The Church presents how the first Christian

communities carried out the mission to spread

the gospel and how it grew into a Church,
carrying that same mission of salvation.
In particular this subject introduces the
emergence, growth, nature, marks and
the ministries of the Church. It further
presents as well the growth of the
Church in the Philippines and the new
expression of being Church today
(BEC) faithful to the mission of
salvation and liberation.
Goal:
Acquire comprehensive knowledge of the
Church and express the relevance of what it
means to be a member of the community of
God in concrete life.
Contents:
I. The Nature of the Church
II. Brief History of the Church
III. The Church in the Philippines
IV. The New Way of Being a Church
 THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH

Jesus Christ Established a Visible Church on Earth

Jesus Christ established and sustains a
community of faith, hope and love for all
believers.

The Church that Christ founded has a formal

earthly structure established by Christ and
which continues under His authority and
protection.
In the Old Testament

God was involved in the lives of the Israelites

(through appointed leaders and prophets)

God delivered, instructed and admonish the

Israelites.
He made His motions in a visible, specific and
formal way.

He always did so through human hands, mouths,

feet, minds and wills.
 In the New Testament
Jesus did three things that established the
framework of His Church.
First, He chose humans to carry out His
work. He appointed Peter to be the visible
head of the Church. Jesus said to Peter, "You
are Rock and on this rock I will build my
Church." (Matthew 16: 18) Jesus said
"build," as in to create a structure. Jesus built
His structure on specifically chosen human
beings Peter and the apostles.
Second, Jesus gave Peter and the apostles
the power and authority to carry out His
work. "Whatever you bind on earth will be
bound in heaven."(Matthew 16:19; 18:18)
"Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you
forgive, they are forgiven, whose sins you
retain, they are retained."(John 20:23)
Third, Jesus gave Peter and the Apostles
commands as to what that work should be.
At the last supper,

He commanded, "Do this in memory of

me." (Luke 22:19)

He commanded them to "Make disciples of

all nations" (Matthew 28:19),
 and to "Go into the whole world and
proclaim the Gospel to every creature."
(Mark 16:15)
The early Church was structured in a
hierarchical manner as it is today.

The Catholic Church is the only church that

can claim to have been founded by Christ
personally. Every other church traces its
lineage back to a mere human person such as
Martin Luther or John Wesley.
The Catholic Church can trace its lineage
back to Jesus Christ who appointed St.
Peter as the first pope. This line of popes
has continued unbroken for almost 2,000
years.
God rules, instructs and sanctifies His people
through His Church.

Under her teaching office, the Catholic

Church preserves the Word of God. She is the
custodian, keeper, dispenser and interpreter
of teachings of Christ. And she accomplishes
this under the protection of the Holy Spirit.
 The Term “ Church”

Etymologically, the term “church” came from

Anglo-Saxon, cirice, circe;

Modern German, Kirche; Swedish, Kyrka

It is the name employed in the Teutonic(Germanic)
languages to render the Greek ekklesia (ecclesia),
the term by which the New Testament writers
denote the society founded by Our Lord Jesus
Christ.

The derivation of the word has been much debated.

It is now agreed that it is derived from the Greek
kyriakon (cyriacon), i.e. the Lord's house, a term
which from the third century was used, as well as
ekklesia, to signify a Christian place of worship.
As signifying the Church, the word Ecclesia is
used by Christian writers, sometimes in a wider,
sometimes in a more restricted sense.

It is employed to denote all who, from the

beginning of the world, have believed in the one
true God, and have been made His children by
grace. In this sense, it is sometimes distinguished,
signifying the Church before the Old Covenant, the
Church of the Old Covenant, or the Church of the
New Covenant.
It may signify the whole body of the faithful,
including not merely the members of the Church
who are alive on earth but those, too, whether in
heaven or in purgatory, who form part of the one
communion of saints. Considered thus, the Church
is divided into the Church Militant, the Church
Suffering, and the Church Triumphant.

It is further employed to signify the Church

Militant of the New Testament. Even in this
restricted acceptation, there is some variety in the
use of the term.
The disciples of a single locality are often referred
to in the New Testament as a Church (Revelation
2:18; Romans 16:4; Acts 9:31), and

St. Paul even applies the term to disciples

belonging to a single household (Romans 16:5; 1
Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1-
2).
Moreover, it may designate specially those who
exercise the office of teaching and ruling the
faithful, the Ecclesia Docens (Matthew 18:17), or
again the governed as distinguished from their
pastors, the Ecclesia Discens (Acts 20:28).

