BAG-O NGA PANUGOD
Rehabilitation Update
Natapos na ang pagpanghatag sang materyales sa onse (11) ka mga barangay sa ciento sinquenta y ciete (157) ka pamilya nga “totally damaged”. Bahin pa ini sang mga panimalay nga nahalitan sang bagyo “Frank”.
Ang Chapel sang Barangay Lourdes isa man sa naguba sang bagyo “Frank”. Ang gastos para sa materyales pagakuhaon sap undo sang Bag-o nga Panugod. Ag mga pumuluyo nagabuligay dagyaw para matukod liwat ang chapel. Ini ginapamunuan sang ila Brgy. Kapitan nga si Jessie Casumpang kag sang iya mga kagawad, upod sa ila mapisan nga barangay coordinator. Kabay mabalay liwat ini nga chapel, agud matipunan sang mga tumuluo sa amo nga barangay bilang isa ka pamilya nga may paghiliusa, pagbinuligay, paghiliugyon kag paghigugma sa isa kag isa.
Ang aton rehabilitation committee nagpaninguha gid para matigayon ini nga mga hilikuton sa pagpamuno sang aton mapisan nga Rehabilitation Coordinator Ms. Emma Victoria kag ang priest in-charge Rev. Fr. Andy Esperancilla.
Liwat nga ginapasalamatan sang Kura Paroko sini nga parokya ang mga may buluwanon sing tagipusuon nga naghatag sang ila bulig kag pagsuporta.
Friday, January 23, 2009
“Pagbag-o ni San Pablo sa tagsa-tagsa: Panghangkat sang Kaliwatan”
“Pagbag-o ni San Pablo sa tagsa-tagsa:
Panghangkat sang Kaliwatan”
Ano ayhan ang aton reaksyon kun sa aton paglagaw sa SM City ukon sa Robinsons upod sang aton barkada, isa ka desente kag ka-edad naton nga pamatan-on ang nagpalapit kag naghambal sang matunog sa aton atubangan, “Nag-abot na ang tion nga gintagna sang mga propeta sang una. Ang paghari sang Diyos malapit na gid. Gani maghinulsol kamo sa inyo mga sala kag magtuo sa Maayong Balita!” Ang laban nga reaksyon naton siguro amo ang mag-utoy-utoy sang kadlaw sa kaham-ot, pwede man nga talikuran naton lamang siya nga daw wala lang kita sang labot. Ano pa gid ayhan ang aton reaksyon kun ang ini nga hitabo masulit samtang kita nagakasadsad sa dalanun sang siyudad sa pagselebrar sang Dinagyang, ukon samtang nagatambay kag nagatagay kita upod sang tropa sa Smallville?
Nagsulod ining mga sitwasyon sa akon pensar samtang nagapamalandong ako nahanungod sa mensahe sang ebanghelyo naton subong nga Domingo. Ang Gino-o nagsiling sa tanan nga nagtambong sa iya pagwali, “Nag-abot na ang tion nga gintagna sang mga propeta sang una. Ang paghari sang Diyos malapit na gid. Gani maghinulsol kamo sa inyo mga sala kag magtuo sa Maayong Balita!” Sadto nga panahon, madamo ang natublag kag nagtuo. Mahapos para sa mga katawhan sang Galilea sadto nga panahon nga magpati kay si Kristo mismo ang naghambal sini nga mga tinaga. Indi man liwan nga bisan si Kristo na mismo ang naghambal sini, may iban man nga nag-utoy-utoy kadlaw sa iya, nagtalikod kag naghuring-huring nga siya buang-buang. Gani, indi gid ako magtingala nga-a amo ini ang posible naton nga reaksyon kun ang mga hitabo nga ginsaysay ko matabo sa aton sa sining kaliwatan sang kagamo kag kabudlay dala sang pagduwaduwa kag kahadlok. Para sa aton sa sining kaliwatan, labi na gid ang mga pamatan-on, ang ini nga pagpanghangkat wala na-angot sa konteksto sang aton kalibutan; daw isa ini ka makahalam-ot ukon imposible nga pagpanghangkat; kag kun sin-o man ang nakakita sa sining pag ganyat sa “paghinulsol” ukon “pagbag-o” ginatamay nga isa ka buangit. Sa aton pagpadayun sang sining sala nga pagtan-aw, amat-amat nga nagakadula ang pagkilala kag pagbaton sang presensya sang Ginoo sa aton pangabuhi.
