We Would Love
to Keep in Touch!
What is your family background?
La Salette Sisters: (from left) Sr. Theresa Hkawn Htio Kareng, Sr. Marilyn J. Antonio, Sr. Ma. Milagros C. dela Cruz, Sr. François RassorivaoI am the eldest of seven children – four boys and three girls. My father, Frederico Antonio, Sr., was a farmer, and my mother, Lucia Antonio, was a full-time housewife. We all grew up on our farm with our many animals. I really enjoyed our farm life.
I went to public school for my elementary years and had private high school education. My father had decided that, since he couldn’t complete college, he insisted that we all get a college education. He told me, “If you go to college, all your brothers and sisters will follow.” Almost all did eventually graduate!
How did first you hear about La Salette?
Since I went to the La Salette College which eventually became La Salette University, I met a La Salette priest, Fr. Conrad Blanchet. I just loved him; I saw him as a true missionary, living a good, simple and joyful life. He even went to the peripheries of our area to take care of those suffering from leprosy.
What other educational training have you received?
One week after graduation from the La Salette College in accounting in 1977, Fr. Blanchet came to our house and asked me to attend a one-week workshop for accountants. When I attended the workshop, I met all my college professors and one asked me why I was here. I told them about Fr. Blanchet’s invitation. At the end of the workshop, to my surprise I was formally announced as the new Bookkeeper at the La Salette School in Ramon, Isabella. Despite my initial shock at the announcement, I felt very much “at home” with the good news.
How did you discover your religious vocation?
I worked with Fr. Blanchet for six years. After he returned to the U.S. due to his illness, I began to search in earnest for my vocation.
I went to Hong Kong to work as a nanny for 18 months and continued to reflect on what God was calling me to do. Each day I had the morning free and had time to reflect and I even spent time helping some migrant workers. I became one of the leaders in the United Filipinos of Hong Kong. We worked with several religious orders of women and men. We had regular meetings on Sunday, and helped the migrants with their problems (visas, employment and contracts).
(from left) Fr. Conrad Blanchet,
M.S., and Fr. Tulio FavaliIn 1986 an Italian priest, Fr. Tulio Favali, was murdered while on his way on a motorbike to celebrate Mass in Mindanao, one of the three big islands of the Philippines. My spiritual director who also worked with the migrants, Fr. Richard Brodeur, PME, a friend of Fr. Blanchet, concelebrated the Mass of Christian Burial for that murdered priest. I was chosen to be the reader for the English scripture at the funeral.
After the Mass, one of the religious sisters at the Mass came to ask me what happened while I was reading. She mentioned: “I felt something was happening to you while you were reading at Mass. What was it?” I told her that, as I was reading the scripture about “unless the grain of wheat falls deep into the earth, unless it dies, it remains alone”, in my mind I remember saying to myself: “He (the murdered priest) died. I’m going back to the Philippines to become a La Salette sister and continue his mission.” I had finally realized at that Mass that, until then, I was actually running away from my vocation; but now was the time to answer God’s call.
La Salette High School in Ramon,
Isabella, PhilippinesWhen I told that to Fr. Brodeur, he responded with silence and happiness. I was responding to God’s call to become a Sister of Our Lady of La Salette.
When I returned home to the Philippines, I told my father about my decision to enter the La Salette Convent. He said: “If you are happy with your decision, go. If you find at some time that you aren’t happy, come home. We are here.”
What was your formation as a La Salette Sister?
I was warmly welcomed by the La Salette Sisters into the Convent in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines. My first assignment as an Aspirant was in the La Salette Shrine in Silang, Cavite, directed by Sr. Eva Marie Bunag, SNDS. The Director of the Shrine at that time was Fr. Santiago Ner, M.S.
My novitiate was spent in Cubao for three years. I was first professed on August 20, 1989, and assigned as head of the Booking Office (for programs, retreats, and seminars, etc.) of the La Salette Shrine until 1991. The following year I moved to Santiago City to work in the La Salette Elementary School and then served to other places.
