Prayer of Thanksgiving and Appreciation

On behalf of The Lamb Shall Lead International Missionary Community (Association of Christ’s Faithful), we would like to thank the Mission Cooperative Offices, the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and Parishes for your generous assistance to our mission.

Our Prayer of Thanksgiving to the Parish of:

St. Louis
in the Diocese of Beaumont, TX

St. Anthony of Padua
In the Diocese of Victoria, TX

Cathedral of Holy Trinity
St. George
St. Ann
St. Catherine
In the Diocese of New Ulm, MN

St. Jude
Our Lady of Lourdes
Blessed Trinity
In the Diocese of Orlando, FL

St. John the Baptist
St. Matthias
St. Mary
St. Charles Borromeo
In the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis

St. Mary, Rochester & St. Peter, Farmington
St. Luke the Evangelist Parish
In the Diocese of Manchester

Our Lady of Guadalupe
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Sacred Heart
In the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Holy Trinity & Holy Rosary
In the Archdiocese of Louisville

Epiphany Church
St. Hedwig
In the Diocese of Trenton, NJ

From the Mission Appeal 2022 Team

Rev. Cesar Echegaray, JCL, Mission Director
Blesilda Cayongcat, Assistant Mission Director
Rev. Freddie Decal, Mission Speaker
Rev. Michael Semana, Mission Speaker
Rev. Jevic Pendon, Mission Speaker
Norma Blanchard, Assistant Coordinator-U.S
Carolyn Sobert, Assistant Coordinator-U.S
Rev. Alex Lazarra, Mission Coordinator-U.S

Most. Rev. Jose Corazon Tala-oc, Episcopal Moderator

POPE FRANCIS

On the odor of the sheep:

“This I ask you: be shepherds, with the “odor of the sheep”, make it real, as shepherds among your flock, fishers of men.” National Catholic Reporter, March 28, 2013

On the being disciples of the Lamb: in his talk about the migrants, January 23, 2014

”What does it mean for the Church, for us today, to be disciples of Jesus the Lamb of God? Francis asked at St. Peter’s Square. It means replacing malice with innocence, force with love, pride with humility, prestige with service. We Christians have to do a good job. Being disciples of The Lamb means not living as if we were a “besieged citadel,” but as a city set on mountain, open, welcoming and supportive. It means not assume an attitude of closure, but bringing the Gospel to all, bearing witness with our lives that following Jesus makes us freer and more joyful, Francis explained.

The word “lamb” comes up a number of times in the New Testament and always in reference to Jesus.

This image of The Lamb, Pope Francis said, might surprise; an animal not known for its strength and robustness takes upon its shoulders an oppressive burden. The enormous mass of evil is removed and taken away by a weak and fragile creature that is a symbol of obedience, docility and helpless love, which arrives at a self-sacrifice. The Lamb is not a dominator, but docile; it is not aggressive but peaceful; it does not bear its claws or teeth in the face of attack but puts up with it and is submissive.”

On Mediators or intermediaries: Morning meditation in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae Friday, 9 December 2016 (by http://www.osservatoreromano.va)

... there is a “difference between a mediator and an intermediary”. Indeed, “an intermediary does his work and takes his pay: you want to sell this house, you want to buy a house, I will be the intermediary and take a percentage; it is fair, it was my job”. Thus, “the intermediary takes this path: he will never be lost”.

“The mediator, on the other hand” — Francis explained — “forfeits himself in order to unite the parties, giving his life, himself, that is the price: his actual life, he pays with his life, his weariness, his work, many things”. Because “the logic of Jesus as mediator is the logic of humbling oneself”. In fact, Saint Paul, “in the Letter to the Philippians, is clear about this: ‘he humbled himself, emptied himself’ in order to make this union, unto death”, and to “death on the cross”.

Instead, the intermediary, the Pope mentioned “is this functionary: he does his job, he does things more or less well, and then finishes that job and takes another, another, and another, but always as a functionary”. The intermediary “does not know what it means to get his hands dirty; the mediator lives by getting dirty because he is in the middle, there, in reality, like Jesus: tarnished by our sins”.

POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II

“Jesus is a shepherd, because He is a Lamb.”