Sa sining kahimtangan, mas nagakinahanglan kita sang isa ka propeta nga magatuytuy sa aton padulong kay Kristo. Sa aton pagselebrar sang kapiyestahan sang Pagbag-o ni San Pablo sini nga Domingo, aton pamalandungan ang kaangtanan sang pagpanghangkat sang ebanghelyo sa aton. Si San Pablo nagkabuhi sa isa ka kaliwatan sang kagamo kag kabudlay, madamo nga mga Kristiyano sadto anay iya ginpatay bangud sa ila pagtuo. Pero, sa tunga sini tanan, wala sila nagpangduwaduwa ukon nagkahadlok nga ipabutyag ang ila pagtuo sa kay Kristo – bisan pa ini katumbas sang ila kabuhi. Padayun sila nga nagpangamuyo bilang isa ka katilingban para sa pagbag-o. Kag ini nga dako nga pagbag-o gindala sang Pagbag-o ni San Pablo, kay siya nga sang una nagpangduwaduwa, subong, amo na ang nagdala sang kamatuoran, sang Maayong Balita sa mga kapungsuran.
Indi liwan nga amo ini ang aton kinahanglan sa pag-atubang sang pagpanghangkat sang kalibutan: ang pagpanghangkat sang matuod-tuod kag madalum nga pagbag-o; pagbag-o nga magadala sang Maayong Balita, indi lamang sa mga hentil, kung indi, sa mismo naton nga mga katilingban, sa aton pamilya, sa aton mga barkada, sa aton mga ka-eskwela ukon kaupod sa trabaho; indi na sa iban nga mga kapungsuran, kung indi, sa mismo nga mga lugar nga kita gatilipon sa mga ordinaryo nga mga tini-on.
Sa aton kaliwatan, dapat naton amat-amat batunon ang ining panghangkat nga maghinulso kag magbag-o agud nga ang Maayong Balita lubos nga makita sa aton adlaw-adlaw nga pagpangabuhi. Kag sa aton pagsalubong sang bag-o nga kaliwatan sang mga Kristiyano, matuod, nga ang kalipayan sang langit yari na sa aton kalibutan.
Gani ang Ginoo – sa tagsa-tagsa - liwat nagahangkat sa aton tanan, “Nag-abot na ang tion nga gintagna sang mga propeta sang una. Ang paghari sang Diyos malapit na gid. Gani maghinulsol kamo sa inyo mga sala kag magtuo sa Maayong Balita!”
by Joseph Sylvester Evidente Pampliega
cellphone no.: 0916-7911-959)
Panghangkat sang Kaliwatan”
Ano ayhan ang aton reaksyon kun sa aton paglagaw sa SM City ukon sa Robinsons upod sang aton barkada, isa ka desente kag ka-edad naton nga pamatan-on ang nagpalapit kag naghambal sang matunog sa aton atubangan, “Nag-abot na ang tion nga gintagna sang mga propeta sang una. Ang paghari sang Diyos malapit na gid. Gani maghinulsol kamo sa inyo mga sala kag magtuo sa Maayong Balita!” Ang laban nga reaksyon naton siguro amo ang mag-utoy-utoy sang kadlaw sa kaham-ot, pwede man nga talikuran naton lamang siya nga daw wala lang kita sang labot. Ano pa gid ayhan ang aton reaksyon kun ang ini nga hitabo masulit samtang kita nagakasadsad sa dalanun sang siyudad sa pagselebrar sang Dinagyang, ukon samtang nagatambay kag nagatagay kita upod sang tropa sa Smallville?
