Organizers and participants pose for a group photo during the closing ceremony of the 4th BEC National Assembly in Davao City Nov. 14. BRENDA P. MILAN
By CBCP News November 14, 2019 Davao City
A huge gathering of Basic Ecclesial Communities workers
ended Thursday with a missionary mandate to work for justice and for the
safeguarding of creation.
Bishop Jose Cabantan of Malaybalay spoke about the Gospel
and justice at the closing Mass for the 4th BEC National Assembly in Davao
City.
“We are called to proclaim God’s kingdom in justice and
love,” he said in his homily. “Also, we are called to share this Gospel to
different sectors of our community.”
But to be able to minister effectively, the head of the
bishops’ Committee on BECs said that all these spiritualities must be rooted “in
our Christian spirituality”.
“All our lives, our minds, our hearts should always be
rooted in Christ in order to proclaim the Good News that the Lord has entrusted
to us,” he said.
More than 700 participants from across the country attended
the four-day assembly, hosted this time by the Metropolitan Archdiocese of
Davao.
Bishop Cabantan particularly cited the need to share the
Gospel values to the indigenous peoples and the young Filipinos.
During the assembly, the partial result of a nationwide
survey on the BECs was presented to the participants.
Conducted by the De La Salle University Research Team, the
study focused on at least four areas: environment, goals, structure, resources
and culture.
Among the challenges determined in the study include the
competition of “denominations” in parishes and the “limited” participation of
the youth.
The gap between senior and youth members and the clamor to
form structures in appointing BEC leaders were also among the issues that need
to be addressed.
But despite the issues, the survey stressed that the BEC is
“alive and active” in promoting the mission of the Church.
“The presence of the Holy Spirit is active today among
BECs,” the survey stated.
Researchers also found out that BEC members strive to
integrate faith in daily life; there’s cooperation and openness between BEC and
barangay leaders; and there’s inherent social action programs and catechesis in
some BECs.
“This only proves that the challenge of Pope Francis to
bring a new evangelizing fervor to renew the Church is actively present in the
BECs in the Philippines,” they study added.
“End the culture of fear and silence; Uphold the human rights of free speech and redress of grievances!”
November 7, 2019
While more than 30 have been freed of the arrested 62
individuals who were either in the offices or are members of advocacy groups in
Bacolod City; still, we express our alarm of these unfortunate incidents that
aggravate the culture of fear and silence in our island of Negros.
There were reported irregularities in the said arrests. Only
one judge from Quezon City has issued numerous search warrants for the advocacy
groups’ offices in Luzon and the Visayas, which apparently prompted Chief
Justice Diosdado Peralta to remind “court judges to exercise prudence in
issuing warrants.”
It is also reported that the individuals and the media were
asked to step outside during the search; thus, there were no witnesses during
the search. After firearms were found in the areas being searched, all
occupants of the offices were arrested. The advocacy groups claimed that the
firearms were planted.
We, therefore, join the call for an impartial investigation
of these arrests, for due process and the rule of law to be upheld.
These advocacy groups that lead protests against what they
perceive as anti-people programs and policies, are incidentally “red-tagged” or
are accused to be sympathetic to the New People’s Army.
We are alarmed of these arrests of members of “red-tagged”
organizations since most of those summarily killed in the Negros island were
also red-tagged. A few months ago, we, the four bishops of the Negros island
have made a unified call to stop the killings in our island; to end the culture
of fear; and to work for integral and sustainable peace.
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church has
listed as a human right, “the right to assemble and form associations.”
Church’s teachings further indicate that the State or the government’s reason
for being is “the realization of the common good in the temporal order… It
has also the duty to protect the rights of all its people, and particularly of
its weaker members, the workers, women and children. (Mater et Magistra, 20)”
In this light, we reiterate our call to all concerned
institutions and organizations that we should all work to address the root
causes of the unpeace in our midst. A military solution is not the way to
peace.
The culture of fear and silence must end. Only Jesus’
commandment of loving God and our neighbor, especially the weakest in our
community, is the way to a just and lasting peace.
