By James Sia
Fr. Florencio Salvador and several representatives from various lay ecclesial movements convened in the Patrick Cronin Hall on July 17, 2010, from 2 pm to 4 pm, to discuss the formation of the tentatively-named Commission of Lay Ecclesial Movements in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro (CLEMACO). Organizations represented during the meeting include Alpha Course in the Catholic Context, the Association of Pauline Cooperators (APC), the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP), Elim Communities, Couples for Christ (CFC), the Divine Mercy Apostolate, Kahayag sa Dios (KSD), the Order of Discalced Carmelites, Secular (OCDS), and the Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
Fr. Salvador, who was recently succeeded by Fr. Perseus Cabunoc of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish as Ad Intra Director, has accepted an appointment by Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J. to spearhead this new commission, which is to embody “the spirit of renewal and lay participation” articulated in the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.
“Abp. Ledesma wants me to focus on coordinating the various lay organization in the Church. We discovered that the greater work really is among you,” Fr. Salvador said as he opened the meeting. “It is here where we have differences that need to be ironed out, and it is here that we still have to do a lot of work in terms of integrating into the ministerial structure and activities of the local Church.”
During the meeting, Fr. Salvador defined a lay ecclesial movement as “a Catholic organization, such as a renewal movement, a mandated organization, or a devotional group.” He also noted that according to a recent report by the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on the Laity, it was discovered that Cagayan de Oro’s lay groups are not represented in the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas. “So we thought, rather than waiting for Basic Ecclesial Communities to be formalized in order for us to form a council of the laity, we thought that we should have a separate structure for them,” Fr. Salvador added.
Furthermore, Fr. Salvador stated that organizing the various Catholic lay communities, covenant groups, and organizations within the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro into a unified commission will greatly bolster the Ad Intra and Ad Extra Commissions in carrying out the goals of the Pastoral Plan, as lay participation and volunteerism will be greatly encouraged among individuals belonging to member lay ecclesial movements.
The new commission’s hierarchy will consist of Fr. Salvador as director, designated priests as spiritual directors, and a council to be elected from the lay ecclesial movements. The council will operate independently of parish councils and BECs. However, to ensure effective coordination among members, lay ecclesial movements must select representatives for the parish, district, and diocesan levels.
Abp. Ledesma was present during the meeting’s last hour to thank those present and to further explain the new commission’s purpose. “Linking the ecclesial lay movements can help strengthen the Ad Intra and Ad Extra Ministries, and a number of you are already helping with that. In one sense, a particular strength that you have is that you are professionals. Many of you are perhaps retired with a lot of extra time, and many of you are also involved in your own particular areas. You can bring all your efforts into the wider picture of the life of the local Church,” he said.
Abp. Ledesma also proposed that an archdiocesan synod be convened, “with as wide a participation as possible,” in order to collate proposals and policy guidelines from all segments of the archdiocese “to take care of different resources we have in the archdiocese.”
Abp. Ledesma also expressed openness to extending participation in the new commission to NGOs not explicitly Catholic, but whose vision, mission, goals, and activities concur with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.
With the new commission’s constitution and bylaws yet to be finalized, Fr. Salvador has called for another meeting on August 21, 2010 to allow participants to study the proposed draft further.
Fr. Florencio Salvador and several representatives from various lay ecclesial movements convened in the Patrick Cronin Hall on July 17, 2010, from 2 pm to 4 pm, to discuss the formation of the tentatively-named Commission of Lay Ecclesial Movements in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro (CLEMACO). Organizations represented during the meeting include Alpha Course in the Catholic Context, the Association of Pauline Cooperators (APC), the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP), Elim Communities, Couples for Christ (CFC), the Divine Mercy Apostolate, Kahayag sa Dios (KSD), the Order of Discalced Carmelites, Secular (OCDS), and the Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
Fr. Salvador, who was recently succeeded by Fr. Perseus Cabunoc of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish as Ad Intra Director, has accepted an appointment by Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J. to spearhead this new commission, which is to embody “the spirit of renewal and lay participation” articulated in the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.
“Abp. Ledesma wants me to focus on coordinating the various lay organization in the Church. We discovered that the greater work really is among you,” Fr. Salvador said as he opened the meeting. “It is here where we have differences that need to be ironed out, and it is here that we still have to do a lot of work in terms of integrating into the ministerial structure and activities of the local Church.”
During the meeting, Fr. Salvador defined a lay ecclesial movement as “a Catholic organization, such as a renewal movement, a mandated organization, or a devotional group.” He also noted that according to a recent report by the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on the Laity, it was discovered that Cagayan de Oro’s lay groups are not represented in the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas. “So we thought, rather than waiting for Basic Ecclesial Communities to be formalized in order for us to form a council of the laity, we thought that we should have a separate structure for them,” Fr. Salvador added.
Furthermore, Fr. Salvador stated that organizing the various Catholic lay communities, covenant groups, and organizations within the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro into a unified commission will greatly bolster the Ad Intra and Ad Extra Commissions in carrying out the goals of the Pastoral Plan, as lay participation and volunteerism will be greatly encouraged among individuals belonging to member lay ecclesial movements.
The new commission’s hierarchy will consist of Fr. Salvador as director, designated priests as spiritual directors, and a council to be elected from the lay ecclesial movements. The council will operate independently of parish councils and BECs. However, to ensure effective coordination among members, lay ecclesial movements must select representatives for the parish, district, and diocesan levels.
Abp. Ledesma was present during the meeting’s last hour to thank those present and to further explain the new commission’s purpose. “Linking the ecclesial lay movements can help strengthen the Ad Intra and Ad Extra Ministries, and a number of you are already helping with that. In one sense, a particular strength that you have is that you are professionals. Many of you are perhaps retired with a lot of extra time, and many of you are also involved in your own particular areas. You can bring all your efforts into the wider picture of the life of the local Church,” he said.
Abp. Ledesma also proposed that an archdiocesan synod be convened, “with as wide a participation as possible,” in order to collate proposals and policy guidelines from all segments of the archdiocese “to take care of different resources we have in the archdiocese.”
Abp. Ledesma also expressed openness to extending participation in the new commission to NGOs not explicitly Catholic, but whose vision, mission, goals, and activities concur with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.
With the new commission’s constitution and bylaws yet to be finalized, Fr. Salvador has called for another meeting on August 21, 2010 to allow participants to study the proposed draft further.
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