The Paulinian

Heritage Tour

Uniquely Paulinian. This is perhaps the best way to describe a tour of the Heritage Center of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.

Established in 2003 to celebrate the centenary of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in the Philippines (1904- 2004), the Center houses the Archives and Museum of the Province. All Paulinians, young and old, must visit the Center to understand the importance of their

past, nourish a sense of ownership of the Paulinian tradition and mission, cherish it, take pride in it, draw inspiration from it – and pass it on. It is a place that should be visited by others who wish to understand and appreciate the life and mission of a group of women who have dedicated themselves to “making Christ known and loved.”

The Center is ideally located atop a hill at the Provincial House compound, Our Lady of Chartres Convent, Antipolo City – a green reserve with a creek, fishpond, waterfall and scenic views. One may take a walk around, go down to the Garden of Peace, or spend some moments at the Chapel

— and perhaps get a chance to meet and talk with young Sisters in formation.

The Paulinian Heritage Tour is not only an educational or aesthetic adventure; it is a spiritual experience. It teaches not only history, art or theology; ultimately, it leads the viewer to see the God who calls. One brings home memories uniquely Paulinian.

HOW TO GET TO THE CENTER:

From Edsa, one turns at Ortigas Avenue, traveling straight through Cainta, Rosario and Tikling junctions. Our Lady of Chartres Convent is at the left side of the road, some 500 meters before the arch marking the boundary between Taytay and Antipolo.

The Sisters

of St. Paul

of Chartres

The Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, Philippine Province, belong to an i n t e r n a t i o n a l congregation of religious women of Pontifical Right, devoted to teaching, health and pastoral care. As teachers, they are committed to the formation of Christ- centered, competent, responsible persons in the service of the Church and society. As healers, they provide compassionate, holistic, and quality health care with preferential option for the marginalized. As pastoral ministers, they spread God’s word to the underserved, empowering them to reclaim their human dignity and their God-given right to total human development.

The Heritage Centercreatively

retells the story of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, from the Congregation’s humble beginnings in France, to its growth and expansion as a global community, and its taking root in Philippine soil. This story is framed against the bigger backdrop of global events, threading the Congregation’s continued existence to the more intricate webs of global history.

Artifacts and important memorabilia drawn from the various missions and historical periods are on display. These make evident

the spirit and charism of the Sisters as expressed in their multifaceted life and work through the years.

The Structure

The Center’s architectural design incorporates the images and symbols significant to the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres: Levesville Church, the Cradle (Le Berceau), the Presbytery, and the windmill, among others. The presentation design uses a variety of materials and forms reminiscent of history and representative of the best in French and Philippine art and craft.

The Lobby presents

the Spirit, the Vision- Mission of the Province, its organization, complete roster of Sisters, and the directory of the houses.

The Atriumpresents a 20-foot baroto and a tableau

of the arrival of the seven pioneer missionary Sisters in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental on October 29, 1904, dramatizing the most historic moment in the founding of the Philippine Province.

SALA ONE

The first sala provides a gist of the beginnings of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. A life- size statue of Father Louis Chauvet, Founder of the Congregation, welcomes visitors to the area. A curved wall mural, an interactive light and sound model of the village of Levesville, a scale model of the Chartres Cathedral, and memorabilia of the community’s early history portray life in 17th century France and essay the role played by the Sisters in the Church vis-a-vis the conditions of the European peasantry.

I n t e r a c t i v e computer kiosks

provide a comprehensive database on the Sisters of the Philippine Province, their houses of mission in the country and in other parts of the world, the programs and projects by the Congregation’s three main ministries and Formation.

Sets of memorabilia on the

SPC Ministries

—

teaching, healing and pastoral

caring — demonstrate the

breadth and depth of the

Province’

service

and

SALA TWO

involvement in the apostolic

mission of the Church in the

Philippines and throughout the

The second sala explores the Congregation’s

world. This section also

expansion outside of France. Against the arcade

features the special services to

of the Mother House in Chartres are visual

the greater Church, and works

representations of historical events — the early

of the Sisters and their impact

missions, the French Revolution, the dissolution

on their mission communities.

and eventual reconstitution of the Community by

Napoleon Bonaparte, the Secularization Movement

The

exhibit

portrays

the

— all of which left an indelible imprint on the

various stages of the Sisters

Congregation’s history. The emblematic artifacts

Formation as they grow

from the different provinces, regions and districts

and

live out

their religious

bear witness to the global reach of the

consecration in the Church as

Congregation. Of special interest is the section on

an

apostolic

fraternal

the Filipino Sisters assigned in foreign missions.

community.

In the hologram, two

Sisters recount

the Lord’s

constancy in their Congregation’s journey through

history and affirm the Province’ commitment and

continuing response to love and serve with the heart of

Christ.

The Future section depicts the Sisters’ unwavering

commitment to the call to mission in the next century

The Portrait Gallery features charcoal

in the Church, in the spirit of their Founder, in union

with Christ.

sketches of the Superiors General and Provincial

who guided the Congregation through the years.

SALA THREE

In the third sala, an interactive Philippine map

illustrates the vast network of the Philippine

Province. Memorabilia of the first houses attest to

the Christo-centric Paschal character of the Sisters’

life in the early foundations. Other significant

artifacts related to the life and mission of the

Sisters are displayed.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Please observe silence and behave properly inside the Center.

Follow the official tour route and Guide before you go on your own. Take notice of the learning messages and narrative texts in each section.

Avoid touching, lifting or disarranging the items on display. You may, however, open and read the albums.

You may operate the inter-active kiosks. Please be careful in handling the equipment.

Picture-taking, eating, drinking or smoking are not allowed inside the Center. Photo sessions may be done in the lobby or in the garden.

Souvenir items may be purchased from the Center-in- charge.

Kindly sign the Guest Book before leaving.

Admission

P30 for students (elementary and high school)

P50 for adults (including college students) Donations will be highly appreciated.

Museum Hours

Monday-Saturday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (no noon break)

Guided Tour

Please call or write the Center for guided group tours.

Facilities

Conference Room: The Mother Madelaine Denoga Hall may be used for meetings, seminars, and recollections. It has audio-visual projection capability (computer/ LCD/TV/CD/ VCD/DVD) and can accommodate a maximum of 60 people. Fee: P500 an hour, or a donation of P3000 for a full day (8- 12 a.m., 1-5 pm) use.

Lectures, Seminars: Presentations on the history of the Congregation and of the Philippine Province; seminars on photography, photo-journalism, developing and managing archives, and similar activities, may be arranged with the Center.

Paulinian Studies: The Archives serve as Center for Paulinian Studies and is open to researchers on Paulinian life, history, and mission (Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

Souvenir items, books, and other publications are available.

Please write or call us for more information:

#203 Provincial Road, 1870 Antipolo City, Philippines Tel. 02-658-7505 / 06; 02-680-8699; fax 02-2840807 E-mail: olccphil@yahoo.com

Uniquely Paulinian

The Heritage Center

Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres

Philippine Province

#203 Provincial Road, 1870,

Antipolo City, Philippines