Nagsulod ining mga sitwasyon sa akon pensar samtang nagapamalandong ako nahanungod sa mensahe sang ebanghelyo naton subong nga Domingo. Ang Gino-o nagsiling sa tanan nga nagtambong sa iya pagwali, “Nag-abot na ang tion nga gintagna sang mga propeta sang una. Ang paghari sang Diyos malapit na gid. Gani maghinulsol kamo sa inyo mga sala kag magtuo sa Maayong Balita!” Sadto nga panahon, madamo ang natublag kag nagtuo. Mahapos para sa mga katawhan sang Galilea sadto nga panahon nga magpati kay si Kristo mismo ang naghambal sini nga mga tinaga. Indi man liwan nga bisan si Kristo na mismo ang naghambal sini, may iban man nga nag-utoy-utoy kadlaw sa iya, nagtalikod kag naghuring-huring nga siya buang-buang. Gani, indi gid ako magtingala nga-a amo ini ang posible naton nga reaksyon kun ang mga hitabo nga ginsaysay ko matabo sa aton sa sining kaliwatan sang kagamo kag kabudlay dala sang pagduwaduwa kag kahadlok. Para sa aton sa sining kaliwatan, labi na gid ang mga pamatan-on, ang ini nga pagpanghangkat wala na-angot sa konteksto sang aton kalibutan; daw isa ini ka makahalam-ot ukon imposible nga pagpanghangkat; kag kun sin-o man ang nakakita sa sining pag ganyat sa “paghinulsol” ukon “pagbag-o” ginatamay nga isa ka buangit. Sa aton pagpadayun sang sining sala nga pagtan-aw, amat-amat nga nagakadula ang pagkilala kag pagbaton sang presensya sang Ginoo sa aton pangabuhi.
Sa sining kahimtangan, mas nagakinahanglan kita sang isa ka propeta nga magatuytuy sa aton padulong kay Kristo. Sa aton pagselebrar sang kapiyestahan sang Pagbag-o ni San Pablo sini nga Domingo, aton pamalandungan ang kaangtanan sang pagpanghangkat sang ebanghelyo sa aton. Si San Pablo nagkabuhi sa isa ka kaliwatan sang kagamo kag kabudlay, madamo nga mga Kristiyano sadto anay iya ginpatay bangud sa ila pagtuo. Pero, sa tunga sini tanan, wala sila nagpangduwaduwa ukon nagkahadlok nga ipabutyag ang ila pagtuo sa kay Kristo – bisan pa ini katumbas sang ila kabuhi. Padayun sila nga nagpangamuyo bilang isa ka katilingban para sa pagbag-o. Kag ini nga dako nga pagbag-o gindala sang Pagbag-o ni San Pablo, kay siya nga sang una nagpangduwaduwa, subong, amo na ang nagdala sang kamatuoran, sang Maayong Balita sa mga kapungsuran.
Indi liwan nga amo ini ang aton kinahanglan sa pag-atubang sang pagpanghangkat sang kalibutan: ang pagpanghangkat sang matuod-tuod kag madalum nga pagbag-o; pagbag-o nga magadala sang Maayong Balita, indi lamang sa mga hentil, kung indi, sa mismo naton nga mga katilingban, sa aton pamilya, sa aton mga barkada, sa aton mga ka-eskwela ukon kaupod sa trabaho; indi na sa iban nga mga kapungsuran, kung indi, sa mismo nga mga lugar nga kita gatilipon sa mga ordinaryo nga mga tini-on.
Sa aton kaliwatan, dapat naton amat-amat batunon ang ining panghangkat nga maghinulso kag magbag-o agud nga ang Maayong Balita lubos nga makita sa aton adlaw-adlaw nga pagpangabuhi. Kag sa aton pagsalubong sang bag-o nga kaliwatan sang mga Kristiyano, matuod, nga ang kalipayan sang langit yari na sa aton kalibutan.
