History
PDDM History
Our congregation was founded by Blessed James Alberione in Alba, Italy on February 10, 1924, liturgical memorial of St. Scholastica. We are the third institute of the big Pauline Family.
The first group of sister disciples was composed of 8 young women with Orsola Maria Rivata as sister-in-charge.
The PDDM in the Philippines
Thirty-two years after the congregation saw light, on August 25, 1956, three Italian sisters came to the Philippines from Rome to begin witnessing to the beauty and nobility of the PDDM vocation and mission in Asia.
Srs. M. Pierra Marin, M. Lidia Drudi, and M. Clementina Dragone stayed with the Daughters of St Paul in Pasay City. After a few months, they transferred to the SSP community in Laging Handa St, also in Pasay City where they started their priestly service. It was also there that the first vocations were received. A couple of years later they found a house in St. Scolastica, still in Pasay City. This became the first Divine Master Convent and the first Novitiate House of the PDDM in the Philippines.
Four years after the foundation in the Philippines, three young Filipinas made their first religious profession. They took the names Sr. M. Fides, Sr. M. Speranza and Sr. M. Charitas, representing the three theological virtues upon which our Christian life stands.
On May 31, 1960, the first Liturgical Apostolate Center was opened in Taft Avenue, Manila. On March 1964, the Formation House was inaugurated in Antipolo City. In 1969, the congregation saw the consummation of the first offering for the continuation of the PDDM mission in the Philippines in the person of Sr M. Judith Sawal who died on July 27 that year.
For the next thirty years, the congregation grew and developed. A community and liturgical center opened in Cebu City on June 29, 1971. Ten years later, on January 26, 1981, the Alberione Oasis, Home for Priests, just across the convent in Antipolo, was blessed.
The sisters never lost sight of their mission as the "bridgehead of evangelization in the east". In November 1982, three Filipina sisters were sent to respond to the invitation to begin a community in Taipei, Taiwan. At present, there are already ten sisters there, serving in three communities - in Hsin Tsien, in Hsinchuang, and at the Apostolic Nunciature of China. The latter started only last November 2001.
Collaboration with the SSP priests and brothers continued so that in 1983 a small community was opened in the SSP Novitiate, San Fernando, Pampanga. In 1984, another community and liturgical center was opened in Davao City. After almost a decade, in 1993, a small community was also opened in the SSP Seminary in Silang, Cavite.
An important milestone in the life of the Philippine foundation was the opening of the Regional House in Quezon City on January 24, 1994. Incorporated in the Parish of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Regional House community is involved and collaborates with parish activities such as the animation of the 6 a.m. Sunday Parish Mass.
With the opening of the Regional House, the consolidation of the liturgical apostolate became a reality. The Central Liturgical Apostolate of the Philippine-Taiwan Region (CLAPT) was formally established for better organization and more effective operation. On January 24, 1999, the sisters' dream of constructing a Eucharistic-Priestly-Liturgical Center that will consolidate the three-fold dimension of their mission to serve Jesus Master in the Eucharist, the Priesthood and the Liturgy was realized with the blessing of the new, five-storey building now known as the PDDM Apostolic Center in Manila.
Another very significant and important landmark in the life story of the Philippine foundation in the Great Jubilee Year 2000 was the ERECTION of the PDDM Philippine-Taiwan Region into a PROVINCE on February 13, 2000, with Sr. M. Peter Evardone, as the first Provincial Superior. The new Provincial Government was installed on February 28, 2000 during the celebration of Vespers which was attended by members coming from the different communities of the Province.
The Great Jubilee Year 2000 has also graced us with the realization of our founder's dream of a mission for immense China: the new foundation in Hong Kong which formally opened on June 30, 2000. Right now the community is composed of three sisters. They give services to the Hong Kong Diocese Liturgy Commission; assist in the publication of the diocese's liturgical bulletin and in the liturgical catechesis now being intensified both in Hong Kong and in Mainland China. They also do animation work for the Filipino community in one of the big parishes there. At the same time they are starting a mini liturgical center to attend to the demands of the local Church.
On November 26, 2003, the 82nd death anniversary of our founder Blessed James Alberione, the Alberione Center in Quezon City was opened as a tribute to him. It is hoped that from this edifice Jesus Master, the Way, the Truth and the Life may be proclaimed through the Eucharistic-Priestly-Liturgical mission of the PDDM. This is now the new seat of the provincial government of the Philippine-Taiwan-HongKong province.
We are blessed to have celebrated our Jubilee Year – the 50th foundation of the PDDM in the Philippines on August 25, 2006 and our communities and apostolic activities continue to flourish. There are now 109 professed members; 96 are in the Philippine-Taiwan-Hong Kong Province (87 perpetually professed and 9 temporarily professed) while 13 are in various missions in Rome, Ireland, Canada, USA, Australia, and France. There is also a steady entry of young people. Currently, there are 4 novices, 6 postulants, two of which are Chinese and 5 pre-postulants, one of which is Chinese,.
At this challenging stage of our growth as an institute, we have opted to commit ourselves more consciously and concretely to the work of renewal in the local church and in the world journeying in this new millennium.
Meanwhile, we praise and thank the Lord for the 50 years of living and active presence in the Philippine Church and society. There is every reason to rejoice, to celebrate and sing of God’s marvels.