LUIS ANTONIO CARDINAL TAGLE

“Characterized the faithful as “lambs” who face great threats of secularization… “Maybe the lambs in the world are just waiting to come out. Change the world, and let it become a lamb.” He urged the faithful to manifest the tame and vulnerable characteristics of lambs, leading others to their rightful transformation in the pursuit of their mission. How ironic it is for someone to be sent by the Lamb of God but the one who sent looks like a wolf. The Lamb sends lambs…” (Oct 19, 2013, PCNE)

BISHOP OSCAR SOLIS (Episcopal Moderator, Lamb U.S)

“The Lamb fits beautifully into the Year of faith. Faith—precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what one believes… It is lived as an experience of love received and communicated… makes us fruitful… expands our hearts in hope and enables us to bear life-giving witness.” U.S Intl Conference, Nov 17, 2012

BISHOP JOSE CORAZON TALA-OC (Episcopal Moderator, Lamb Philippines)

“When we behold The Lamb as our life in the Church, The Lamb’s lifestyle is one of humility, patience, gentleness… An incarnation spirituality that stresses the value of ourselves, others, and things. When the Eucharist is understood in terms of oneness in the Mystical Body, Christ becomes a dynamic force in reshaping the institutions of society.” U.S Intl Conference, Nov 17, 2012

REV. JOE BRANDO

“I want to invite you to make The Lamb an active part of your life. God wants us to live our lives in harmony with him in order to make a significant difference in the world. We will participate in a divine plan. If The Lamb is leading us, we are on a journey; a journey into the reality of God. July 22, 2013, Homecoming, Alabama.

MSGR. NONATO ERNIE FETALINO

The Lamb shall Lead community and its project in Brgy. Balogo bring hope to the poor families. The children are inspired to study and parents determined to work hard.

J. VANIER

“Jesus was first a Lamb, before He became a Shepherd.”

Inspirations and Quotes

UPDATE: Formation of Association Members

Formation

Youth Retreat

Formation

1/8

UPDATE: The Corderina, Disciples of The Lamb

The Corderina of The Lamb
Community Residents
Renewal of Covenant Consecration

Savings and Missionary Cooperative Members

Lamb Daycare Center Pupils

Lamb National Homecoming - Manila

THE POOR HELPING THE POOR.

The family of The Lamb Shall Lead International Inc. engages in integral development of the poor for them to become evangelizers of their fellow poor.

THE CENTER.

The Lamb Shall Lead International Center Main Building will provide facility for operation and activities of the Lamb Communities. This building, which is currently being constructed, is located in Brgy. Balogo, Calatrava, Romblon Province, Philipppines.

Message

Rev. Michael B. Semana

Dear Friends,

WELCOME TO OUR WEBSITE!

I would like to introduce you to our Lamb communities and the poor helping the poor projects, and the Lamb Shall Lead International Center we are constructing in the Philippines. We hope and pray that this main building will be completed in the year 2024. This center hopes to be an inspiration to the poor helping other poor, the lonely, the broken hearted, through our works of evangelization, retreat, healing and training for socio-economic and integral human development.

I would like to express my gratitude, on behalf of the least of Jesus brethren we serve, for your continued support. God’s blessings, His warmth and healing abound. We remember that the pierced and wounded side of Jesus on the cross, pouring out water and blood, was life-giving. The poor in spirit are resilient, theirs is the kingdom, the people who seek the Lord are hopeful and those who are mourning amidst tragedies we experience today are comforted. The promise of the Lord still stands and we are looking forward to a better future for God’s children.

Sincerely,

Rev. Michael B. Semana

Chairman, The Lamb Shall Lead International

President, Ecce Agnus Jesus, Inc.

Replicating and Sustaining the

Poor Helping the Poor Lamb Communities and Projects

The Poor Helping the Poor Lamb Communities are involved in integral formation and empowerment of the poor which we summed up into: (1) Evangelization and Discipleship Formation or Multiplication of Disciples and (2) Multiplication of Loaves - which covers all socio-economic programs or Provision Opportunity Life Enrichment (POLE). In Brgy. Balogo, Calatrava, Romblon, where the TLSLIC Center is currently being built; the following are among the completed and continuing projects learned from our successes and failures. These projects are all supported by TLSI's sister-corporations. We are planning to share this experience with other regions in the country.

