Jennibeth Sabay

Jennibeth Sabay is a junior sister of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Castres, a missionary congregation committed to the poorest of the poor. Before entering the novitiate in 2016, she was a public health nurse in Cebu Provincial Health Office in the Philippines. Currently, she serves at her congregation's formation house for postulants and novices and assists the local parish with the lectors and commentators ministry. She also assists at Pastoral Care for Children-Philippines, a program for pregnant women and children.

 

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Members of the Filipino community in Rome approach the altar in the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica during the offertory procession Dec. 15, 2019, as Pope Francis celebrates the first of the Simbang Gabi. (CNS/Vatican Media)

Simbang Gabi novena strengthens faith of Filipinos

For Filipino Catholics, Simbang Gabi is primarily an expression of filial devotion to the Virgin Mary. They accompany her for nine days as she anticipates the birth of her son. The novena helps Filipinos appreciate their faith more fully, prompts them to meditate on God's love and draws people closer to Jesus Christ.

Our community celebrates the birthday of a Vietnamese sister. (Courtesy of Jennibeth Sabay)

Intercultural community life is a gift of God

Living in an international community is far from easy, but God's grace makes it possible. It has allowed me to discover similarities and differences of each person and their culture, with our same faith in Jesus Christ.

(Unsplash/Grant Whitty)

Virtual Mass as the real presence of Christ amid pandemic

Crisis has not hindered the church from finding ways to nourish our faith. Virtual gatherings for worship and prayer have been real experiences of connection for people who cannot leave their homes.

Sr. Jennibeth Sabay, a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Castres, joins a video chat with her mother and grandmother. (Provided photo)

Connection — with God, others and ourselves — sustains us

We are relational beings. With this pandemic, we may face physical distancing and movement restrictions, but those will never hinder us from connecting and nurturing our relationships with God and fellow human beings.

Image of a person holding a lit sparkler above the water (Unsplash/Kristopher Roller)

COVID-19, an unexpected jubilee experience

Jubilee is a time to return to the source of life, God when we wander away from our real home (forgetting that we can never survive, away from the source of everything). I realized in my isolation, without God, to whom else can I go?

Sisters of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Castres work with children from depressed areas at Emilie's Home in Quezon City, Philippines, in 2014. (Provided photo)

Mission challenges us to accompany the poor in their struggles

Seeing the unfortunate realities of the poorest of the poor opened my eyes, gave me perspective, raised my consciousness. My encounters with these families made me realize, too, the evangelizing power of the poor.

COVID-19: Time to strengthen faith in God

Life goes on in the community even with this lockdown. Notwithstanding, I feel lonely at times in this lockdown as I am limited especially in moving in or out of the house.