Gani ang Ginoo – sa tagsa-tagsa - liwat nagahangkat sa aton tanan, “Nag-abot na ang tion nga gintagna sang mga propeta sang una. Ang paghari sang Diyos malapit na gid. Gani maghinulsol kamo sa inyo mga sala kag magtuo sa Maayong Balita!”
by Joseph Sylvester Evidente Pampliega
cellphone no.: 0916-7911-959)
Children carrying guns in Basilan
Children carrying guns in Basilan
From CBCP Online
Rev. Fr. Philip Vincent S. Sinco
MANILA, January 22, 2009—Children as young as twelve years old are now carrying guns in war-torned province of Basilan to defend themselves against lawless elements.
Isabela Bishop Martin Jumoad said primary school age children have started arming themselves due to the escalation of hostilities in Mindanao.
He said that the problem of the young children and guns is “significantly worse”.
“They are as young as Grade 6 pupils,” Jumoad told the CBCPNews Thursday.
The religious leader is very worried about the situation, adding that he already called on the parents to stop arming their children but nothing happened so far.
“It’s not good because we are already teaching people to kill one another... we do not teach the value of life and that should not be the case,” he said.
“We have to inculcate in our children and in our people that life is precious and no one has the power to take life except God,” Jumoad added.
The bishop of the predominantly Islamic region said the youth, even Christians, have started arming themselves after the fighting between the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front erupted last November.
He said that young people witnessed that the military could not guarantee their security “so they resort to that kind of situation.”
“They still prefer arming themselves because there are so many lawless elements this time,” Jumoad said.
There’s a nice poem written by Dorothy Law Nolte. It’s called “Children learn what they live”. I’d like to borrow some thoughts from this compelling literary work (and I added my own insights) to complement the very sad reality that is happening in the Philippine society nowadays, particularly in Mindanao: “If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn... If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight...If a child lives with fear; he learns to be apprehensive...If a child lives in a war-stricken place, he learns to be violent...If a child lives in armaments, handguns, pistols, rifles and the likes, he learns to survive by killing” I don’t have to articulate further the implications because the news can speak for itself. Everything good or bad starts from the basic and we know for sure that the family has a crucial role in this moral dilemma. Be disturbed. Be very disturbed.
From CBCP Online
Rev. Fr. Philip Vincent S. Sinco
MANILA, January 22, 2009—Children as young as twelve years old are now carrying guns in war-torned province of Basilan to defend themselves against lawless elements.
Isabela Bishop Martin Jumoad said primary school age children have started arming themselves due to the escalation of hostilities in Mindanao.
He said that the problem of the young children and guns is “significantly worse”.
“They are as young as Grade 6 pupils,” Jumoad told the CBCPNews Thursday.
The religious leader is very worried about the situation, adding that he already called on the parents to stop arming their children but nothing happened so far.
“It’s not good because we are already teaching people to kill one another... we do not teach the value of life and that should not be the case,” he said.
“We have to inculcate in our children and in our people that life is precious and no one has the power to take life except God,” Jumoad added.
The bishop of the predominantly Islamic region said the youth, even Christians, have started arming themselves after the fighting between the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front erupted last November.
He said that young people witnessed that the military could not guarantee their security “so they resort to that kind of situation.”
“They still prefer arming themselves because there are so many lawless elements this time,” Jumoad said.
There’s a nice poem written by Dorothy Law Nolte. It’s called “Children learn what they live”. I’d like to borrow some thoughts from this compelling literary work (and I added my own insights) to complement the very sad reality that is happening in the Philippine society nowadays, particularly in Mindanao: “If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn... If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight...If a child lives with fear; he learns to be apprehensive...If a child lives in a war-stricken place, he learns to be violent...If a child lives in armaments, handguns, pistols, rifles and the likes, he learns to survive by killing” I don’t have to articulate further the implications because the news can speak for itself. Everything good or bad starts from the basic and we know for sure that the family has a crucial role in this moral dilemma. Be disturbed. Be very disturbed.