In all these cases the name belonging to the whole

is applied to a part. The term, in its full meaning,
denotes the whole body of the faithful, both
rulers and ruled, throughout the world (Ephesians
1:22; Colossians 1:18).
The definition that usually adopted by Catholic
theologians:
- "A body of men united together by the
profession of the same Christian Faith, and by
participation in the same sacraments, under the
governance of lawful pastors, more especially of
the Roman Pontiff, the sole vicar of Christ on
earth"
Planned by God, founded by Jesus, led and
sanctified by the Holy Spirit (C 758-769)

The Catholic Church believes and teaches that;

God created the world so that we could share in

the life and love that exists between the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.
God the Father prepared for the Church
- with the call of Abraham
(and other individuals)
(Gen 12:1-4)
- the formation of the people of Israel (Ex 19 &
20). Israel, as a consecrated people, foreshadows
the Church.

In God’s own time, he sent Jesus into the world to

establish the Church which came about as a result
of Jesus’ Preaching and his Suffering, Death and
Resurrection.
In Mt 16:17-19 Jesus explicitly speaks of his plan
to establish the Church:
Called individuals
Formation of the Apostles

nfer the foundation to Peter;

“You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my
church and the gates of the netherworld shall not
prevail against it.”
The Catechism states that the Church was born
on the cross:
“As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam’s side,
so the church was born from the pierced heart of
Christ hanging on the cross” (C 766).

But the Apostles and disciples of Jesus need the

enlightenment of the Holy Spirit to awaken them to
what Jesus has done on the cross, and to help them
realize that they are the New Israel who has now
entered into a new covenant relationship with
Christ.
In Mt 28:19-20, Jesus commissions his Apostles
To go forth and make disciples
and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit.

In Acts we see
Peter and other disciples acting on Jesus’
command. Descent of the Holy Spirit

His message is preached and people are called to

repent.
 Those who respond are baptized and

a community of disciples is born.

Today we refer to this process as the beginnings of

the Church. As we read the Acts of the Apostles,
sometimes called the “Gospel of the Holy Spirit,”
we notice how much the Holy Spirit is present and
active in the early Church.
Down through the 2,000 years of her history, the
Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church despite
the sinfulness of her members and despite
attacks from without.

“The Holy Spirit maintains the stability, durability,

and continuity of the church both in favorable and
unfavorable historical circumstances” (USC p.
115).
The Church as a “Mystery”

When the bishops of the world gathered together in

Rome for Vatican Council II (1962-65), they
produced sixteen documents, the most important of
which is the Dogmatic Constitution on the
Church, also called Lumen Gentium, or “Light of
Nations.”
The Mystery of the Church - the opening chapter
of Lumen Gentium
The Church, like the Trinity, is a mystery which
human reason alone cannot comprehend. The
mystery of the Church lies in the reality that she is
one and, at the same time, both visible and
spiritual.

the visible dimensions of the Church—buildings,

the pope, bishops, priests ,lay faithful, ministries,
etc.
the invisible or spiritual dimension of the
Church—the presence of the Trinity in her. Jesus
proclaims that he will be with the Church at all
times to the end of the world. Jesus sends the Holy
Spirit to guide and empower the Church to
continue his mission.

Without faith, we are unable to see this presence of

God in the Church. (But only a person of faith can
recognize)
Because the Church, like Jesus her founder, is a
mystery.

Five images of the Church (C 781-786) where the

human and divine meet, she cannot be defined; she
can only be described or envisaged. Lumen
Gentium(paras. 6,7,9) offers many beautiful
scriptural images of the Church. We will now look
at some of these images that help us to gain some
insight into the mystery of the Church.
1. The Church as the people of God (C 791-786,
USCp.116).
The primary image used by the bishops at the
Second Vatican Council to describe the Church is
“People of God” (Lumen Gentium, ch 2). This
representation is deeply rooted in Scripture.

In the Old Testament, we find

God calling and forming the people of Israel into

his own special people and entering into a
covenant relationship with them.
The people of Israel understood themselves to be
the people of God (Ex 6:7).

