By Sr. M. Speranza Alejandro, PDDM
The extraordinary apostolate of the Pious Disciples dramatizes the call of the Eucharist: to give our bodies for the life of the world. Sr. Speranza shares her vision with us.
Two years ago I started my mission in the Vatican City, the heart of Rome. As a member of the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master involved in the Eucharistic Priestly-Liturgical apostolate, I join my sisters in taking turns of prayer before our Eucharistic Lord in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, inside the Basilica of St. Peter. Every morning after the first mass celebrated in this chapel, there is a solemn exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. We are eighteen international sisters and we go in pairs (like the disciples sent by the Lord for the mission) every one and a half hour presenting humanity before the Blessed Sacrament. As we pray we present all the needs of humankind to the Lord and the needs for justice of all categories of people.
It would be a tragedy if we missed the central point of the Eucharist: that as Christ gives His flesh, we too must give our flesh. As Christ allows us to consume Him, so we – the Church – must allow the poor to consume us. As we go to Christ feed us, do also feed the poor of the world with self – giving. If the Church is not the Church for the poor, then that degree it is not the Church of Christ.
Aside from the ministry of prayer, we also run two souvenir shops entrusted to us by the Vatican. One shop is at the base of Basilica commonly called Grotte and one at the Dome commonly called Cupola di San Pietro. I am stationed in the Cupola. Here the whole year round, hundreds of thousands of people flock to see the Holy Father and to admire the marvels of the Eternal City. Here I meet my fellow Filipinos – students, tourist, migrant workers – and here I enjoy serving them, talking with them and imparting to them lessons about the faith whenever I can.