January 12, 2018
Dear friends in youth ministry,
Greetings of unity in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Every January 18-25, the universal Church observes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. For the Church in the Philippines, the month of January is observed by the whole country as National Bible Month, with National Bible Week on the 22nd to the 28th culminating with National Bible Sunday on the 28th.
May we therefore enjoin you and your youth ministries to join this year’s observances, possibly linking these two related themes and cooperating with related ecclesial offices and other entities, for our shared pilgrimage towards unity can only be undertaken fully if we all are rooted in and guided by the Word made flesh, our Lord Jesus.
Attached is a list of celebrations from the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs. In addition, you will find in this link resources jointly prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches–
http://www.vatican.va/roman_ curia/pontifical_councils/ chrstuni/weeks-prayer-doc/rc_ pc_chrstuni_doc_20170613_week- prayer-2018_en.html
On the National Bible Month, resources are available here–
CBCP-Episcopal Commission on the Biblical Apostolate–http://www.ecba- cbcp.com/
Philippine Bible Society–http://www.bible.org. ph/nationalbiblemonth/
We trust that you will make use of these resources, as well as share them to your own networks and circles of influence.
May our youth ministries contribute positively to the ecumenical movement as we offer to our young people the one Word Who will never fail them–Jesus our Lord, Whom we get to know more deeply in the Sacred Scriptures.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Fr. CONEGUNDO B. GARGANTA
Executive Secretary
P.S. May we seek your prayers for the final selection of our country representatives this January 16 to the Pre-Synodal Meeting this March in Rome. Thank you!
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission On Youth
2018 WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power (Ex. 15:6)
SCHEDULE OF ECUMENICAL ACTIVITIES
| DATE/TIME | ECUMENICAL ACTIVITIES | HOST/VENUE ADDRESS |
| January 13, 2018
Saturday 1:00PM-5:00PM |
Youth Café
|
Focolare Center 4800 Valenzuela St., Sta. Mesa, Manila c/o Kalipunan ng Kristiyanong Kabataan sa Pilipinas (KKKP) and Focolare Youth |
| January 15, 2018
Monday 7:00AM
5:00PM |
Ecumenical Breakfast Fellowship/Forum of Church Leaders (attendance by official invitation)
Ecumenical Liturgical Service |
Obispo Maximo Complex Iglesia Filipina Independiente 1500 Taft Avenue Manila (at the back of the IFI Cathedral of the Holy Child)
Iglesia Unida Ekyumenical 634 Moriones Street Tondo, Manila |
| January 16, 2018 Tuesday 7:00PM
|
Ecumenical Liturgical Service |
Immaculate Hear of Mary Parish Church Mahinhin St. corner Mayumi St., U.P. Village, Diliman, QC |
| January 17, 2018
Wednesday 5:00PM
|
Ecumenical Liturgical Service |
Valenzuela United Methodist Church 16 Bezotte Street, Karuhatan Valenzuela City |
| January 18, 2018
Thursday 10:00AM
7:30PM |
Ecumenical Liturgical Service
Youth-led Ecumenical Liturgical Service |
St. Mary Magdalene Parish Church Iglesia Filipina Independiente Pililia, Rizal (c/o REM)
Good Shepherd Parish Church, Dona Manuela Subdivision Las Pinas City |
| January 19, 2018
Friday 5:00PM
|
Ecumenical Liturgical Service |
Parish of the Holy Child (IFI) P. Burgos Street Marikina City |
| January 20, 2018
Saturday
3:00PM
5:00PM
7:00PM |
Ecumenical Culminating Activity
– Tour of St. Louis University Campus and Exhibit of History of Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariee (CICM)
-Ecumenical Liturgical Service at the University Chapel
-Ecumenical Cultural Presentation at the University Covered Court |
St. Louis University Bonifacio Street, Baguio City |