Throw the Dice
Throw the Dice
by Francine Caram
Life is as sweet as the timbre of one’s first horse-back ride, simply hysterical. You don’t know where your horse will take you, sometimes we aren’t able to control it or want to forfeit, but we come to realize we’ve gone far, too far to turn back.
The longer we ride, the easier it is for us to get a hang of it. Hold it’s rope light, for it shall stop, because the only emperor that can control one’s life is the person himself. It’s difficult to reminisce how far one has gone and vague to determine how far he’ll have to go.
There are times when hardship would you fall, but then it’s up to you if you’d want to get on it again. The past isn’t simply a mile gone to waste, for in this journey life’s faithful hooves leave a mark every inch of our journey.
Most of us seek for perfection, for wanted success, but then it’s about time we realize that success isn’t a destination, rather an invisible path.
We are the artists of our life, and to journey the paint brush is destined for mankind. We may go fast or choose to travel slow, but the path that lays underneath the sun remains a mystery. One’s perseverance can never be determined until the time it is put to the test. Keep going, for you can never tell if this would be your last ride, so throw the dice, for life’s a gamble. Take a bet!
by Francine Caram
Life is as sweet as the timbre of one’s first horse-back ride, simply hysterical. You don’t know where your horse will take you, sometimes we aren’t able to control it or want to forfeit, but we come to realize we’ve gone far, too far to turn back.
The longer we ride, the easier it is for us to get a hang of it. Hold it’s rope light, for it shall stop, because the only emperor that can control one’s life is the person himself. It’s difficult to reminisce how far one has gone and vague to determine how far he’ll have to go.
There are times when hardship would you fall, but then it’s up to you if you’d want to get on it again. The past isn’t simply a mile gone to waste, for in this journey life’s faithful hooves leave a mark every inch of our journey.
Most of us seek for perfection, for wanted success, but then it’s about time we realize that success isn’t a destination, rather an invisible path.
We are the artists of our life, and to journey the paint brush is destined for mankind. We may go fast or choose to travel slow, but the path that lays underneath the sun remains a mystery. One’s perseverance can never be determined until the time it is put to the test. Keep going, for you can never tell if this would be your last ride, so throw the dice, for life’s a gamble. Take a bet!
Pope: Shrine Is Key to Europe's Christian Identity
Pope: Shrine Is Key to Europe's Christian Identity
From www.zenit .org
Mary's Greatness Is in Her Availability to All
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 22, 2009 - Benedict XVI gave an improvised discourse on the Virgin Mary, in gratitude for receiving honorary citizenship of Mariazell, home of one of the most important Marian shrines in Europe.
This distinction was conferred on the Pope after Wednesday's general audience. Mariazell is the site of the Basilica of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which houses a statue of Our Lady believed to be miraculous. For centuries, the town has been one of Europe's principal pilgrimage sites. Today, some 1 million pilgrims visit it annually.
The Holy Father spoke in German about being joyful "at being a citizen of Mariazell and at being able to live so close to the Mother of God" and he spoke to the others about Mary's role as "promoter of unity" between men.
The Pontiff last visited the shrine in September 2007, and he noted that "according to human foresight, in this life I will not be able to return to making a pilgrimage there physically, but now I live there truly and in this sense I am always present."
He recalled two previous visits to the shrine, and he told some stories that he lived through with the bishop and the rector, especially during his last visit in which they were surprised by a torrential rain.
European identity
Benedict XVI also affirmed the importance that this shrine has had on European history.
"Mariazell is much more than a place!” he said. It also represents "the living history of a pilgrimage of faith and prayer down the centuries."
Yet, he added: "It is not only the prayers and invocations of men that are present, but rather a real answer is also present.
"We feel that the answer exists, that we do not extend a hand toward something unknown, that God exists, and that, through his mother, he wants to remain particularly close to us.