In the New Testament

The first Christians who were Jews continued to

see themselves as God’s “Chosen People” who
had now entered into a new covenant
relationship with him.
Speaking to the first Christians,
Peter says: “You are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own people”
(1Pt 2:9).

This new people of God was to be universal in

nature embracing all races and cultures. One is
not born into this people through physical birth
but through faith and baptism.
2. The Church as the Body of Christ (C 787-795).

The “Body of Christ” image of the church is

drawn from the writings of St. Paul.

In 1Cor 12:12,27, Paul writes:

“For just as the body is one and has many
members and all the members of the body though
many, are one body, so it is with Christ... Now you
are Christ’s body and individually parts of it.”
Body of Christ representation of the Church

also reminds us that every member of the

Church is important to her life and mission
(1Cor 12:15-17).

Everyone is endowed by the Holy Spirit with

gifts needed for building up of the Body of
Christ.
3. The Church as the Bride of Christ (C 796)

In his letter to the Ephesians (5:21-33),

Paul compares the relationship between Christ
and the Church to that between husband and wife.
“Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loves
the Church and gave himself up for her”(5:25).

This spousal image of the Church also reflects

the wonderful intimacy that exists between
Christ and his Church.
It is the Bride of Christ image that the
Church is traditionally referred to as
“she.”
4. The Church as the Temple of the Holy
Spirit(C 797-798).
Quoting St. Augustine, the Catechism states:
“What the soul is to human body, the Holy
Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the
Church”(C 797).
The Holy Spirit is the source of the Church’s life,
unity, gifts and special graces—given to the
Church so that she may proclaim Jesus and his
message to the world. Just as one cannot
separate the Church from Christ, neither can
one separate the Holy Spirit from the Church.

An early Church Father, St. Irenaeus states:

“Indeed, it is to the church itself that the ‘Gift of
God’ has been entrusted…for where the Church
is, there is also God’s Spirit; where God’s Spirit
is, there is the Church and every grace”(C 797).
5. The Church as the sacrament of God’s love
and salvation

The Catechism states:

“The Church in this world is the sacrament of
salvation, the sign and the instrument of the
communion between God and men”(C 780).

A sacrament is defined as an “efficacious

symbol,” which means that it brings about what it
points to and embodies the reality it represents.
In this context, Jesus is often described as the
sacrament of God’s love and salvation .When
people encountered Christ with the eyes of
faith, they were encountering the invisible God
in a visible way and experiencing his love and
saving grace.
Since the Church is the Body of Christ, the Bride
of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit, we
too meet Christ in a visible and tangible way in
the Church. Thus the Church is the sacrament of
God’s love and salvation in our world.
Professor Thomas Groome of Boston College
calls the Church “the instrument that God uses to
come looking for us and that which we use to go
looking for God.”

Membership and ministries in the Church (C 888-931,

In the Catholic Church, we distinguish three

categories of membership:
The hierarchy refers to ordained ministers,
bishops, priests and deacons.
Consecrated religious include both ordained and
non-ordained persons (e.g., ordained Franciscans,
religious Franciscan brothers or sisters, and lay
Franciscans). Consecrated religious devote their
whole life to God in a special way. Most of them
also embrace what is called the Evangelical
Counsels of poverty, (renouncing ownership of
property), chastity(abstaining from sexual
activity), and obedience(submission to a superior
in community).
The laity – refers to most of the faithful that are
either members of hierarchy or religious.
All the above persons join together to respond
to Jesus’ Great Commission to make disciples
of all nations.
The three main roles or ministries of the
hierarchy, especially of the bishops assisted by
their priests:

To teach the truths of the Catholic faith faithfully

and fully;
To sanctify the members of the Church especially
through the celebration of the sacraments;

To govern the Church wisely as caring shepherds

of God’s people.

These three roles of the clergy are similar to the

priestly, prophetic and kingly roles of Christ
which all the baptized are called to actively
participate in.
Priestly role (C 901).

Through baptism every member of the Church

shares in the priesthood of Christ (1Pet2:9).
While the priesthood of the laity differs in essence
from the priesthood of the ordained, they are
nevertheless interrelated (Lumen Gentium, 10).

How do we share?

Through participation in the prayer of the

Church, especially in the Eucharist,
 by works of charity and

by living good Christian lives

the laity do not just only grow in holiness but they

also help others to become holy ,thus sharing in
the bishops’ role of sanctifying the Church.

