Category: Documents

Week 12 – March 17-23, 2019: Sub-Topic 12: Building a Church that is truly a faith-community immersed in the lives of her people

During the celebration of the “Year of the Parish as a Communion of Communities,” the Philippines Bishops note that “we are challenged to more deeply discern not only the structures of governance of our dioceses and parishes but also of the quality of faith life in the parish, the fellowship, belongingness, and participation experienced by its members.” We must constantly focus on “the building of a parish that is truly a faith community immersed in the lives of its people.”

In the Philippines, the vision of the Church as communion is today “finding expression in one ecclesial movement that is the movement to foster Basic Ecclesial Communities” (PCP-II 137). “Usually emerging at the grassroots, Basic Ecclesial Communities consciously strive to integrate their faith and their daily life. They are guided and encouraged by regular catechesis. Poverty and their faith urge their members towards solidarity with one another, action for justice, and towards a vibrant celebration of life in the liturgy” (PCP-II 139). We ask: “How can we all work at renewing our parish communities to better manifest Christ”?

One concrete way of fostering community in our parishes is to turn to our Mother, the Blessed Virgin. Year 2017 was the centennial year of the apparition of Our Lady to three children in Fatima. Our Bishops asserted that “the message of Fatima still rings clearly and strongly for us. If we dream of Church renewal, let us return to prayer, let us receive her Son in Holy Communion and let us offer reparation for our sin.” By these means, we can “pursue the dream to make every parish community a family of families and a communion of communities.”

Word of God

First Reading:                        GN 15:5-12, 17-18

The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness (V 5-6).

Res. Ps.:           PS 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14.

Your presence, O LORD, I seek. Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off (V 8-9).

Second Reading:        PHIL 3:17—4:1

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ (V 17-18).

Gospel:            LK 9:28B-36

As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying (V 33).

Values/Attitude
Mission           Solidarity        Communion
Other-centered         Steward          United

Doctrine
God created the world for the sake of communion with his divine life, a communion brought about by the “convocation” of men in Christ, and this “convocation” is the Church (CCC 760).

Moral
PCP II calls for renewal as a “Church of the Poor” (cf. PCP II 125-36), courageously addressing the causes and conditions of poverty and social injustice (cf. PCP II 165, 247-49, 256-61, 290-329).

Worship
The Church is the People that God gathers in the whole world. She exists in local communities and is made real as a liturgical, above all a Eucharistic, assembly. She draws her life from the word and the Body of Christ and so herself becomes Christ’s Body (CCC 752). Prayer and an active sacramental life are the necessary means not only for clarifying the Christian vision, but especially for motivating responsible moral decisions and acts. (CFC 844).

My Dear Brother Bishops, Priests and Social Action Staff:

Greetings of the Risen Lord! 

On a personal note, I would like to share with you our 2019 Election Guide. Our voters need our accompaniment; many of them need our guidance and instruction on whom to vote, especially in the national level at this time.

While every vote is sacred and personal, consciousness should always be directed towards common good hence, in this extraordinary time, we feel that we need to come out to protect our people and country from the dangerous future – if the present administration’s candidates won in the midterm election – by being partisan.

Inspired and encouraged by Social Teaching and Church documents calling for electorate to be responsible voters through discernment, forum, debates, lay groups have come up with a list of candidates they consider to be competent, qualified and pro-people, pro-country and pro-God.

As also endorsed by Bishop Pabillo, we are sharing and informing you of the lay people’s choice as they underwent a tedious process of discernment to endorse senatorial candidates. Let us help the laity share the results of their discernment choices.

While we do our share, we fully entrust the fate of our country and people to God and we rely the intercession of our dear mother, Mama Mary, that the God of Justice, Truth and Peace will grant our prayers.

Yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD

Please find attached the election guide and other relevant election materials for your campaign and discernment.

We, the Live Christ, Share Christ (LCSC) intends to mainstream Catholic lay evangelization especially in this Year of the Youth in response to the call to new evangelization. It is designed for rapid and massive evangelization, accompanied by the systematic empowerment of lay people to participate in the work.

This year, the New Evangelization Conference 2019 (NEC 2019) happening in three consecutive places: in Luzon this June 8, 2019, at the PICC Forum, Pasay City from 8AM to 5PM; Visayas on August in Bohol; and Mindanao on September in Cagayan de Oro. These are free-admission event that aims to gather 7,000 people.

Some of the highlights of this year’s conference is the Catholic New Evangelization Awards 2019. In this segment, six (6) special awards are given to parish, group and/or organization who have shown exemplary service and commitment in the work of new evangelization today.

Secondly is the Clarion Call Competition which consists the song writing and chorale competition. Both competitions should express the Gospel though music. Winners will be awarded with a certificate and cash.

In line with this, we are extending this invitation to you, to participate and support this event by nominating any parish, groups, organizations or even individuals that qualifies the above-mentioned criteria. Attached in this email are the descriptions of each award, the competition guidelines and the nomination guidelines.

For further inquiries, please call the 0977-819-3259 or (02) 726-7989 and look for Ms. Nieva Rupido or M.E Asejo. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

In Christ through Mary,

CATHOLIC NEW EVANGELIZATION AWARDS 2019 COMMITTEE

Sa mensaheng “Show Mercy to our Common Home” ni Papa Francisco noong ika-1 ng Setyembre, 2016, ipinapaalala niya sa atin na isa sa mga hakbang tungo sa nakapagbubuklod na pag-ibig at pangangalaga kay Inang Kalikasan bilang bahagi ng Kristiyanong pananampalataya ay ang pagsasagawa ng pagsusuri ng ating budhi o examination of conscience. Ibinabahagi namin sa inyo itong #Mercy2Earth Examen hango sa mensahe ng Santo Papa upang gabayan kayo sa prosesong ito. Hinango din ito sa pagsusuri ng budhi na binuo ni San Ignacio Loyola. Inaanyayahan namin kayong gamitin ito ngayong panahon ng Kuwaresma bilang pamamaraan ng pagpapalalim ng inyong bokasyon bilang tagapangalaga ng Sangnilikha.

Ang #Mercy2Earth Examen ay may anim na hakbang:

1. Manahan sa presensya ng Diyos.
2. Magpasalamat sa Diyos sa handog Niyang Kalikasan at sa lahat ng kanyang mga nilikha.
3. Magpasalamat sa Diyos sa handog Niyang Kalikasan at sa lahat ng kanyang mga nilikha.
4. Ihingi ng kapatawaran ang inyong mga naging pagkukulang sa pangangalaga kay Inang Kalikasan at sa lahat ng nilikha ng Diyos.
5. Magbalik-loob at magbago sa pamamagitan ng pananagutan na magsagawa ng mga konkretong bagay para kay Inang Kalikasan at para sa kapwa.
6. Magtapos sa isang panalangin

1. Manahan sa presensya ng Diyos.

“Sa pagdulog sa mapagpala at mahabaging Ama na naghihintay sa pagbabalik ng bawat anak Niya, maaari nating ihayag ang ating mga pagkakasala kay Inang Kalikasan, sa mga dukha at sa mga susunod na salinlahi.”

Bago kayo magsimula, maglaan ng panahon sa pag-aalaala na kayo ay nasa presensya ng mapagmahal na Manlilikha. Maaaring makatulong kung ipipikit ang mga mata, makailang beses na huminga ng malalim, mag-alay ng panalangin at hingin ang biyaya ng malalim na pakikinig sa Salita ng Diyos na nananahan sainyong kaloob-looban.

2. Magpasalamat sa Diyos sa handog Niyang Kalikasan at sa lahat ng kanyang mga nilikha.

“Ang unang hakbang…kinakailangan ang pasasalamat at pagtanggap nang walang kabayaran, pagkilala na ang buong mundo ay handog ng mapagmahal na Diyos.”

 Mag-alay ng pasasalamat sa maraming pamamaraan ng Diyos na ikaw ay kanyang pinagpala sa pamamagitan ng kanyang Sangnilikha. Maaaring ito ang iyong almusal, ang tubig na ‘yong iniinom…o ang iyong paboritong puno, ang huni ng mga ibon, o isang lugar sa kalikasan na mahalaga sa iyo.

 Magpasalamat sa mga taong bahagi ng yong buhay, sa nakaraan at sa kasalukuyan. Maaring maalaala mo ang mga taong nagpalaki saiyo, ang ‘yong mga magulang, ang ‘yong mga guro, ang mga taong naging daan upang ikaw ay magkaroon ng makakain at maisusuot, at marami pang iba. Inaanyayahan tayo ni Papa Francisco na magkaroon ng “puspos ng pagmamahal na kabatiran na tayo ay hindi hiwalay sa kalikasan, bagkus tayong lahat, sa buong santinakpan, ay magkakaugnay. “Ang ating buhay ay kasing-kaugnay at kasing-nananangan sa napakaraming tao.

3. Pagnilayan ang mga naging daan upang mapakinggan ninyo ang daing ng Inang Kalikasan at ang daing ng mga dukkha

“Yayamang lahat tayo ay bahagi ng pagkasira ng kalikasan, lahat tayo ay tinatawag na angkinin ang ating naging kontribusyon, maliit man o malaki, sa pagkawasak ng mundo.”

Maglaan ng panahon na pagnilayan ang mga sumusunod na katanungan ni Papa Francisco sa kanyang mensahe:

 Batid ko ba ang daing ng Inang Kalikasan at daing ng mga dukha? Alam ko ba kung paano naghihirap ang ating kapaligiran, ang mga halaman at ang mga hayop? Naglalaan ba ako ng panahon na pag-aralan ang tunay na kalagayang pang-sosyal at pang-ekonomiya na kinakaharap ng marami sa buong daigdig?

 Sa paanong pamamaraan ako kusang nagsusumikap na pangalagaan ang Inang Kalikasan at kapwa ko mga nilikha? Sa paanong pamamaraan naman ako nagkulang?

 Paano ako makakatulong sa pagwawasto ng mga nakaraan at kasalukuyang kawalan ng pagbibigayan sa pagitan ng mga relihiyon, sa mga di makatarungang pakikipag-ugnayan natin sa mga taong iba ang paniniwala sa atin, sa mga kababaihan, sa mga katutubo, sa mga dukha, sa mga di pa isinisilang?

4. Ihingi ng kapatawaran ang inyong mga naging pagkukulang sa pangangalaga kay Inang Kalikasan at sa lahat ng nilikha ng Diyos.

“Pagkatapos ng taimtim na pagsususri ng budhi at pagkapukaw ng wagas na pagsisisi, maari nating ihayag ang ating pagkakasala sa Maylikha, sa Inang Kalikasan, at sa ating mga kapatid at kapwa.”

Idulog sa Diyos ang inyong mga pagkukulang sa pangangalaga sa ating Nag-iisang Tahanan at hingin ang kapatawaran.

5. Magbalik-loob at magbago

“Ang pagsusuri ng budhi, pagsisisi at pagpapahayag ng ating mga pagkukulang sa Ama na puspos ng habag at awa ay maghahatid sa atin sa matatag na pagnanasang magbalik-loob at magbago. Kinakailangang ito ay masalamin sa mga konkretong pananaw at pagkilos na may puspos na paggalang kay Inang Kalikasan.”

Manalangin sa Diyos at hingin ang biyayang matanto kung paano Niya kayo inaanyayahan na mas higit na pangalagaan ang Inag Kalikasan, ang mga dukha, at ang mga sususnod na salinlahi. Sa kanyang mensahe, ibinibigay ng Papa Francisco ang mga sumusunod na gabay:

“Bilang isang pagkakawang-gawa, ang pangangalaga sa ating Nag-iisang Tahanan ay nangangailangan ng “pang-araw-araw na pangkaraniwang mga gawain na sasalangsang sa katwiran ng karahasan, pagsasamantala at pagkamakasarili” at “naipadarama nito sa bawat pagkilos ang paghahangad ng mas magandang mundo…Ang katanungang ito ay makakapagpanatili sa atin na nakapokus sa ating hangarin: Anong kalagayan ng mundo ang ninanais nating iwanan sa mga kabataan ngayon at sa mga susunod pang salinlahi?”

Anong mga personal at pangkomunidad na pagbabago ang maari ninyong gawin upang mas higit na mapangalagaan ang ating Nag-iisang Tahanan at ang lahat ng kasalukuyang naninirahan dito at manininrahan pa dito sa hinaharap?

6. Pagtatapos na Panalangin

Tapusin ang pagsusuri sa pamamagitan ng pagpapasalamat sa mahabaging pag-ibig na natanggap ninyo sa mga sandaling ito at dasalin ang huling panalangin sa mensahe ni Papa Francisco:

Diyos ng mga dukha,
tulungan mo kaming kalingain ang mga napapabayaan
at nakakaligtaang nilalang dito sa mundo,
na napakahalaga saiyong paningin…

Diyos ng pag-ibig, ipakita mo sa amin ang aming kinalalagyan sa mundO
bilang mga daluyan ng iyong pag-ibig
para sa lahat mong nilalang,

Diyos ng habag at awa, nawa’y matanggap namin ang iyong kapatawaran
at maihatid namin ang iyong habag sa lahat ng dako ng aming Nag-iisang Tahanan.

Amen.

“May the works of mercy also include care for our common home “
Pope Francis

Global Catholic Climate Movement – Pilipinas
Rm.206, One Annapolis Building, #5 Annapolis Street, Cubao, Quezon City; gccmpilipinas@gmail.com; 09090658487

April 4, 2019

TO: ALL LAIKO MEMBERS: National Lay Organizations and
Arch/Diocesan Councils of the Laity
Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The peace and love of the Lord!

We are pleased to invite you once again to a Lay Caucus on Saturday, 13 April 2019, 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. at the 4th flr., Conference Room of Arzobispado de Manila, 121 Arzobispo St., Intramuros, Manila.

Since we will be having our National and Local elections this coming May 13, 2019, topic will be “The Laity’s Active Role in Politics”. We have invited lay resource persons who will share to us their active involvements on this concern and hopefully guide us on the discernment process that will follow.

Please encourage your members to attend this important gathering. It is one way of responding to the call of our beloved bishops to form “circles of discernment” to address social and political issues. A P100.00 solidarity fee will be collected to cover the cost of snacks & other incidental expenses. Kindly confirm your participation by calling the LAIKO Secretariat at tel. nos. 527-5388, 251-9657, 0977-1794938 or 0908-2496512.

Thank you, we are looking forward to your usual positive response and active involvement.

Sincerely in the service of the Lord,

We, the Church-People Workers Solidarity (CWS) strongly condemn the “massacre” of 14 people, mostly farmers in an alleged anti-criminality campaign in Negros Oriental led by Oplan Sauron. This highly coordinated military and police operation targeted unarmed civilians belonging to legitimate peasant groups and farmers associations whom the military deviously tagged as armed rebels, members or sympathizers of the NPA.  We hold the Duterte administration and authorities accountable for this offensive attack against our farmers, and for all the victims of state-perpetrated violence.

Farm workers who comprise about a fifth of our population remain mired in poverty, some are even dying of starvation.  It is an appalling and forlorn truth that those who work hard with their sweat and blood to produce food for the nation have nothing to provide for themselves and their families. They are forced by deprivation to eat the crumbs that fall from the tables of the landlords and the oligarchs for subsistence. Even more ineffable reality is that instead of mercy and compassion, they received bullets from authorities who are expected to protect them. With so much arrogance, greed and indifference, unjust social structures and atrocities will continue to prevail in our society.

We extend our sympathy and prayers for the bereaved families of the victims. With them, we cry out and demand for justice for the victims of the killings perpetrated by the police and military in Negros. Let us unite and amplify our call for Truth, Justice and Peace. Let us not allow the authorities to trample on their rights with impunity. Stop de facto martial rule in Negros Island! ####