"For this reason I am happy to be at home in my heart and now, so to say, also by law, in Mariazell."
The Holy Father noted that Mariazell expresses all that Europe has been able to build. He affirmed that Mariazell is that "from which proceeds all that today forms [Europe's] identity, and through which Europe would always be able to return anew to be what it is: through the encounter with the Lord, to whom his mother guides us."
True greatness
The Pope recalled that the Virgin of Mariazell has received important titles throughout history, like "great mother" of Austria and of the Slavic towns, in this sanctuary visited by thousands of people during the centuries, until Mariazell was even considered the spiritual center of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
However, he added, the Virgin shows us that greatness does not arise from the quality of being unattainable.
He explained that Mary's "greatness is evident precisely in the fact that she addresses herself to the smallest, that she is present for them, that we can turn to her at any moment without having to pay an entrance fee, just with our hearts."
This greatness has nothing to do with "exterior majesty," the Pontiff continued, but rather with "goodness of heart that offers to all the experience of what it means to be together."
"In the trips that I make through the fields of memory," he said, "I always make a stop in Mariazell, precisely because I feel that there the Mother goes out to meet us and reunites us to all."
Mary has always been an exemplar and instrument of Christian unity all over the world. The growing devotion in her honor has drawn millions of people not just to ask favour through her intercession but to experience what it’s like to be a community of believers, united in prayer, with a fervent hope that God will continue to bestow His generosity of Spirit to the wounded humanity. The affirmations mentioned by Pope Benedict XVI is a constant reminder for us to always keep ourselves closer to the abiding love and protection of Our Mother, who served as a humble servant in bringing into the world the promise of salvation which God has offered to us all. Ad Jesum per Mariam! (To Jesus through Mary!)
Rev. Fr. Philip Vincent S. Sinco
From www.zenit .org
Mary's Greatness Is in Her Availability to All
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 22, 2009 - Benedict XVI gave an improvised discourse on the Virgin Mary, in gratitude for receiving honorary citizenship of Mariazell, home of one of the most important Marian shrines in Europe.
This distinction was conferred on the Pope after Wednesday's general audience. Mariazell is the site of the Basilica of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which houses a statue of Our Lady believed to be miraculous. For centuries, the town has been one of Europe's principal pilgrimage sites. Today, some 1 million pilgrims visit it annually.
The Holy Father spoke in German about being joyful "at being a citizen of Mariazell and at being able to live so close to the Mother of God" and he spoke to the others about Mary's role as "promoter of unity" between men.
The Pontiff last visited the shrine in September 2007, and he noted that "according to human foresight, in this life I will not be able to return to making a pilgrimage there physically, but now I live there truly and in this sense I am always present."
He recalled two previous visits to the shrine, and he told some stories that he lived through with the bishop and the rector, especially during his last visit in which they were surprised by a torrential rain.
European identity
Benedict XVI also affirmed the importance that this shrine has had on European history.
"Mariazell is much more than a place!” he said. It also represents "the living history of a pilgrimage of faith and prayer down the centuries."
Yet, he added: "It is not only the prayers and invocations of men that are present, but rather a real answer is also present.
"We feel that the answer exists, that we do not extend a hand toward something unknown, that God exists, and that, through his mother, he wants to remain particularly close to us.
"For this reason I am happy to be at home in my heart and now, so to say, also by law, in Mariazell."
The Holy Father noted that Mariazell expresses all that Europe has been able to build. He affirmed that Mariazell is that "from which proceeds all that today forms [Europe's] identity, and through which Europe would always be able to return anew to be what it is: through the encounter with the Lord, to whom his mother guides us."
True greatness
The Pope recalled that the Virgin of Mariazell has received important titles throughout history, like "great mother" of Austria and of the Slavic towns, in this sanctuary visited by thousands of people during the centuries, until Mariazell was even considered the spiritual center of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
However, he added, the Virgin shows us that greatness does not arise from the quality of being unattainable.