Prophetic role (C 904-907).

The most effective prophet or teacher is the one

who witnesses to the teachings of Christ in their
daily life.
St. Francis of Assisi used to say: “preach the
gospel always, if necessary use words.”

This is a very exciting development in our

Church.
Within the prophetic ministry of the Church,
bishops in union with the Pope, hold a special
role. They are the official teachers of the
Church, sometimes called the Magisterium
(from the Latin “to teach”).
How do we share?
The lay faithful share in the prophetic ministry of
Christ and the Church both by teaching and
witness of life.

Kingly role (C 908-913).

Jesus is called Christ the King because he is the
King of the universe and the source of all authority.
During his life on earth, Jesus modeled for us a
servant style of leadership. He said that the son of
man came not to be served but to serve and give his
life for others (Mk 10:41-45).
How do we share?
Clergy and laity alike exercise their baptismal
kingly role in a Christ-like way when they carry
out their ministry within the Church in a humble
servant-like manner.
Leadership and authority in the Body of
Christ(C 874-877,)
In the Church, all members through baptism have
equal status:
all are equally important and are called to promote
the message of Christ to those who do not know
him.
In the New Testament, leadership and authority are
presented as a call to serve others. Once when
some of the Apostles are competing for the places
of honor in the kingdom that Jesus is inaugurating,
he tells them that in his kingdom, leaders and those
in authority are not to lord it over

A hierarchical form of leadership (C 874-886).

The Catholic Church has a hierarchical form of

leadership as opposed to a democratic form where
issues are decided by a vote.
The dictionary defines hierarchy as a ruling body
of clergy organized into orders and ranks, each
subordinate to the other one above it.

The Pope, our universal shepherd.

In our hierarchical form of leadership, the Pope, the

successor of St. Peter, is our universal shepherd or
pastor.
He has the final say when it comes to matters of
doctrine, morals and discipline.
The development of the papacy into what it is today,
is a long and complex story. Gradually, the bishop
of Rome, where tradition tells us Peter and Paul
died, came to be recognized as the head Bishop of
the Church.
By the fourth century, the Bishop of Rome was
called “Pope” (Papa). Sometimes the Pope’s
ministry is referred to as the Petrine
Ministry(Peter). In this role, the Pope is the symbol
of unity in the universal Church and his role is to
protect the unity of the Church and to work for
reconciliation among all Christian churches.
Bishops – successors of the Apostles.

When it comes to the governing of the Church,

bishops work very closely with the Pope. E te
In Catholic tradition, bishops are recognized as
successors of the Apostles.
Bishops are pastors of local churches called
dioceses, which oversees the functioning of many
parishes.
The whole body of bishops is referred to as the
“College of Bishops.”
Priests and deacons

They are co-workers of the bishop in his role of

teaching, sanctifying and governing the Church.
Both of these ordained ministries have their roots in
the New Testament. Lay faithful play a leadership
role in the Church by sharing with her their
baptismal gifts and graces and by serving on
various councils and committees within the Church.
Gift of infallibility (C 888-892).

The gift of infallibility was given to the Church

when Jesus promised to be with her at all times
until the end of the world (Mt 28:20), infallible
and when he promised to send the Holy Spirit to
lead the Church into the fullness of the truth (Jn
16:13).
It would be pointless for Jesus to give his Church
an infallible Bible, if he did not also give her
infallible teachers to protect her from teaching error
when interpreting the Bible and teaching the core
beliefs of the Church. The gift of infallibility which
The gift of infallibility which Christ gave to his
Church is often misunderstood. It does not mean
that popes cannot sin; obviously they can. It does
not mean that they cannot err when speaking about
non-Church matters. It does not mean that they
cannot err in Church matters when writing a book
as a private member of the Church.
The gift of infallibility only comes into play when
the Pope is speaking “from the chair” that is, ex
cathedra, or is speaking as universal shepherd in
matters of faith and morals.
The College of Bishops, when speaking as a body
in union with the Pope, can also teach infallibly
about matters of faith and morals. The Pope uses
the gift of infallibility very rarely.
 The Four Marks of the Church (C 811-870)

Since the Council of Constantinople 381, the

Church has spoken of herself as “one, holy, catholic
and apostolic,” words found in the Nicene Creed.
To identify the Church before the world.
served to distinguish her from heretical or false
churches that developed in time.
divine element_>Christ and the Holy Spirit at
work in the Church.

