What's Happening

By Sister Maria Yolanda Manapsal
Chapter Prioress, Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter

March 24, 2025, Mining, Angeles City, Philippines – In celebration of Women's Month, the Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter and the Dominican School of Angeles City Foundation, Inc., along with social worker Liz Maricarl E. Cordero, came together to address a pressing issue: the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. 

The presentation was an initiative of the Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter, based in the Philippines, in alignment with the Adrian Dominican Congregation’s 2022 Chapter Enactment on Women. The presentation was given to the students in grades 7 to 10 to teach them how to protect themselves against human trafficking, which entraps many children in the area. About 161 people – including student advisors and some Adrian Dominican Sisters – attended the event.

This initiative aims to educate students about the risks of online exploitation and emphasize the importance of open communication regarding Internet safety. Workshops and awareness campaigns can empower parents and children with the knowledge they need to safely navigate the online world.

Liz Maricarl Cordero, a former social worker at the University of the Assumption in San Fernando, Pampanga, spoke on the rights of children delineated by the United Nations, and on the dangers to children of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) serves as a foundational document for children's rights. It emphasizes that every child should be protected from all forms of violence and exploitation. Article 19 states that children have the right to be protected from all forms of violence, including physical, mental, and sexual abuse, and Article 34 states that governments must protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. This includes protecting them from being forced into sexual activity, prostitution, and pornography. Both articles highlight the need for safeguarding children against abuse, especially in the context of evolving technologies.

As children increasingly engage with the internet for education and social interaction, they become more susceptible to online threats. Predators exploit the anonymity and accessibility of the digital realm, making it essential for parents, educators, and communities to work together to create a safer environment.

Celebrating Women's Month means advocating for the rights of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable among us, our children. Let us commit to fostering a secure community that protects children from online threats, ensuring they can explore, learn, and grow in a safe environment. Together, we can champion the cause of child protection and uphold the principles set forth in the UNCRC, fostering a brighter and safer future for generations to come.

 

Caption for above feature photo: Social worker Liz Maricarl E.Cordero speaks to students at the Dominican School of Angeles City about the dangers of online sexual abuse and exploitation.

February 3, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – Ever since the Dominican Sisters of the Our Lady of Remedies Congregation, based in Pampanga, the Philippines, merged with the Adrian Dominican Sisters in November 2011, the Sisters in both countries have sought ways to get to know one another and to experience one another’s culture and country. Recently, an exchange was initiated in which Sister Nancy Jurecki, OP, was to spend about eight months in the Philippines and Sister Abegail Santos, OP, was to spend about three months in the United States. Below is Sister Abegail’s story.

Thanksgiving, snow, U.S. football – these are some novelties that Sister Abegail Santos, OP, has experienced since she came to the United States on November 25, 2024, to integrate with Adrian Dominican Sisters at the Motherhouse in Adrian, Michigan, and in Chicago. She reflected on her experiences, ways of being involved at the Motherhouse, and love for the Sisters as she prepared to return to the Philippines on February 19, 2025.

During her time in Adrian, Sister Abegail has been living in community in the Regina Residence with Sisters Lorraine Brennan, OP, and Victoria Dalesandro, OP. The small community has helped her to feel at home, making sure among other things that she has rice, a staple in the Philippines. 

Back home in Mining, Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines, Sister Abegail ministers as the treasurer and auditor of the Dominican School of Angeles City. She has used those skills in volunteer work with the Motherhouse’s Finance Office. She has also expanded her skills, serving as sacristan during Mass and helping the Resident Services Department present activities for the resident Sisters. “When they have activities like a birthday celebration, I join the staff in serving the Sisters,” she said. “I really appreciate being with the Sisters, knowing them a little bit. I’m so grateful for that.”

Sister Abegail also joins the Sisters in daily prayer – Mass in St. Catherine Chapel and the Divine Office, Dominican Praise, and the rosary in a small group every afternoon in the Regina Residence Hall. “What I like and really appreciate with our Rosary is, we pray it bilingually,” she said. “When it’s my turn to lead the mysteries, I pray in my dialect [Kapampangan] and they respond in English.” Other Sisters lead the rosary in Spanish and German.  

Highlights of her time in Adrian have included the Christmas liturgy. “It was sad missing my family and my Sisters [in the Philippines], but the Liturgy was so beautiful” in Adrian, she said. She particularly appreciated events she had never experienced in her home country: from Thanksgiving to snow. “We don’t have the experience of winter in the Philippines,” she said. “The snow made me thrilled. During my first snow experience, I took a picture and sent it to my family.”

Sister Abegail has also been exposed to a U.S. ritual – watching football. “I watch it with the Sisters and am starting to learn about it,” she said.

Sister Abegail has also taken the opportunity to visit other parts of the United States. Before arriving in Adrian, she spent time with family in Haywood, California. She also traveled to Chicago with Sisters Kathleen Nolan, OP, and Bibiana “Bless” Colasito, OP, General Councilor who is also from the Philippines, to visit Sisters Mary Priniski, OP, and Mary Soher, OP.

“Sister Kathy toured us around the City of Chicago, particularly Navy Pier,” Sister Abegail recalled. “When we were there, it was raining, but we were able to see the city, the downtown. It’s a big place, with a lot of beautiful buildings.” 

Sister Abegail said her greatest challenge in the United States has been the difference in language. Although she speaks English well, it is not her first language. “You can’t spontaneously express yourself, what’s on your mind” in English, she said. “When I don’t know how to say something, I just keep quiet. It’s not as spontaneous as speaking in your own language.” She is grateful for the time she can spend with Sister Bless, speaking in her dialect, she said.

Still, Sister Abegail said, she has been inspired by the Sisters at the Motherhouse. “I love our liturgy – the Sisters sharing and preaching,” as well as the remembrances of the Sisters who have died. “They were so inspiring,” she said. “You want to be good and kind and holy. I love how our Sisters take care of our [elder] Sisters, and also the staff – so kind with the Sisters.”
 

Caption for above feature photo: Sister Abegail Santos, OP, serving as acolyte and sacristan, accepts a ciborium of hosts from Sister Lenore Boivin, OP, after Communion during the 2024 Christmas Liturgy at St. Catherine Chapel at the Adrian Dominican Sisters Motherhouse.