Most Rev. Gerardo A. Alminaza, D.D. Bishop of San Carlos
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Circular Letter to the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences Regarding the Writings and Activities of Mrs Vassula Rydén
From the Vatican, 25 January 2007
Your Eminence / Your Excellency,
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith continues to
receive requests for clarification in relation to the writings and activities
of Mrs Vassula Rydén. These requests address in particular the import of the
Notification of 6 October 1995, and the criteria to be considered by the local
Church in judging whether the writings of Mrs Vassula Rydén may appropriately
be disseminated.
In this regard, the Congregation wishes to state the
following:
1) The Notification of 1995 remains valid as a doctrinal
judgment of the writings examined.
2) Mrs Vassula Rydén, however, after dialogue with the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has offered clarifications on some
problematic points in her writings and on the nature of her messages which are
presented not as divine revelations, but rather as her personal meditations
(see Vassula Rydén: Letter of 26 June 2002, published in True Life in God, vol.
12, XXI-LI). From a normative point of view therefore, following the
aforementioned clarifications, a case by case prudential judgment is required
in view of the real possibility of the faithful being able to read the writings
in the light of the said clarifications.
3) Finally, it remains inappropriate for Catholics to take
part in prayer groups established by Mrs Rydén. Concerning the question of
ecumenical meetings, the faithful are to follow the norms of the Ecumenical
Directory, of the Code of Canon Law (canons: 215; 223, ‘ 2 and 383, ‘ 3) and of
Diocesan Ordinaries.
Thanking you for your attention and with sentiments of
esteem, I am
Yours sincerely in Christ, William Cardinal Levada Prefect Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Circular Letter to the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences Regarding the Writings and Activities of Mrs Vassula Rydén From the Vatican, 25 January 2007
NOTIFICATION*
Many Bishops, priests, religious and lay people have sought
an authoritative judgement from this Congregation on the activity of Mrs
Vassula Ryden, a Greek Orthodox residing in Switzerland, who in speech and in
writing is spreading in Catholic circles throughout the world messages
attributed to alleged heavenly revelations.
A calm, attentive examination of the entire question,
undertaken by this Congregation in order to “test the spirits to see
whether they are of God” (cf. 1 Jn 4:1), has brought out – in addition to
positive aspects – a number of basic elements that must be considered negative
in the light of Catholic doctrine.
In addition to pointing out the suspect nature of the ways
in which these alleged revelations have occurred, it is necessary to underscore
several doctrinal errors they contain.
Among other things, ambiguous language is used in speaking
of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, to the point of confusing the specific
names and functions of the Divine Persons. These alleged revelations predict an
imminent period when the Antichrist will prevail in the Church. In millenarian
style, it is prophesied that God is going to make a final, glorious
intervention which will initiate on earth, even before Christ’s definitive
coming, ah era of peace and universal prosperity. Furthermore, the proximate
arrival is foretold of a Church which would be a kind of pan-Christian
community, contrary to Catholic doctrine.
The fact that the aforementioned errors no longer appear in
Ryden’s later writings is a sign that the alleged “heavenly messages”
are merely the result of private meditations.
Moreover, by habitually sharing in the sacraments of the
Catholic Church, even though she is Greek Orthodox, Mrs Ryden is causing
considerable surprise in various circles of the Catholic Church. She appears to
be putting herself above all ecclesiastical jurisdiction and every canonical
norm, and in effect, is creating an ecumenical disorder that irritates many
authorities, ministers and faithful of her own Church, as she puts herself
outside the ecclesiastical discipline of the latter.
Given the negative effect of Vassula Ryden’s activities,
despite some positive aspects, this Congregation requests the intervention of
the Bishops so that their faithful may be suitably informed and that no
opportunity may be provided in their Dioceses for the dissemination of her
ideas. Lastly, the Congregation invites all the faithful not to regard Mrs
Vassula Ryden’s writings and speeches as supernatural and to preserve the
purity of the faith that the Lord has entrusted to the Church.
Vatican City, 6 October 1995.
Joseph Card. Ratzinger Prefect
Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B. Archbishop Emeritus of Vercelli Secretary
* L’Osservatore Romano, English Edition, N. 43, 25 October 1995, Page 12.
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