Gilean Ministry holds Living Rosary

By Dr. Marita P. Quimlat

The Gilean Ministry began in the Archdiocese of Caceres in 2013, drawing inspiration from a program for Persons with Special Needs (PSNs) at the Parish of St. Bernard in Ocampo, Camarines Sur. It aims to address the spiritual needs of the said sector by primarily administering the sacraments to them. The patron saint for PSNs is St. Giles, from whose name inspired Gilean. The ministry is headed by Rev. Fr. Jaime Danilo Viola.

Several parishes have established the ministry in their area, each implementing refinements according to the needs of their people. To better serve this sector, the parishes were grouped into clusters.There are 8 clusters. Cluster 5 includes the parishes within Naga City: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Mater Salutis, Our Lady of Peñafrancia, St John Evangelist, San Francisco, Holy Cross, San Lorenzo, Immaculate Conception and St. Jude Thaddeus, as well as the St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Camaligan and St. Dominic of Guzman Parish in Gainza.

Cluster 5 initiated the First Gilean Family Gathering by organizing at Living Rosary on October 14 at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, Naga City. The Living Rosary is an important part of the Rosary Month in many parishes. The goal of the activity is to share and afford this experience to the PSNs and their families. There were 60 participants to complete the beads of the rosary. The activity ended with a message and blessing of the participants by Rev. Fr. Elmer Pandes, Assistant Priest-in-charge of the ministry.

The next Gilean Family Gathering is set for February 14, 2023. The ministry plans to hold gatherings twice a year.

Photo of the Living Rosary during the first Gilean Family Gathering in October 14 at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary. Fr. Elmer Pandes gave blessing to the participants from various parishes. (Contributed photo)