On 5 March 2019, a new group of priests formally began its journey towards the constitution of another chapter of the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic in the Philippines, that is, through the rite of admission celebrated at the Queen of Angels Monastery of the Dominican Nuns in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Receiving the habit of the friars from the presider, fr. Florentino Bolo Jr., OP, promoter of the fraternities, were six priests and one transitional deacon: Fr. Eric E. de la Cruz (Diocese of Iba); Fr. Joseph Franz T. Dizon (Diocese of Malolos); Fr. Dennis A. Espejo (Diocese of Malolos); Fr. Carlo S. Mendoza (Diocese of Malolos); Fr. Alvin Pila (Diocese of Malolos); Fr. Jersey C. Prepose (Diocese of Balanga); and Rev. Jestoni T. Macapas (Diocese of Cabanatuan).
Prior to their formal admission in the fraternities, the clerics met with the promoter on 8 February 2019 in order to learn more about the fraternities of priests, as well as to enter into a deeper understanding of the Order and the family of St. Dominic, of which they were seeking to be a part. The orientation meeting was held at the Parish of St. Augustine in Baliuag, Bulacan, through the generosity of Fr. Edgardo Toribio, himself a member of the fraternities, who has been coordinating closely with the promoter on behalf of the candidates.
In the company of some friars, other priests of the fraternity, as well as members of the Dominican laity, the ritual was celebrated within the midday liturgy of the hours, with the nuns leading the prayers. Other guests who came were family and friends from the parishes where the priests were carrying out their ministry. In his allocution, fr. Bolo highlighted the newness of life that the priests embrace by following the path of St. Dominic, particularly in their unique status as members of the diocesan clergy. Indeed, the Order does not intend to make the priests take on the way of life of the religious, but rather to let them incarnate the spirit and mission of the Order of Preachers according to their identity as secular priests.