He explained that Mary's "greatness is evident precisely in the fact that she addresses herself to the smallest, that she is present for them, that we can turn to her at any moment without having to pay an entrance fee, just with our hearts."
This greatness has nothing to do with "exterior majesty," the Pontiff continued, but rather with "goodness of heart that offers to all the experience of what it means to be together."
"In the trips that I make through the fields of memory," he said, "I always make a stop in Mariazell, precisely because I feel that there the Mother goes out to meet us and reunites us to all."
Mary has always been an exemplar and instrument of Christian unity all over the world. The growing devotion in her honor has drawn millions of people not just to ask favour through her intercession but to experience what it’s like to be a community of believers, united in prayer, with a fervent hope that God will continue to bestow His generosity of Spirit to the wounded humanity. The affirmations mentioned by Pope Benedict XVI is a constant reminder for us to always keep ourselves closer to the abiding love and protection of Our Mother, who served as a humble servant in bringing into the world the promise of salvation which God has offered to us all. Ad Jesum per Mariam! (To Jesus through Mary!)
Rev. Fr. Philip Vincent S. Sinco
Headline - Renewed Christian Communities
Renewed Christian Communities:
Sources of Faith, Hope, and Love at the Grassroots
(Last Part of the Three-Part Series)
FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE AT THE GRASSROOTS.
The sub-title of this short reflection speaks of the BECs as “Sources of Faith, Hope, and Love.” Set in the context of a holistic approach to Christian life and “integral evangelization,” the BECs are most effective in making Faith, Hope, and Love concrete through lived experiences. Faith becomes more than an intellectual assent to doctrines or Church teaching; BECs promote “performative faith” which imitates Christ in all daily activities. Hope is not some distant dream; because of the relationships that BECs build, people are secure in knowing that their neighbors in faith truly care about them. Love is more than an emotion or fleeting feeling; BECs make love incarnate and visible, especially since the BECs are animated by Christ’s love. Caritas Christi urget nos; the love of Christ urges us on (2Cor. 5:14).
Very recently the Church held the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome (October 2008); it was focused on the Word of God. Filipino Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, former CBCP President, spoke about the BECs in his intervention. Quevedo noted: “But the Word of God in Asia is calling to the Father in the Holy Spirit thousands of small communities of the poor. And the poor in turn are heeding God’s Word. In so doing they are building a ‘new way of being Church’—really an old way—the way of the early Jerusalem community (see Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35). Guided by their ordained pastors and trained lay leaders and collaborators, grassroots people gather every week in chapels and households to celebrate a Service of the Word.”
Archbishop Quevedo continued: “They listen to the Word of God, reflect on the Word, pray over the Word, and discern together how to apply the Word to their daily lives. They receive Jesus in the Eucharist from trained lay extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. For them the Word of God is faith-empowering, urging them to participate actively within the Church and in social transformation. They are Basic Ecclesial Communities, renewing families, parishes and dioceses into vibrant communities, witnessing to the Word of God, quite often in a hostile multi-religious environment. They are communities of solidarity and fellowship at the grassroots….”
The BEC vision that Quevedo presented at the Synod of Bishops in Rome is identical with the goal espoused by most dioceses in the Philippines: Church Renewal through BECs. This mission elicits our complete commitment and active involvement. It envisions a nation—and a Church—renewed, as enunciated by PCP-II in 1991 (PCP-II: CD 253-255):
“This is our vision. That all may have life (mabigyan ng buhay). We shall have to create a free nation: where human dignity and solidarity are respected and promoted; where moral principles prevail in socio-economic life and structures; where justice, love, and solidarity are the inner driving forces of development.
“We shall have to build a sovereign nation: where every tribe and faith are respected; where diverse tongues and traditions work together for the good of all; where membership is a call to participation and involvement and leadership a summons to generous service.
“Ours will have to be a people: in harmony with one another through unity in diversity; in harmony with creation, and in harmony with God. Ours shall be a civilization of life and love.”
