Anytime she will be deported from our country. She is making the last attempt with the help of her lawyers to appeal to the court to reconsider the decision of the Bureau of Immigration to deport her.
In manifold ways we, in the church and various sectors of our society have expressed our support for Sr. Patricia. We are one with her in praying for divine intervention so that the court may justly consider her appeal. Considering her present ordeal we are edified to see her calm, serene and resigned to whatever is God’s will for her. We are grateful to her for her passion and commitment to serve the Filipinos especially the poor. With her missionary journey here for twenty-seven years as a consecrated person who are in touch with the realities of the poor she has seen through their eyes and experience ineffably the loving and abiding presence of the Lord. Like Mary Magdalene she can truly say, “Alleluia, the Lord is Risen!”