I was surprised when my superiors asked me to go to Graduate School for Educational Management (both MA and Ph.D.) at La Salette University. At first I didn’t want to go back to school but I was obedient to their wishes. With God’s grace, I managed to accept their decision as I saw the need for someone to take over this important area. After my graduation, I thought my life would be easier.
However I was soon elected, in 2004, as Regional Superior of the La Salette Sisters in the Philippines and served two terms (6 years) which were full of challenges and graces. Then in the Chapter of 2010 I was elected as part of the General Council of the La Salette Sisters.
How did you come to serve in Vancouver?
La Salette Sisters meet on
Holy Mountain in FranceAfter an exploratory visit with Sr. Elizabeth Guiboux, SSND, our Superior General, responding to the invitation of Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, we chose to minister in Holy Trinity Parish in North Vancouver. In 2012, we opened our new mission in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, Canada.
We were welcomed by Fr. James Patrick Comey, the pastor. The parish is composed of several different nationalities, including a large number of Filipinos, Irish, Portuguese, Chinese, African and Spanish.
In the parish office which we staff, many people of the parish come for counseling and assistance with very challenging problems. We also work with those who wish to become Catholics, responding to the needs of the elderly and those in hospitals as well. We are very involved in other pastoral ministries, including Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and the entire Religious Education Program. At times we also assist in hospice care with those who are dying.
What qualities of the La Salette charism do you share with those you serve?
Our many ministries bring us closer to God in prayer and service. It is truly a joy to be helpful to others because, in our connectedness to Mary of La Salette and her Son, we in turn bring our caring concern for all these people and their needs.
A sign of our people being touched by the La Salette message and charism is the fact that 42 pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Vancouver recently made a pilgrimage to La Salette in France. When they returned they spread the news about their wonderful experiences on the Holy mountain and managed to excite many others to sign up to go on pilgrimage in the near future.
Personally I am often drawn to help people with their problems. Through God’s grace, they often become supporters of our various ministries. God is ministering powerfully through us to his children, our many parishioners.
In December of 1959, the La Salette Missionaries ministering in the Philippines
La Salette Sisters: (from left) Sr. Theresa Hkawn Htio Kareng, Sr. Marilyn J. Antonio, Sr. Ma. Milagros C. dela Cruz, Sr. François RassorivaoI am the eldest of seven children – four boys and three girls. My father, Frederico Antonio, Sr., was a farmer, and my mother, Lucia Antonio, was a full-time housewife. We all grew up on our farm with our many animals. I really enjoyed our farm life. I went to public school for my elementary years and had private high school education. My father had decided that, since he couldn’t complete college, he insisted that we all get a college education. He told me, “If you go to college, all your brothers and sisters will follow.” Almost all did eventually graduate!
How did first you hear about La Salette?
Since I went to the La Salette College which eventually became La Salette University, I met a La Salette priest, Fr. Conrad Blanchet. I just loved him; I saw him as a true missionary, living a good, simple and joyful life. He even went to the peripheries of our area to take care of those suffering from leprosy.
What other educational training have you received?
One week after graduation from the La Salette College in accounting in 1977, Fr. Blanchet came to our house and asked me to attend a one-week workshop for accountants. When I attended the workshop, I met all my college professors and one asked me why I was here. I told them about Fr. Blanchet’s invitation. At the end of the workshop, to my surprise I was formally announced as the new Bookkeeper at the La Salette School in Ramon, Isabella. Despite my initial shock at the announcement, I felt very much “at home” with the good news.
How did you discover your religious vocation?
I worked with Fr. Blanchet for six years. After he returned to the U.S. due to his illness, I began to search in earnest for my vocation.
I went to Hong Kong to work as a nanny for 18 months and continued to reflect on what God was calling me to do. Each day I had the morning free and had time to reflect and I even spent time helping some migrant workers. I became one of the leaders in the United Filipinos of Hong Kong. We worked with several religious orders of women and men. We had regular meetings on Sunday, and helped the migrants with their problems (visas, employment and contracts).