_____________________________
James H. Kroeger, M.M., missioned in Asia (Philippines and Bangladesh) since 1970, serves as professor of systematic theology, missiology, and Islamics at the Jesuit Loyola School of Theology in Manila. His most recently published books are Once Upon a Time in Asia: Stories of Harmony and Peace (2006) and Theology from the Heart of Asia: I-II (2008) [Manila: Claretian Publications].
Sources of Faith, Hope, and Love at the Grassroots
(Last Part of the Three-Part Series)
FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE AT THE GRASSROOTS.
The sub-title of this short reflection speaks of the BECs as “Sources of Faith, Hope, and Love.” Set in the context of a holistic approach to Christian life and “integral evangelization,” the BECs are most effective in making Faith, Hope, and Love concrete through lived experiences. Faith becomes more than an intellectual assent to doctrines or Church teaching; BECs promote “performative faith” which imitates Christ in all daily activities. Hope is not some distant dream; because of the relationships that BECs build, people are secure in knowing that their neighbors in faith truly care about them. Love is more than an emotion or fleeting feeling; BECs make love incarnate and visible, especially since the BECs are animated by Christ’s love. Caritas Christi urget nos; the love of Christ urges us on (2Cor. 5:14).
Very recently the Church held the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome (October 2008); it was focused on the Word of God. Filipino Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, former CBCP President, spoke about the BECs in his intervention. Quevedo noted: “But the Word of God in Asia is calling to the Father in the Holy Spirit thousands of small communities of the poor. And the poor in turn are heeding God’s Word. In so doing they are building a ‘new way of being Church’—really an old way—the way of the early Jerusalem community (see Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35). Guided by their ordained pastors and trained lay leaders and collaborators, grassroots people gather every week in chapels and households to celebrate a Service of the Word.”
Archbishop Quevedo continued: “They listen to the Word of God, reflect on the Word, pray over the Word, and discern together how to apply the Word to their daily lives. They receive Jesus in the Eucharist from trained lay extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. For them the Word of God is faith-empowering, urging them to participate actively within the Church and in social transformation. They are Basic Ecclesial Communities, renewing families, parishes and dioceses into vibrant communities, witnessing to the Word of God, quite often in a hostile multi-religious environment. They are communities of solidarity and fellowship at the grassroots….”
The BEC vision that Quevedo presented at the Synod of Bishops in Rome is identical with the goal espoused by most dioceses in the Philippines: Church Renewal through BECs. This mission elicits our complete commitment and active involvement. It envisions a nation—and a Church—renewed, as enunciated by PCP-II in 1991 (PCP-II: CD 253-255):
“This is our vision. That all may have life (mabigyan ng buhay). We shall have to create a free nation: where human dignity and solidarity are respected and promoted; where moral principles prevail in socio-economic life and structures; where justice, love, and solidarity are the inner driving forces of development.
“We shall have to build a sovereign nation: where every tribe and faith are respected; where diverse tongues and traditions work together for the good of all; where membership is a call to participation and involvement and leadership a summons to generous service.
“Ours will have to be a people: in harmony with one another through unity in diversity; in harmony with creation, and in harmony with God. Ours shall be a civilization of life and love.”
_____________________________
James H. Kroeger, M.M., missioned in Asia (Philippines and Bangladesh) since 1970, serves as professor of systematic theology, missiology, and Islamics at the Jesuit Loyola School of Theology in Manila. His most recently published books are Once Upon a Time in Asia: Stories of Harmony and Peace (2006) and Theology from the Heart of Asia: I-II (2008) [Manila: Claretian Publications].
Parish Announcement
1. Help build a strong Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC). Join and support the project of Our Lady of Candles Multi-Purpose Cooperative. We are now in full swing of its operation. This Cooperative was mobilized to provide employment or livelihood opportunities to our brothers and sisters who have less in life but willing to work for a livelihood. The on-going project is candle making specifically the “PERDON” being sold every year, during the feast day of Our Lady of Candles.
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