OND Sisters Celebrate Profession of Vows

Tamontaka, Maguindanao Del Norte — On the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, last May 1, 2026, the Congregation of the Oblates of Notre Dame (OND) celebrated a twofold grace of commitment at the Our Lady of Hope Chapel.

The Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Rev. Fr. Ronald Abad, OMI, marked the first religious profession of vows of Sr. April Paderes Bagatila, OND, who freely offered her life in response to God’s call. Alongside her, the community celebrated the renewal of vows of junior sister Sr. Cleofe Jean Masungcad, OND, whose continued “Yes” strengthens the communal bond and witnesses to the beauty of perseverance in consecrated life.

Sr. April Paderes Bagatila was born on April 13, 1999, in General Santos City, the third of four siblings born to Mr. Rommel Lacorte Bagatila and Mrs. Lourdes Biñas Paderes. A graduate of BSEd Biological Science with units in Master of Education (Advanced Science), she chose for her motto the words of the Blessed Mother from Luke 1:38: “FIAT: Be it done to me according to Your will.”

In a moving reflection, Sr. April shared: “In the quiet moments of my life, I became aware of a gentle restlessness within me—a longing for deeper meaning and a more intimate quest for God… Today, I choose to walk with Christ and with my sisters, echoing our shared mission to walk together in faith.”

During his homily, Fr. Ronald challenged the sisters to embrace the mystery of their vocation. He reminded Sr. April that in her first “Yes,” not everything may be clear, but she chooses to trust. To Sr. Cleofe, he remarked, “Today you say ‘Yes’ again, not because the path is easy, but because you freely choose to remain.”

The celebration concluded with a simple lunch at the OND St. Joseph Retreat House in Tamontaka, D.O.S., Maguindanao del Norte, shared by the sisters, family, and friends. (Sr. Maria Luz P. Fernandez, OND)