GUAGUA -- The Monasterio De Sta. Clara on Friday, June 29, celebrated its Golden Jubilee--marking 50 years since it was established in the Parish of Betis, Guagua, Pampanga.
The founding anniversary provided an occasion to remember the monastery’s founders, donors, and benefactors, as it was also highlighted by a mass attended by bishops of Pampanga and other archdiocese across the country.
Mother Liza De Jesus noted that priests from other clergies, religious communities, Salesians of Don Bosco, and Franciscan friars were also in attendance during the momentous event that she regarded as a “milestone.”
She said that the full-hour mass became a good opportunity to unite and pray together for the welfare of the community and the country.
Aside from the special liturgy, a fellowship over a filling “salo-salo” was held with more than 40 visiting sisters coming from other monasteries in the Philippines. To date, there are a total of 28 monasteries in the country.
Mother Liza shared that among these, the Monasterio De Sta. Clara in Pampanga is the fourth oldest.
On July 1, 1963, the monastery’s construction began after receiving a one-hectare lot from Elena Pecson. The permission to establish the monastery was granted by Archbishop Emilio Cinense.
In 1983, the monastery would later on acquire an additional 8,000-square meter lot donated by Consuelo Jose Mendoza. It became a prayer room and retreat house of the residing sisters whose numbers reached for a total of 29 during the time.
Mother Liza noted that at present, there are 14 sisters now in residence at the monastery, of which the youngest is a 20-year-old from Quezon City. She said she hopes that more Catholics will be encouraged to pursue a monastic vocation at Monasterio De Sta. Clara.
Moreover, Mother Liza noted that the monastery’s year-long jubilee celebration will also be highlighted by pilgrimages across churches in Pampanga.
“Some of our sisters are relatively new and they haven’t been around. So, until the end of 2018, we are going to visit each one of our churches here in the province,” she said.
Aside from this, other activities of the monastery include its recently-concluded art contest called “Dasal Ko Kay Sta. Clara,” which was joined by the youth of the community.
“It was very successful. We gathered participants as young as five years old. Their winning artworks will be used as print for our t-shirts and other souvenirs, as well as for our 2019 calendar,” Mother Liza added.
She said that throughout the year, regular programs and projects with volunteers, community servers, and Franciscan seculars will also be slated as part of the monastery’s 50th founding anniversary.