(from left) Fr. Conrad Blanchet, M.S., and Fr. Tulio FavaliIn 1986 an Italian priest, Fr. Tulio Favali, was murdered while on his way on a motorbike to celebrate Mass in Mindanao, one of the three big islands of the Philippines. My spiritual director who also worked with the migrants, Fr. Richard Brodeur, PME, a friend of Fr. Blanchet, concelebrated the Mass of Christian Burial for that murdered priest. I was chosen to be the reader for the English scripture at the funeral.
After the Mass, one of the religious sisters at the Mass came to ask me what happened while I was reading. She mentioned: “I felt something was happening to you while you were reading at Mass. What was it?” I told her that, as I was reading the scripture about “unless the grain of wheat falls deep into the earth, unless it dies, it remains alone”, in my mind I remember saying to myself: “He (the murdered priest) died. I’m going back to the Philippines to become a La Salette sister and continue his mission.” I had finally realized at that Mass that, until then, I was actually running away from my vocation; but now was the time to answer God’s call.
La Salette High School in Ramon,Isabella, PhilippinesWhen I told that to Fr. Brodeur, he responded with silence and happiness. I was responding to God’s call to become a Sister of Our Lady of La Salette.
When I returned home to the Philippines, I told my father about my decision to enter the La Salette Convent. He said: “If you are happy with your decision, go. If you find at some time that you aren’t happy, come home. We are here.”
What was your formation as a La Salette Sister?
I was warmly welcomed by the La Salette Sisters into the Convent in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines. My first assignment as an Aspirant was in the La Salette Shrine in Silang, Cavite, directed by Sr. Eva Marie Bunag, SNDS. The Director of the Shrine at that time was Fr. Santiago Ner, M.S.
My novitiate was spent in Cubao for three years. I was first professed on August 20, 1989, and assigned as head of the Booking Office (for programs, retreats, and seminars, etc.) of the La Salette Shrine until 1991. The following year I moved to Santiago City to work in the La Salette Elementary School and then served to other places.
I was surprised when my superiors asked me to go to Graduate School for Educational Management (both MA and Ph.D.) at La Salette University. At first I didn’t want to go back to school but I was obedient to their wishes. With God’s grace, I managed to accept their decision as I saw the need for someone to take over this important area. After my graduation, I thought my life would be easier.
However I was soon elected, in 2004, as Regional Superior of the La Salette Sisters in the Philippines and served two terms (6 years) which were full of challenges and graces. Then in the Chapter of 2010 I was elected as part of the General Council of the La Salette Sisters.
How did you come to serve in Vancouver?
La Salette Sisters meet onHoly Mountain in FranceAfter an exploratory visit with Sr. Elizabeth Guiboux, SSND, our Superior General, responding to the invitation of Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, we chose to minister in Holy Trinity Parish in North Vancouver. In 2012, we opened our new mission in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, Canada.
We were welcomed by Fr. James Patrick Comey, the pastor. The parish is composed of several different nationalities, including a large number of Filipinos, Irish, Portuguese, Chinese, African and Spanish.
In the parish office which we staff, many people of the parish come for counseling and assistance with very challenging problems. We also work with those who wish to become Catholics, responding to the needs of the elderly and those in hospitals as well. We are very involved in other pastoral ministries, including Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and the entire Religious Education Program. At times we also assist in hospice care with those who are dying.
What qualities of the La Salette charism do you share with those you serve?
Our many ministries bring us closer to God in prayer and service. It is truly a joy to be helpful to others because, in our connectedness to Mary of La Salette and her Son, we in turn bring our caring concern for all these people and their needs.
A sign of our people being touched by the La Salette message and charism is the fact that 42 pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Vancouver recently made a pilgrimage to La Salette in France. When they returned they spread the news about their wonderful experiences on the Holy mountain and managed to excite many others to sign up to go on pilgrimage in the near future.
Personally I am often drawn to help people with their problems. Through God’s grace, they often become supporters of our various ministries. God is ministering powerfully through us to his children, our many parishioners.
In December of 1959, the La Salette Missionaries ministering in the Philippines