1. Multiplication of Disciples - Evangelization and Discipleship Formation

2. Multiplication of Loaves - Projects and Trainings

2.1 Aquaponics and Organic Farming

2.2 Savings Mobilization for Life Enrichment (SMILE) Program

2.3 Skills Trainings and Developing Leadership Capacities

2.4 Cultivating Small Scale Marketing and Livelihood Activities

2.5 Community Day Care Center Management

Construction of and Mentoring on the Proper Management of an Aquaponics System with Members of the Lamb Community

Youth Savings Group

Financial Literacy Training and Adult Savings Groups

Learning Coco Coir

Missionary Cooperative National Leadership Conference

Meat Processing

Hog Raising

Feeds Retail Store

Grocery Store

Savings Passbook

2.6 Housing Development

Evangelization

Lamb Care and Share Prayer Gathering

Lamb Youth Retreat Formation and Recollection

Vocation to Holiness Seminars (which were attended by the Youth)

Marriage Enrichment

Carpentry and Masonry, in partnership with the Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA),

involving modular lectures, hands-on training and assessment, and graduation of successful trainees.

Housing development started and established in the year 2015 funded by Fundepaz New York with Fr. Fernando Echeverri and housing sponsors.

Nearby chapels and parishes of Calatrava, Romblon also benefited from various programs and projects of TLSLI and it’s sister-corporations, such as:

Healing (Spiritual, Medical, Optical, Dental) Missions in the parishes of San Agustin and Odiongan
Vocation to Holiness Seminar in San Agustin and Lo-oc
Spiritual Formation of Youths in Pangulo, Calatrava

The long term vision is that all these programs will be sustainable, which means they are being replicated by the communities who were once recipients of these programs. Through this, what we wish to accomplish is for the cycle of generosity to be cultivated and practiced throughout generations.

This calls us to learn from our experience of project implementation which is a mixture of challenges, failures, and good practices.

The Lamb Shall Lead International Center - Purpose and Mission

This under construction building shall serve the ministry of the Lamb. Please help us.

Sponsors Needed to Finish the Building Construction

(please click blue arrow and the picture to view other pictures and donation options)

TLSLI Center covers the whole area of operation and activities of our Lamb communities, apostolates of healing, training and spiritual formation for its Lamb members and as a facility for retreats, seminars and workshops for the missionary work of the Church. It is a learning center - as instructed by Jesus, The Lamb – “learn from me”, and by the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of The Lamb, pointing her Son to us, reminding: “Do whatever he tells you!"

The Center also serves as a residence for our missioners, sisters, priests and brothers who are devoting full or part-time service for the Lamb ministries. It is to be an oasis, a quiet place for adoration, solitude and a sign of the presence of The Lamb.

Why the Center?

The venue is located in a rural setting on an island among neighboring islets. Its presence as a sign of The Lamb, Jesus, reflects the distinct spirit, character, nature and emphasis of missionary work, standing in the gap among the people of God who have issues of out-migration, underdevelopment and neglect, looking for greener pastures in the cities, and are wanting to connect, spiritually and physically, aspiring to be larger for what they can become and, on the other hand, capable of withstanding insecurities of life amidst vulnerabilities (lack of food and instability of electric power supply, undernourishment, diseases, health facilities, storms and natural disasters), but with its unique God-given beauty, giftedness, talents, resources and capacities, having great potential to contribute for integral human development of society and in the evangelizing work of the Church. As the Plenary Council puts it: “that they, the poor, become evangelizers ….and that we can rely on them in the work of evangelization (PCPII)” in the work of transforming the world and making it a lamb.

As lamb evangelizers, with great fervor, they shall lead to support the Church and from the Church derive its Eucharistic zeal, the spirit of The Lamb, offering lives as a sacrifice of praise, bridging the gap, interconnecting the chain of self-sacrificing love, mending the breach caused by sin, reconciling divisions, healing brokenness… interceding through prayer and actions, for integral human and socio-economic development. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they are sent and given to the locality by THE LAMB, Jesus, through His body… living His mandate: I send you like lambs … proclaiming peace to every household, healing diseases, driving out demons … and by being drawn to The Lamb when lifted up, they witness the Father’s providence and mercy, His provisions, tender loving care - assuring us of His covenant of love and fidelity: “I am your God, You are my people, I am yours, you are mine;” I Am With You, Always!

The Center as Response to the Signs of the Times

After years of missionary work, the Center is a gift of discernment of the missionary work of the Lamb, which has four (4) areas of response to the signs of times: