Lord Jesus, as I go on in this reflection, I ask You to help me revisit and reassess myself. Let me become a part of the drama of Your Paschal Mystery, that eve of Your selfless sacrifice on the excruciating wood of the cross, at least for this moment, and let me configure myself with a friend of Yours whom You loved dearly. Good Jesus, if there is a character in the Passion Narrative that I relate most with, that person would be Peter. The story of Peter’s denial of You is one of the most extremely unpleasant and upsetting in the Gospels. I see myself in Peter. He was one of Your closest friends and most committed followers, yet he denied You, not just once, but three times.
I have been unfaithful to You, Lord Jesus, that is why I see a reflection of myself in Peter. Lord, I am no better than Peter. I should not even try to compare. He denied You three times because he feared for his life. I deny You not only three times but countless number of times and not because my life is in peril but because I want my life to be easy and pleasurable at the expense of good moral conduct. Whenever I sin, I act just like Peter: I deny Jesus by my sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. Peter could have stood it if You had turned and reviled him; but that voiceless, grief-laden look of Yours went to his heart like a sword and opened a fountain of tears. O bone Iesu, whenever I deny You, kindly stare at me as You once did to Peter. Let Your gentle and merciful glance bring me to repentance and conversion.
Lord Jesus, You said a very lovely thing to Peter. "When you have turned, strengthen your brothers." It is as if You said to Peter, "You will deny Me; and you will weep bitter tears; but the result will be that you will be better able to help your brothers who are going through it." Truly, Lord, I would also like to hear the same words of consolation from You. I believe that to experience the shame of failure and disloyalty is not all loss, because it gives me a lesson on sympathy and an understanding that otherwise I would never have won. You understand. You love us in spite of what we do because You love us, not for what we are, but what we have it in us to be. Your forgiving love is so great that You see our real personality, not in our faithfulness, but in our loyalty, not in our defeat by sin, but in our teaching after goodness, even when we are defeated.
Whenever I ask You for forgiveness, the very words of Peter after he denied You three times echo in my mind : “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Yes, my Lord, Peter loved You. Who would not, after three years of being in Your company? Peter must have spent every day with You, learning, healing, sailing, and probably laughing and joking around. Yet the basic instinct of self-preservation seized him when some people noted that he was one of Your followers. He denied You, not because he did not love You any longer, but because he feared for his dear life. He met Your eyes, Your gentle and merciful eyes, and saw that You understood. Those eyes full of compassion and understanding pierced his heart and so he wept bitterly. Lord Jesus, when You met him again after the resurrection, all he could say was: “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.”
Peter claimed that he loved You, but I think that what he really meant was You loved him in spite of his disloyalty. That was why he wept bitterly. I believe that when You saw him cry, You also shed tears of sympathy. Yes, Lord, I would always imagine You forgive with tears in Your eyes. I believe that You love us more than we can even comprehend. As I see myself in Peter, I realize that Your mercy is infinitely greater than the worst of my sins. You are always ready to forgive those who return to You.
Lord, You did not reject Peter although Peter rejected You. You did not “fire” Peter from his role as a leading apostle. You did not expect perfection, or anything close to it. Why is this good news for me? Because it means that I can be useful in Your mission today in spite of shortcomings and outright failings. It means that I can be forgiven when I fail. Lord, I am not suggesting that Christian leaders ought to forget about living as moral exemplars. But I am taking comfort in the fact that when I fail to live as I should, You are able not only to forgive but also to restore me as a leader in Your Kingdom. Peter’s denial of You sets the stage for his deeper experience of God’s grace. This same, amazing grace, enables me and all of us to serve You.
Help me, Lord, not to deny You anymore. True, Peter failed; but he failed in a situation which none of the other disciples even dared to face. I ask You to grant me the same courage to follow You to the end. When hard times come, help me to trust You more. When my adrenaline starts to pound, clouding my mind and suffocating my heart, help me to receive Your peace. When I am tempted to deny You, either in words or deeds, or by failing to speak or act, help me to trust and obey. May I live my whole life in honor of you!
Martes, Oktubre 10, 2017
Biyernes, Agosto 4, 2017
A REFLECTION ON THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
The only instance in the Gospel where Jesus gives
His apostles a glimpse of His “other side”, that is, His divinity, is the feast
we celebrate today – His Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. He was transfigured
before the very eyes of His three apostles Peter, James and John. Going back a
little before this glorious event, we could find the profession of Peter in
Caesarea Philippi: You are Christ, the Son of the Living God! After Peter’s
profession, Jesus replied with Peter’s designation as the Petrus, the Rock, upon whom the Church of Christ will be built.
However, along with this great task entrusted to Peter was Jesus’ revelation of
the horrible truth of the true meaning of becoming the Christ: He must go to
Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the
scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Why
did Christ transfigure prior to His passion and death? What is the significant
connection of Christ’s transfiguration with what will happen to Him in
Jerusalem?
Jesus’ Transfiguration prepares His
fulfilling of the Old Testament PREFIGURATION. Jesus is the Son of God, the
Eternal Logos, who was with God and
is God (John 1). After the fall of the first man, God has already promised a
Savior to deliver all of humanity from sin and death. The Savior-Messiah was
prefigured by God, who will strike the serpent’s head (see Genesis 3:15). He
was further anticipated through the brazen saraph serpent which was raised high
on the desert, so that all who were bitten by the poisonous serpents might be
healed. He was foreshadowed by the Passover Lamb who was sacrificed for the
salvation of all the firstborn of the Israelites. He was anticipated by Moses
in the desert and on Mount Sinai. He was expected and heralded by the prophet
Elijah. And here He was, standing before His apostles and revealing Himself as
the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophesies and prefiguration. But the real
fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies is realized on the cross. On the
cross, Jesus is the Brazen Saraph who healed us from the poison of the Ancient
Serpent. On the cross, Jesus became the Passover Lamb who took away the sins of
the world and restored us to our original relationship as children of the
Father.
Jesus’ Transfiguration was His epilogue for
His nearing DISFIGURATION. In fulfilling His salvific mission, God has let
Himself share in the disfigured humanity. He stripped Himself with His divine
majesty and took up our mortal figure. He allowed Himself to participate in our
brokenness, with the exception of sin. Jesus is the Suffering Servant who “had
no majestic bearing to catch our eye, no beauty to draw us to him” (Isaiah
53:2). He, who is the only Perfect Figure of divinity, permitted Himself to be
disfigured so that we who are disfigured might be transfigured into a new
creation: redeemed, graced and destined for eternal life! In His offering of
Himself to be disfigured on the cross, He has reconciled everything and made
all things new. On the cross, the Disfigured One has restored our disfigured
humanity. On the cross, the Disfigured Son of God has reinstated our defaced relationship
as sons and daughters of the Father.
Jesus’ Transfiguration continues today
through His perpetuated TRANSFIGURATION in us through the Eucharist. The
apostles might have been in terrible awe to see their Rabbi transfigure before them. For some time now, they have seen
Him as He is: a carpenter-turned-Rabbi.
Yes, they may have seen miracles and signs from Him. But never did they see Him
as they saw Him on Mount Tabor. However, the greatest transfiguration of our
Lord was not actually that one that happened on the mountain. It was actually
His transfiguration on the Upper Room, where He gave His Body and Blood in the
Eucharist. Jesus is not with us physically, but He willed to remain with us
through the Eucharist. Through the Eucharist, we are also invited to have our
own little daily transfigurations in life. We are challenged to translate our
attendance to the celebration of the Mass into authentic love to God and our
neighbors. We become whom we receive says
the song. And so, the Eucharist turns us into God’s living witness of His love.
What,
then, is the significant connection of Christ’s transfiguration with salvation?
The Transfiguration event is the
foretaste of Christ’s glory, which reaches its climax on Jesus’ sacrifice on the
cross and perpetuated in the Eucharist!
Linggo, Hulyo 30, 2017
A Reflection on the Beatitudes
The Beatitudes respond to the natural
desire for happiness. He connects this joy and the Law in the Sermon on the
Mount. These Beatitudes reveal the goal of human existence, the end of human
acts: to be with God. However, this beatitude with God confronts us with
decisive moral choices. They differ in
their presentation, but their content are one and the same: to be merciful, to
be pure of heart, to detach ourselves from material possessions, to desire to
do the will of the Father, to be a means of unity, to despise worldly power and
honor, to be ready to face persecution and trials for the sake of the Kingdom.
Christ
came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. This New Law or the Law of the
Gospel is the perfection of the Old Law. It is the work of Christ and is
expressed in the Sermon on the Mount. In the Beatitudes, the New Law fulfills
the divine promises. It fulfills the commandments of the Law. The Sermon on the
Mount releases the hidden potential of the Old Law and has new demands arise
from them. The world tells us to
seek power, honor, wealth and pleasure. These are considered to be sources of
happiness. All of the Beatitudes reject what is contrary in attaining true
happiness: merciless life, ambiguities in heart, hunger for things lesser than
God, material things and possession, pleasure, power and honor.
Jesus
on the cross is the authentic image of a truly blessed and happy man. He
Himself, on His sacrifice on the cross, put into concrete action what the
Beatitudes say. If one wants to be happy, he/she must despise what Jesus
despised on the cross: wealth, power, honor and pleasure. On the cross, Jesus
showed how it is to become truly happy. He was merciful to all of humanity by
showing unconditional love. He was pure of heart because He has no ambiguity in
His heart to do the will of the Father. His ultimate concern and hunger was not
the material things of this world, but righteousness and the will of God. He
was the ultimate peacemaker who has the definitive power to unite. He detached
Himself from material things and wealth symbolized by His nakedness on the
cross. He was not addicted to pleasure because He freely accepted suffering and
death. He was not addicted to any worldly power signified by His crucified
Body. He was the persecuted One who received mockery instead of honor. The
Crucified Christ is the perfect exemplary of the Beatitudes.
Lunes, Hulyo 24, 2017
Justice and the Modern-Day Filipino
We cannot deny the fact that our beloved country has
experienced the scourge of injustice and inequality all throughout the course
of its history. Perhaps, injustice has been our country’s deep-seated dilemma
since time immemorial. Gone are the days when our grandparents would told us
that their time was called “peace time”. Today’s society is harassed by heinous
crimes, innumerable death tolls, unjust contractualization among workers,
widespread corruption in the government, unstable economy and many others that,
as St. John in his Gospel would tell us,
“If these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world
would contain the books that would be written.”[1]
How
does the contemporary Juan and Juana view justice nowadays? What is
the Catholic response to this contemporary view of the Filipino about justice?
Justice and How Contemporary Filipinos View It
Filipinos
are known to be a conservative people. Filipinos are known to have a good value
system. That was before. Today, when we speak about justice, there are really a
lot of opinions emerging from different points of view. Some are still inclined
with what the Church teaches about justice. Still others are too radical in
their understanding about justice. As a preparation for this reflection, I have
come across an article which expresses the anonymous writer’s view of the
needed “justice” in the Philippines nowadays.
The
present system of justice in this country is too slow and far too lenient. Too
often the punishment given to criminal offenders does not fit the crime
committed. It is time to stop dragging out justice and sentencing and dragging
our feet in dispensing quick and just due. All punishment should be
administered in public…Murder should be punished in a manner similar to the way
it was committed…Second time offenders of sex crimes such as rape should be
castrated and emasculated slowly with a dull, rusty knife. The criminal should
be revived every time he passes out from pain. This heinous crime deserves this
much at the very least. After all, this person has violated another person and
taken something away, a trust that can never be fully restored. The victims of
these crimes never fully trust again.[2]
Nowadays,
we are afflicted by numerous crimes and violations. Dead bodies of people, both
guilty and innocent, are thrown on creeks or on the road after they have been
shot dead. Many Filipinas are engaging into cybersex and prostitution. Until
now, contractualization among workers is rampant. We have been unjust with the
use of our environment and its resources. Still others risk their lives to
become drug mules because of their sole reason: matinding pangangailangan. Unfortunately, most of the Filipinos are
losing the sense of morality and justice in order to sustain their living.
As I
see it today, there are three (3) main descriptions about justice in the
Philippines. First, justice is as slow
as a sick and dying turtle. As I browse over the broadsheets some days ago,
I read an article that mercilessly tagged our country’s justice system as the “slowest
in the world.” It is sad to hear but what can we do? Let us take some instances
about this. Still remember the Ozone Disco tragedy? How about the Maguindanao
Massacre? Or the Mamasapano incident where forty-four members of the Special
Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were cruelly killed
by rebels? How about the recent Marawi siege? These are just some of the
thousands and thousands of unresolved cases of injustices in the history of the
Philippines. Perhaps that columnist was right in telling us the upsetting and
inconvenient truth.
Second,
justice is only available for those who
have gold bars for lunch. The more money you have, the more justice you
acquire. The truth can be sold with shining price tag on it. Justice is
commonly portrayed with a blindfolded person holding a balance scale.
Unfortunately, the person holding the balance scale is blindfolded – with
money. Only those who can afford paying so that the truth may be concealed are
the ones justified. As the song goes, Hangga’t
marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan, at ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman[3]
Lastly,
justice is something unimportant as a
fly on a pile of dung. When asked about what we should do in order to
maintain justice in the society, there are a lot of opinions coming from
others. Some react negatively, saying that the offenders should be punished
right away with death. Some say that now is the proper time to restore capital
punishment. Some say that this revival of the death penalty will be of great
help in maintaining order in the society. But the worst part is that many other
Filipinos do not care about these things that are happening in the society!
Many Filipinos would say, “Eh ano ngayon
kung marami silang pinapatay? Buti nga ‘yan sa kanila!”, “Ah basta ako, nakakakain ako ng maayos at
natutulog ng masarap sa aking higaan. Wala akong pakialam sa mga palaboy.”
We must remember that not doing anything in order to alleviate the sufferings
of others is itself injustice.
What Should We Do?: The Catholic Response
After
describing the present situation in our country and the contemporary Filipinos’
perspective about justice, what now is the Church’s response to the distorted belief
about justice?
First,
we cannot talk about justice without
considering the main subject of it: the human person. Man is created to be
a free and intelligent being, created in the image of God. He is the crowning
glory of creation. He has a dignity immensely superior than any created thing.
Along with this dignity are the rights which are inviolable and sacred.
Justice, then, requires that all persons should have the enjoyment of all their
rights. Furthermore, man does not appear only as an individual; rather, he
stands in relation to his fellowman and to other living creatures, and he can
act responsibly.
Second,
we need justice in order to reach the
fullness of our personhood. When God created man and woman, He bestowed on
them the faculties of freedom, free will and intellect in order to use these to
attain fullness of life. Despite sin, violence and injustice, God is there for
human beings. People (not just in our country but also) in the world should
regard themselves as a community and accept certain differences between
individuals and peoples, since this variety is to be seen as wealth.[4]
Everyone
should look upon his/her neighbor as his/her another self, with the same
inalienable rights. In recognizing our neighbors’ rights, we do not only render
justice but we also fulfil Jesus’ commandment of love. In fulfilling this
commandment of love, we become more human like Jesus.
Third,
laws are indispensable means of
maintaining justice and are never optional. Justice is the constant will to
give men due to God and neighbor.[5] The
Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that the society must ensure social
justice, the conditions that allow individuals and associations to gain what is
their due.[6]
The beloved St. John Paul II supported this by saying that social justice
demands respect for the dignity of the person and that what is at stake is the dignity
of the human person.[7]
That is why there are existing laws, whether they are promulgated by the
government or by the Church. Laws help us maintain order in the society. Laws
are of great help in ensuring that justice is served in the society. Justice
without law is not justice in the same manner that law without justice is not
law.
Lastly,
no one has the right to take away one’s
rights. Not even the government or any cruel leader has the authority to
violate the rights of its subjects. If the state does this, then it clearly
commits injustice. That is why the Church is very vocal in expressing its concern
whenever justice is not granted and rights are violated. We have to be clear
that the Social Teachings of the Church are not political strategies or ideals.
What the Church calls for is not the adoption of some rebellious outline. The
Catholic doctrine of justice is one of the main protectors of order, peace, and
progress in a country. It gives the State the authority for the realization of
its end, while at the same time blocks the road to oppression and violence. It
helps us to build a just society and assists us to live holy lives in the midst
of modern-day challenges.
Conclusion
We
are now encouraged by the Church to stand for justice. Justice transcends the
letters of the law. Justice should be complemented with love, mercy,
forgiveness and solidarity. As members of the society, we must ensure that
social justice is observed and protected by respecting each person’s rights, by
eradicating any form of discrimination, by the exercise of human solidarity
especially among the poor, by just distribution of goods, by proper and equal
compensation for work. Through all of these, world peace finds its realization.
Huwebes, Hulyo 20, 2017
Reflection on the Parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat
A story was told about a very devout Catholic couple. They actively serve their local parish as officers of the Parish Pastoral Council. In addition, the wife is a pious member of the Catholic Women’s League, while the husband is a staunch member of the Knights of Columbus. However, despite their devoutness in serving, they had difficulty in bringing their own son to the church. Every Sunday, the couple tries their best just to invite their son to come with them to church and attend the Sunday liturgy. And Sunday after Sunday, their son continuously expresses his reluctance in attending Mass. His reason? Because there are lots of hypocrites going to church! He further said that he knows a lot of these people who appear to be holy inside the church but afterwards are little demons in their homes. His father, after hearing the son’s “reason” why he does not want to go to church, said, “Oh yes! There are really a lot of hypocrites in the church. And don’t worry son, there is still enough room for another one.”
Just like the field in this Sunday’s Gospel reading, the Church, even during Her early life, has been composed of wheat and weeds, of saints and sinners, of sheep and goats, of holy people and of hypocrites. And true enough, there is still sufficient room for more!
What, then, is the Lord’s invitation for us this Sunday?
Our faults are blessings in disguise. In the individual level, we, too, are fields of our own. God has sown the good seeds of faith, hope and love in our hearts. On the other hand, the devil painstakingly sows the seeds of doubt, despair, indifference and many other unpleasant things. Just like the workers in today’s Gospel who want to pull up the weeds right away, which seem to be reasonable, we also want to get rid of our weaknesses and sins right away. Most of the time, we even find ourselves discouraged and disheartened when, in confession, we find ourselves confessing to the priest the very same sins we confessed last time. Gusto nating bumait pero ang hirap magawa. But still, in the parable lies a certain consolation for all of these weaknesses and sins: weeds exist side by side with the wheat. Perhaps our weaknesses and sins have some “benefits” too! If and only if we have recognized that we have these “weeds” in us, then that may become a blessing for us. In recognizing these weaknesses, we become humble before the ever-loving God. In recognizing our sinfulness, we become aware of our need for repentance and conversion. In recognizing our powerlessness, the amazing power of God’s grace becomes perfect (Cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9).
The Church is not only a museum of saints but also a hospital for sinners. The Church exults in Her sons and daughters who lived exemplary lives such as Lawrence of Rome, Agatha, Maximillian Kolbe, John Paul II, Teresa of Calcutta and many others who are included in Her long roster of saints. She is glorified by these saints’ genuine witnessing of the faith. However, the Church is also grieving because of the many wounds inflicted to Her by Her very own sons and daughters. The field of the Church has been bountiful in Her harvest of saintly lives but also suffers drought from sinful lives of many adherents. We must admit this: not all members of the Church are saints! Not everyone in the Church are fruitful wheat. But again, the parable offers consolation to us. The farmer did not immediately order the uprooting of the weeds. He gave time, a lot of it, so that when the time for the harvest comes, he is sure that what the workers will uproot are really weeds and not the wheat. Perhaps, the farmer is also hoping that the weeds may become wheat! God wants every one of us to go to heaven, to be with Him for eternity.
Our Lord Jesus compares all of these to the pilgrim Church aiming for perfection in Her journey towards the realization of the Kingdom of God. True enough, the Church is already holy but still needs constant conversion. The Church is already saved by the Paschal Mystery of Christ but still in need of repentance. The Church is so much loved by Christ but still strives to be ever-faithful to Her Spouse. The Church is already glorious but still wounded and afflicted by our sins. May God continue to bless His Church so that we may in turn become fruitful wheat in time of harvest.
Huwebes, Hulyo 13, 2017
Reflection on the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A Year II - "Parable of the Sower"
One of Jesus’ strategies in preaching
the Good News is the use of parables. Parables are realities about the Kingdom of
God expressed in human experiences. These parables of Jesus are making the
truth about the Kingdom more concrete and understandable. They are vivid
pictures of the abstract truth about the Kingdom. These parables open our minds
and hearts by beginning from where we are and what situation we are in. They
also attract the attention and interest of those who listen to them, and in
doing so, the hearers are compelled to discover the truth and meaning behind
the story. Thanks to Jesus’ parables, we are now able to understand (though
still up to a certain limit only, because Jesus is God and therefore His mind
is a way beyond our minds, a tiny speck to the vastness of His boundless
knowledge) His teachings through our own experiences.
As
a child, I was very fond of listening to stories. I had this illustrated Bible
given to me by my late grandfather. One of the most memorable illustrated
stories which had a great impact on me is the Parable of the Sower. I live in a
barrio where majority of the
residents are farmers, and so, even just through observation, I know how it is
like living in the fields: rising very early in the morning to pasture the
carabaos while at the same time sipping hot coffee from a big tin mug, going
out to the field to check if there is enough water flowing to the rice paddies,
and of course, especially now that the rainy season has begun, the sowing of
seeds like rice and corn. Similarly, those who were listening to Jesus surely
knew how it is like sowing seeds when He told them the Parable of the Sower.
Many
exegetes and biblical scholars have given many good interpretations and in-depth
reflections about this parable, most of which focused on the different kinds of
soil presented in the story. In this reflection, I would like to focus on the
work of the sower in sowing the seeds and its significance in the Church’s
mission as the primordial sower of
God’s words.
The
parable is directed to both the hearers and those who preach the Word. There
are diverse ways of accepting the word of God, and as the parable describes it,
the fruit which it produces depends on the kind of soil, that is, the kind of
heart of the person who accepts it. The parable is not only meant to say
something to the listening crowds, but it is also meant to reach those who
preach the Word, then the disciples and now the Church.
Jesus
surely is the Preacher par excellence.
He is the wisest and the most dumbfounding preacher who ever walked the earth. But
we should admit it: He had very little achievement in His preaching. Most of
the time, He was banished from synagogues. The Pharisees and the religious
leaders were His most hostile critics. They even put Him to death because of
His preaching! Many crowds followed Him in many places just to listen to His
teachings. There were many people who witnessed and received His healing power.
But then, there were so few of them who changed their way of life. Many of them
went away and forgot whatever He taught. What, then, is the parable teaching
us?
The yield is sure to come. In the
parable, some seeds may have fallen on the rocky road, thorny soil and shallow
soil. All of them did not produce any fruit. But then, in spite of all these,
the harvest surely came (as seen on the climax of the parable). Reason would
tell us that not all seeds grow and bear fruit. Some may have the same fate as
those seeds in the parable. But despite this, the farmer does not stop sowing
the seeds. Neither does it make him lose hope for the coming of the harvest. Even
if some seeds are wasted, the harvest will surely come.
We do the sowing and God will guide the
growing. As ministers of the Word, priests have the mission to preach it in
its entirety and certainty. As the alter sower
of God’s living Word, the priest’s job is to get busy sowing. But again, the
seeds of God’s Word may have reached different kinds of soil. We are
commissioned to sow the seed out on the wide fields of humanity, to sow it
everywhere, unhindered by the birds waiting to take away the seeds, or the
weeds ready to choke it. What is important is that the priest is faithful to
his task, that is, to continue sowing the seeds and to leave the continuity of
growing in the hands of God.
Lunes, Marso 6, 2017
Re-Christianizing the Christian: ‘Costly Grace’ as a Challenge to ‘Split-Level Christianity’
Pope
Francis visited a people whose faith Fr. Jaime Bulatao, SJ once described as
“split-level Christianity”. This “split-level Christianity” is itself “cheap
grace”, borrowing Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s term to describe it. The question now
arises: Do we let God’s “costly grace” work with and through us, or are we
still counted among those who are termed as “split-level Christians”?
We are a people of faith, a good
people. We have been blessed to become the only Christian nation in Asia. But
why is there so much corruption amid us? Why is there so much impunity for
crime and human rights violations, and such scandalous poverty and inequality? We
have made some progress in some administrations, but to say that we have
defeated corruption permanently is delusional. And the worst and (pardon me for
the term) most nonsensical term I have ever heard is a “leader” who says that
he believes in God and yet orders drug addicts and traffickers to be
mercilessly slaughtered at homes, in the streets and even in front of churches!
This is practically what “cheap grace” means: ‘the preaching of forgiveness
without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without
confession…. grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without
Jesus Christ…’
Split-level
Christianity overthrows costly grace. Split-level Christianity leads to
hypocrisy. Many years ago, Jesus was always warning His disciples not to follow
the scribes and the Pharisees who were perfect examples of hypocrisy. Hypocrites
are those who appear holy and good in public. Hypocrites are those who think
they have not done anything wrong. Hypocrites, because they are self-righteous,
do not see the need to change; their only concern is to justify their
actuations. They show “holiness” in their acts, but in their hearts they are
full of deceit and fake spiritual values. This precisely is what “split-level
Christianity” means: showing one face at church and another outside the church.
However, no matter how “holy” we appear in public, God knows the interior life
of each one. What God wants is consistency between what is projected outside
and what is inside. Hindi tayo maaaring
mamangka sa dalawang ilog, as the Filipino adage would tell us. Hypocrisy is
becoming neither hot nor cold. It is being lukewarm in our faith, and thus, God
will spit us out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16).
The challenge now is this: to battle
against “split-level Christianity” by living in God’s “costly grace”. Yes,
living with “costly grace” is not easy because such grace calls us to follow
Jesus Christ. A Christian who believes in Jesus chooses to act according to His
teachings and examples. “Split-leveling" by a self-proclaimed Christian is
to be “unChristian”. However, there is hope that we can overcome our “split-level
Christianity”. The Catholic Church must take the lead, but not only the priests
but more importantly, the lay people. We
are a people of faith, a hopeful people. But we are sinners also. It is our
utmost hope that, through God’s “costly grace”, we can all find the time and
look at ourselves, the good and bad sides, the beautiful and ugly, and listen
closely to the Spirit that asks us to convert. Once and for all, let us end our
“split-level Christianity”.
Linggo, Marso 5, 2017
Revisiting the History of the Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows as a Means in Formulating Pastoral-Spiritual Development Proposals
Introduction
Since the creation of the Diocese of
Tarlac in the year 1963 as an independent diocese from Pangasinan and Pampanga,
there have been many developments and accomplishments since then. Different
parishes were created throughout the diocese. Many vocations to the priesthood
led to the blossoming of the present parish priests and parochial vicars who
are primarily in charge of the shepherding of God’s flock in Tarlac. One of
these many accomplishments and progress is the founding of the Parish of Our
Lady of Sorrows, independent from the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Capas.
The Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows
reminds its faithful that God is present in their midst, in their community, in
their struggles and problems. This parish reminds us that God wants to dwell
with His beloved people. The present achievements of the parish are gratefully
acknowledged every now and then. Thus, it is proper for us to always see this
parish as God’s dwelling place, a place where God meets His flock, a place
where the faithful are challenged to always follow God and His commands, a
place where one finds and encounters God in the Eucharist.
Undoubtedly, since its
establishment, the parish has gone through thick and thin, through many
tempests and challenges. Through God’s providence, the community still journeys
as a pilgrim towards holiness and love of God and neighbour. However, though
there is an obvious flourishing of the community, it is still evident that the
parish has still a lot to develop especially in its attempt to provide greater
participation among the members and the faithful. Thus, in this research, the
writer aims to revisit the history of the parish as a means to evaluate and so
to propose programs for the parish and its mission to bring the faithful closer
to God in service and fellowship to our neighbour.
I. History of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
After eighteen
years of its existence, the Parish of Our Lady of Sorrows is still standing
firm, maturing in faith, going beyond borders, reaching heights and fostering a
community of love because of and for God. The community was able to overcome
struggles and magnificently navigate to the path of God’s light. Under the
guidance of the Blessed Mother, it has grown from a little chapel to a
full-pledged parish that never failed to astound people through breakthroughs
and far-reaching influence. The parish’s history is a tale of the people’s
rapport, consolidation and harmony. Thus, let us take a look back at its humble
beginnings and ponder on how God paved the way for its progress.
A. History
and Foundation of the Parish
The roots actually
go back to the Spanish times. Many of us may wonder what could have been our
religion if the Spaniards did not introduce Christianity. But at present, what
matters most is that through God’s grace and works, the Spanish conquerors
became blessings in disguise by sowing the seeds of Christianity to our land.
The Spanish missionaries, especially
the Augustinians and Recollects, reached Capas and Brgy. Dolores and made the
fertile soil of the place a ground for the proliferation of Christianity. The
colonizers eventually converted many natives in the religion. Many of the
people of Capas, especially Dolores, were baptized and drawn closer to God. It
is blatant that it was the Spaniards who named the place “Dolores”.
The late Mrs. Maria Alzadon
Cauguiran was the one who brought the image of Our Lady of Sorrows to Brgy.
Dolores. This is according to Mrs. Paulina Cayabyab Pabustan who was her
granddaughter, and who was the one of the people who said that the place was
already called “Dolores” even before their birth in 1921 and even in the time
of Mrs. Cauguiran. The image was placed inside a small nipa hut and gave way to the acceleration to the religiosity of the
people. The people used to gather in that hut and a certain Fr. Simbol presided
over the Masses.
A group of bandits referred to as “Markang Bungo” invaded the place and
killed many people, so that concerned citizens moved the image away to the safe
hands of Apung Gunda Pabustan, and it never returned to that place again.[1]
A big-hearted landowner from
Concepcion, Tarlac named Pablo Tsuseco Pineda wholeheartedly donated a portion
of his land in Dolores for the construction of a barangay chapel which dates
back on November 1954. Our Lady of Sorrows was enshrined as the patron of the
flourishing community. The Tsusecos also donated the image of the sorrowful
Mother.[2]
Anticipated Mass for Sundays, occasional Masses for fiestas and holy days of
obligations were celebrated. The primary shepherds during that time were
Fathers Magtoto and Monico Pineda (both deceased).[3]
The number of churchgoers grew in
number that after thirty-four years, during the time of Fr. Alberto Bruno, the
chapel was renovated to accommodate the greater number of people. Through the
collaboration of the residents and principal donors including Bro. Romy
Cayanan, Bro. Ignacio Gomez, Bro. Feliciano Sicat and Sis. Concepcion Castañeda,
the chapel’s new face was achieved on February 1989. Regular Sunday Masses were
scheduled and officiated by Fr. Bruno and his successors Fr. Diosdado Guese and
Fr. Tirso Daquigan.
The overwhelming grace of God did
not break there. So, on July 17, 1998, the humble petite chapel of Brgy.
Dolores became the seat of a new parish, still under the patronage of Our Lady
of Sorrows. It was Rev. Fr. Romeo G. Ramos who was installed as the first
parish priest by His Excellency Most Reverend Florentino F. Cinense, bishop of
Tarlac. The parish originally encompasses the barangays of Talaga, Sta. Rita,
Manga, Estrada and Sta. Rosa. For the spiritual growth of the faithful, regular
Masses were celebrated on Wednesdays and Sundays, as well as the celebration of
the sacraments. The temporary priest’s vicarage was the house of Mr. and Mrs.
Magno Nogoy.
God
set the path of the construction and development of the parish. Barely two
months after Fr. Rome’s installation, through the concerted efforts of the then
Board Member and now Mayor of Capas Reynaldo Catacutan and Fr. Rome himself, a
group of companies, including Mabuhay Landscape and Mabuhay Zoo under the
regulation of Mr. Luis Arriola, donated 2,000 square meters of land adjacent to
the National Road for the erection of the parish church.
On
January 17, 1999, the groundbreaking activity transpired after the celebration
of the Mass officiated by Bishop Florentino Cinense and other priests. This was
during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, presidency of Joseph Estrada, term
of Mayor Hermes Frias Sr. and leadership of Brgy. Captain Benigno Pabustan. The
third and biggest image of Our Lady of Sorrows was donated by Mr. and Mrs.
Dionisio Siy-Hian of Villa Angelina Subdivision, Angeles City before the
beginning of the 9-day novena on the 17th of March for the feast of
Our Lady of Sorrows.
B. The
Parish Territorial Jurisdiction
As already
mentioned, the parish was originally composed of the barangays of Talaga, Sta.
Rita, Manga, Estrada and Sta. Rosa. Brgy. Estrada was transferred to and is now
part of Sto. Cristo Parish in Burot, Tarlac City. On the other hand, Brgy. Sta.
Rosa became a part of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Tinang, Concepcion
and also became a full-pledged parish last year.
Let
us now see the barangays that comprise the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows and
their brief history.
B. 1. Brgy. Sta. Rita
The beginning of
the chapel of Brgy. Sta. Rita can be traced in the year 1948, pointing to a
certain Conrado Guanzon, a generous landowner from San Fernando, Pampanga who
donated the land for the construction of the chapel. According to the late Mrs.
Benigna Macaspac vda. de Rivera, Mr. Guanzon conferred with the residents about
the building of the barangay chapel. The innate cooperative personality of the
people made them agree to this idea. For two years, there was a bargain between
him and the farmers: the farmers contribute two cavans of palay then Mr. Guanzon will give a counterpart of their produce.
The
building gradually took its form, starting with the labor of workers from Betis
and the help of the residents. The image of the patron saint, St. Rita of Cascia,
the name for both the barangay and the chapel, was sculptured in Manila.[4] It
was on the 22nd day of May that they celebrated the first fiesta in
honor of St. Rita. In order to enhance the chapel, the residents led by Mr.
Juanito Rivera and Mr. Felix Rivera, the chapel underwent a major face renewal
in 1994. This chapel, made of laryo[5], is situated at the heart of Brgy. Sta.
Rita near the elementary school and the plazuela. The chapel continues to be a
dwelling place of believers where Eucharistic celebrations are held regularly.
B. 2. Brgy. Talaga
By going
straight upon entering the barrio of Talaga[6],
one will locate the barangay chapel under the patronage of St. Joseph, husband
of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. The origin of the chapel dates back to
1925. According to Mrs. Felisa Dizon-Arceo, a senior resident of the community,
the first chapel was built with the native materials of cogon and bamboo. The
land in which it was constructed was given by Mrs. Rosario Ocampo of San
Fernando, Pampanga. GI sheets that were utilized for its walls were accumulated
by Celedonio Dizon and Julian Macaspac from Sitio Luclac in Aranguren. Another
chief modification was initiated by Mr. Gener Taruc in collaboration of the
Knights of Columbus. The Castañeda Concrete Products, a local hardware company,
provided the marble items for its flooring.
Interestingly
enough, it is said that the reason why St. Joseph was selected as the patron
saint of the place was the frequent apparitions of an old man with a child
towing at his sleeve. It was then widely believed that this man roaming on the
filthy roads of the place was St. Joseph together with the Child Jesus. A
life-sized statue of St. Joseph was carved by a skilled artist in Mabalacat,
Pampanga. Then, it was brought via caratela[7]
to the chapel a certain Imang Isang and Apung Doming.
This
chapel for many years later became the venue for the celebration of the Salubong in the parish, where the group
of men who took in prayer-procession the image of the Risen Christ and the
group of women bringing the image of the Blessed Mother assembled at the chapel
for the removing of Her veil and afterwards, the celebration of the Eucharist
for the Easter Sunday. It has become a tradition to set the Salubong in this chapel.
B. 3. Brgy. Manga
Unfortunately,
there is no existing account of the history of the chapel. However, the
researcher found out that the barangay was called as “Pulo” because of many fruit trees, mainly mangoes, which were found
in the place. The first settlers of the barangay were the Cajuguiran, Capitulo
and Cayabyab. One day, Spanish conquerors arrived to the place to conduct a
census. According to stories, the foreigners found some settlers, specifically
the Capitulos, under a mango tree. When the Spaniards asked the settlers what
is the name of the place, the natives might have mistakenly understood the
Spaniards that they asked what were the trees’ name were. And so, the term “manga” became the name of the place
since then.
C. Terms
of the Parish Priests (1998-Present)
It is of so much
importance that we should have knowledge about the pastors, past and present,
who served the parish for eighteen years. By knowing them, we can have a
glimpse on the further development and progress of the parish community.
C. 1. Term of Rev. Fr. Romeo G.
Ramos
Rev. Fr. Romeo
Galang Ramos was one of the twelve children of Mr. Vicente and Mrs. Rosita
Ramos. He studied at Bamban Central School and San Roque National High School.
He finished A. B. English, minor in Political Science, at Mindanao State
University in the year 1983. His excellent performance in academics and even in
theatre and drama made him one of the outstanding students of MSU. He engaged
in the teaching profession for two years at Sto. Nino Academy in his hometown
Bamban, Tarlac. But God summoned him to the priesthood, so in 1985, he
submitted himself to His will and entered Mary Help of Christians College
Seminary in Dagupan City and eventually finished his A. B. degree in
Philosophy. Afterwards, he continued his studies at the Immaculate Conception
Major Seminary in Guiguinto, Bulacan where he obtained his degree in Sacred
Theology. Finally, on June 3, 1993 he was ordained priest by Bishop Florentino
Cinense.
His
first assignment was Dean of Studies at Our Lady of Peace College Seminary in
Tarlac City. His assignments that followed include: Parochial Vicar of San
Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, Capas, Tarlac (June 1994 – October 1995);
Parochial Vicar of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Camiling, Tarlac (February
– October 1996); Parochial Vicar of San Sebastian Cathedral, Tarlac City
(October 1996 – October 1997); and at Sto. Nino Chapel, Homesite, San Miguel,
Tarlac City (October 1997 – July 1998). He is currently the parish priest of
Immaculate Conception Parish, Tibag, Tarlac City.
During
his term as the pastor of the parish, the permanent and present parish
structure located along the National Road was started (though left unfinished),
religious organizations such as the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), Barangay
Pastoral Councils (BPCs) and the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) were
established.
C. 2. Term of Rev. Fr. Ricardo P.
Bie
God sent another
angel to the parish in the person of Rev. Fr. Ricardo Panlican Bie. Born on
March 30, 1959, he is the son of Oscar Bie and Loreta Panlican. He had his elementary
education in different schools; Pacalcal Primary School, Bamban Central
Elementary School and Dela Cruz Elementary School. He finished his high school
education at Sto. Nino Academy. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil
engineering from the Holy Angel University in the year 1984. However, he
followed the call to service in the year 1986 when he entered Maria Assumpta
Seminary in Cabanatuan City and studied there for two years. He was further
molded to priesthood at the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary, Guiguinto,
Bulacan from 1988 to 1992. On February 28, 1992, he was ordained deacon and
served for ten months. On December 12, 1992, he was elevated to the order of
priests at San Sebastian Cathedral, Tarlac City together with five others.
His
first assignment as a priest was parochial vicar of the Cathedral. Then, he was
designated as parochial vicar of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Concepcion,
Tarlac on October 1994. God expanded his spiritual experience and sent him to
be the first parish priest of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, Balas,
Concepcion, Tarlac on February 6, 1995. In the year 2000, he was appointed vice
rector of Our Lady of Peace College Seminary, Tarlac City. Fulfilling God’s
purpose of being the second parish priest of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish started
in his arrival on June 7, 2002 initially to be the administrator of the parish
in the absence of Fr. Rome who went to abroad for further studies. Fr. Dick was
finally installed as parish priest on November 12, 2002. In his term, the
parish’s jurisdiction still includes the barangays of Talaga, Sta. Rita, Manga,
Estrada and Sta. Rosa. He was reassigned as parish priest of Our Lady of
Sorrows Parish from 2012-2013. He is presently the parish priest of St. Michael
the Archangel Parish, San Miguel, Tarlac City.
In
his term, as a builder-priest, the parish church and rectory were finally
finished, the landscape and grotto were beautified, the youth ministry was
established and several organizations like Infant Jesus Catholic Community and
Jesus, Mary and Joseph Community were founded. It was during his term that the
Barangays of Estrada and Sta. Rosa were transferred to another parish
jurisdiction.
C. 3. Term of Rev. Fr. Noel C.
Paguinto
Continuing God’s
care for His flock in Dolores, He sent another shepherd in the person of Rev.
Fr. Noel Dela Cruz Paguinto. He was born to Martin Paguinto and Teofila Dela
Cruz on December 5, 1964. A native of Bamban, Tarlac, he had his elementary
education at Bamban Gabaldon Elementary School and his high school education at
Sto. Nino Academy. Still unaware of God’s call for him, he took BS Business
Administration at the Holy Angel University for one year. However, he yielded
to the call to the priesthood and so entered Mary Help of Christians College
Seminary in Dagupan City. He was one of the pioneering class of the newly
erected seminary and finally graduated in the year 1989. After graduating, he
held a teaching position at the Dominican College of Tarlac for a year. He
pursued his theological formation and studies at Immaculate Conception Major
Seminary, Guiguinto, Bulacan. He was ordained priest by Most Rev. Florentino
Cinense on September 8, 1994.
At
the onset of his ministry, he was assigned as parochial vicar of St. Rose of
Lima Parish, Paniqui, Tarlac (1996-1997). The succeeding assignments are as
follows: assistant parish priest of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, Capas,
Tarlac (1996-1997); assistant parish priest of San Sebastian Cathedral, Tarlac
City (1997-1998); assistant parish priest of St. Raymond Nonnatus Parish,
Moncada, Tarlac (1998-1999); first time as parish priest of Our Lady of
Remedies Parish, San Manuel, Tarlac for six months, afterwards as parish priest
of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Malacampa, Camiling, Tarlac on the Maundy
Thursday of 2000. On May 31, 2006, his journey began as the third parish priest
of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish. At present, he is the parish priest of St. Joseph,
Husband of Mary Parish, O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.
Fr.
Noel was the first parish priest to finish his six-year term as pastor of the
community. During his term, several other religious organizations were
established such as the Apostleship of Prayer, Mother Butler Mission Guilds and
Legion of Mary, many pastoral programs were launched such as Block Rosary and
house blessing, dawn procession, home visitation among the parishioners and daily
celebration of the Holy Mass. Other accomplishments such as construction of a
function hall, paving of the parking lot and the upgrading of the retablo and altar were successfully
done.
C. 4. Term of Rev. Fr. Elmer
Gonzales
Little is known
about Rev. Fr. Elmer Gonzales because of his three-month long tenure as parish
priest. He is a native of Angeles City, Pampanga and an alumnus of San Carlos
Seminary, Makati City. He was ordained priest for the Diocese of Tarlac on
December 12, 1992. Prior to his assignment as parish priest of Our Lady of
Sorrows Parish, he was assigned as parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish,
Maliwalo, Tarlac City and St. Raphael the Archangel Parish, San Rafael, Tarlac
City. His term lasted from June – August 2013 when he was transferred to St.
Isidore Parish, Estipona, Pura, Tarlac.
During
his term, daily Masses were still celebrated, Marian devotions were promoted
and other devotions to saints were introduced to the parishioners.
C. 5. Term of Rev. Fr. Claro B.
Ortiz
The legacy of
shepherding the flock of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish endures in the hands of
Rev. Fr. Claro Bustamante Ortiz. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ruben Ortiz of
Gerona, Tarlac. He had his elementary education at Gerona North Elementary
School and finished high school studies at
Gerona Institute. Heeding the call to the priesthood, he entered Our
Lady of Peace College Seminary in Tarlac City on June 1989, making him a part
of the pioneering class of the newly established diocesan seminary of Tarlac.
After obtaining his degree in philosophy, he took his regency program for a
year and became a teacher at Concepcion Catholic School. He continued his
theological studies at St. Vincent School of Theology, Quezon City. He was
finally ordained priest on March 17, 2001.
At
the onset of his term, there were continuous Parish Renewal Experience (PREX)
seminars held in the parish. Cursillo
in Christianity and Recollection in Christianity were introduced. Another major
project under his administration was the repainting of the church’s ceiling
with different icons of saints. Devotion to Padre Pio was also a remarkable means
of helping the parishioners, especially the sick, that he brought to the
parish. At present, there is an on-going extension project for the church’s
wings to accommodate more churchgoers.
II.
Pastoral-Spiritual Proposals for the Parish
For
more than eighteen years, the parish has undoubtedly developed into a community
according to what God has planned it to be. There have been many developments,
established religious organizations and pastoral programs initiated by the
different parish priests. However, we have to admit that there are many other
possibilities for growth and there are also many rooms for improvement of the
parish community. Thus, in this part of this opus, the researcher offers several
proposals for possible programs and developments for the parish.
A. Basic Ecclesial Communities
One of the
significant developments in the Church after Vatican II is the emergence of
Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in various parts of the world including the
Philippines. The family is the basic
unit not just of the society but of the Church as well. As such, the family is
called as the “domestic Church”, where the family becomes the first and
fundamental teacher of the faith among its members. For a parish to become a
more pastoral community, the most important aspect that should be given proper
and serious attention is the family.
For
this reason, the researcher proposes to establish Basic Ecclesial Communities
(BECs) within the parish, especially to the rural and slum areas of the parish
like Sitio Pies and Sitio Kural in Brgy. Dolores, Sitio Lourdes in Brgy.
Talaga, Sitio Katorse in Brgy. Sta. Rita, and Brgy. Manga. A BEC parish
formation team has to be formed for the parish. There should also be a pastoral
and strategic plan for the parish formulated by the parish priest, parish
formation team and selected lay leaders. Lay organizations, movements and
associations should be given orientation on BEC and encouraged to actively
participate in the formation of BECs in their village or neighborhood.
B. Restoration of Public Devotions
The Second
Vatican Council recognized the importance of popular devotions in the life of
the Church and encouraged pastors and teachers to promote sound popular
devotions. For many years, the parish has initiated the observance of many
popular public devotions. Since the liturgy is the center of the life of the
Church, popular devotions should never be portrayed as equal to the liturgy,
nor can they adequately substitute for the liturgy.[8]
There
had been block rosary during October, first Saturday dawn procession in honor
of the Blessed Mother, Sto. Niño Mission during January, Mama Mary Mission on
May and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on certain important celebrations
like Corpus Christi Sunday. For
unknown reasons, these devotions are gradually abandoned, therefore leaving
reactions from the parishioners who have developed their devotions from the
said activities.
C. Establishing the Skolar nang Apung Dolores Project
For
many years, there had been many parishioners who have become professional
teachers, licensed engineers, physicians, lawyers and many others. Presently,
there are still many youth in the parish who have the determination and intellectual
capacity to study but are unfortunately unable to go to college because of
financial inadequacy.
Thus,
the writer proposes the founding of the Skolar
nang Apung Dolores project in order to help these capable and deserving
students in their studies.
D. Fostering Priestly and Religious Vocations
Since
the establishment of the parish in the year 1998, there were many young men who
attempted to enter the priesthood. Unfortunately, not even one of these made it
to ordination. However, even before the parish was created, Celso Guevarra[9], a
native of Brgy. Dolores, later became the Bishop of Balanga. Another son of
Brgy. Dolores who became a priest was Father Magtoto. For many decades now, the
parish have not yet produced its first priest for the Church.
Through
God’s grace and love, the parish at present has two seminarians, who are both
studying in the theologate, one at Mary Help of Christians Theology Seminary in
Pangasinan and hoping to become a diocesan priest, and the other at Maryhurst
Seminary belonging to the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM)
in Baguio City as a future religious of the said congregation. However, the
need for priestly and religious vocations not just of the parish but of the
Church in general has been consistently increasing.
Fostering
vocations to the priesthood is a constant challenge for the Church. The most
favourable environment for vocations to the priesthood is every Christian
community that listens to the Word of God, prays with the liturgy and gives
witness with charity. Prayer for the increase of vocations is the first and
most important step. As a proposal, the parish may collectively pray for
vocations. For instance, one weekend per month, the parish may recite a
specific vocational prayer after communion. The parish may also organize a day
of prayer, renewal and fellowship which aims to help and foster vocations among
the youth, young professionals, and those in formation through fellowship,
sharing, and prayer as one community of young people, religious in formation
and aspirants or youth in discernment.
E. Catechetical Apostolate
Religious
education in our schools should aim not only to a simple intellectual assent to
religious truths but also to a total commitment of one’s whole being to the
Person of Christ.[10]
To provide catechetical programs that lead to a better understanding of the
faith and improving the quality of pastoral life of the parish, the parish may
designate persons who are willing to conduct catechism classes, recollections
and retreats, seminars and workshops.
F. Founding of Other Religious
Organizations
As stated
earlier, there are already existing mandated religious organizations in the
parish. However, there are also many other great opportunities of establishing
other organizations for the spiritual growth of the parishioners who are
willing to serve the parish. Such organizations that are seen to be important
are Adoracion Nocturna Filipina,
Knights of Columbus, JHS Chaplet[11]
(as a branch of the existing JHS Chaplet in the nearby Parish of San Nicolas de
Tolentino) and many others. This is to help the parishioners to have a greater
participation in the life of the parish.
G. Regular Updating of Religious
Organizations and Lay Ministers
We cannot admit
that a certain religious organization, after being founded and stabilized, has
no need of further formation and updating. Since the Church adapts to the signs
of the time, so there is also a great need for regular updating for the
faithful. Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers and
the rest of the lay ministers should at least have a monthly assembly for an
updating and if possible, spiritual formation such as recollections. In this
manner, the parish does not only augment their understanding of the faith but
also foster unity and camaraderie among the members and the parish priest.
Conclusion
A community, and
in this sense the parish, that puts God as its center, source and origin, finds
it fulfilling to spread the faith more fully, more effectively and more
seriously. By gratefully keeping in mind the history of the development of the
parish, we can now help in contributing to the further progress and nurturing
of our faith in accordance to the will of God.
What
have just been presented by the writer are all possibilities and proposals for
the growth of the parish. However, it is the writer’s utmost prayer and hope
that these proposals will not just remain in letters and ideas, rather may they
be brought to life by the parish priest in collaboration of the parishioners.
[9] Bishop
Guevarra, who served the Diocese of Balanga as its first residential Bishop
from his appointment in 1975 to his retirement in 1998, was born on January 9,
1923 in Capas, Tarlac. He began his
priestly studies after graduation from grade school, completing his Philosophy
course at the San Carlos Seminary in Guadalupe, Makati, and Theology at the
University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary.
He
was ordained to the priesthood on April 19, 1949, and his early ministry
consisted of parish assignments, serving as assistant pastor of Concepcion,
Tarlac and Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, and as parish priest of Rizal and Bongabong
towns in Nueva Ecija. He also served in
the Curia as Diocesan Chancellor (1963-1970), Diocesan Consultor (1963),
Secretary (1968-1971) and Episcopal Vicar-Chancellor of Cabanatuan (1971).
He
was ordained to the Episcopacy on August 28, 1972, and appointed as Auxiliary
Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Fernando (Pampanga).
When
the Diocese of Balanga was erected in 1995, he was appointed as its first
Residential Bishop, and installed on November 8 of the same year. In the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP), he served as member of the Administrative Board and chairman of the
Episcopal Commission for the Laity for two terms (1982-1990). He had also served as a member of the Office
of the Laity of the Federation of Catholic Bishops' Conferences in 1986.
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