NB: They are seen as both

reality and challenge, Because they were never
lived out fully,
For example,
The Church is one and yet wounded because of
many Christian denominations.
The Church is holy and yet sinful in her members.
the Church is catholic (universal) and yet she can
be uninviting to outsiders. Individual Christians
can show prejudice to nonbelievers.
The Church is apostolic, yet many denominations
ignore the belief of apostolic succession.
 The Church is One (C 813-822, USC p.127)

The Church (C 866)

“acknowledges one Lord,
confesses one faith,
is born of one Baptism,
forms one Body,
is given life by one spirit for the sake of one
hope, at whose fulfillment all divisions will be
overcome.”
The source and model of the Church’s unity or
oneness: the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit
in the Trinity.

Signs unity (oneness):

Jesus died on the cross to gather all people to
himself.
Jesus spoke of “one flock and one shepherd” (Jn
10:16).
The Holy Spirit is present in the Church that brings
intimate communion between all of God’s people
(C 813).
Unity and Diversity - we find a wonderful and
rich diversity, a multiplicity of peoples, cultures,
spiritualities, gifts and liturgical rites (C 1200-
1203).
The invisible bond of charity and the visible bonds
of a common creed and sacraments.
For the Catholic Church, the Pope-successor of St.
Peter is also a very important visible symbol of our
unity.
Countersign: division in the Body of Christ.

The two main events that inflicted serious wounds

on the Body of Christ are:
The split between Rome and Constantinople in
1054 (a wound that had been festering for
centuries)

Eastern Christians separated from communion with

Rome are called the “Orthodox Church,” its two
main branches are the Greek and Russian Churches.
Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century.
Ecumenism (C 817-822). The word ecumenism
comes from a Greek word meaning universal.
The goal of Christian ecumenism:
common commitment among Christians to live
out the Gospel more fully and to be open to the
unifying work of the Spirit.

Goal: (PJP II)

To work towards making the partial unity that
exists between Christian Churches grow into
full communion(that All May Be One #14).
Working and praying for reunification of
Christianity is not an option but an essential
activity of the Church.
How to work for reunion of the Church (C 820-
822)
to get her own house in order)
Conversion of heart. If sin caused the divisions,
only holiness of life will heal them.
Prayer in common
Fraternal knowledge of each other
Collaboration among Christians in various areas
of service to mankind.
The Church is holy (C 823-829,)

Christ loved the Church and handed himself over

for her to sanctify her…that she may be holy and
without blemish. (Eph 5:25-27)
The Church has her origin in the Holy Trinity
and that is the source of her holiness. (USC p.
129)
Founded by Christ who is Holy
Her doctrine, moral principles, and her
sacraments are pure/holy because they are from
Christ.

Christ through the Church offers each of us

wonderful means to become holy.
We see the proof of this in the thousands of holy
men and women the Church has produced
down through the ages.
Countersign of holiness.
the sinfulness of her members, both clergy and
lay faithful.
The presence of sin in the Church can tempt one to
quit attending church or to join what we perceive to
be a less imperfect church.
To act on such a temptation would be sad and
destructive to our spiritual lives. If we feel that our
parish has failed us in our desire to grow spiritually,
we would be much better served to look for another
catholic parish than to break ties with the Church by
staying at home or by choosing to join a non-
church.
The Church is Catholic (C 830-856)

“Catholic,” as used in the Nicene Creed, means

“universal” or “all-embracing”-referring to the
totality or whole which is embraced.

Three dimensions:

“Catholic Church” can simply mean the whole

Church.
This is what St. Ignatius of Antioch meant when
he said in 110 AD,
“where Christ Jesus is, there is the Catholic
Church.”
Where Jesus is proclaimed and accepted, the
Catholic Church exists in some form.
The Church is catholic:

She seeks to embrace all peoples and cultures

at all times and places.
Just as Christ, the founder of the Church,
reached out to all, so must the Church. The
Catechism states “the Church is catholic
becauseshe has been sent out by Christ on a
mission to the whole human race” (C 831).
The Church is catholic
She includes all of what Jesus has entrusted to
her the “fullness of truth” and the “fullness of
the means of salvation” subsist or reside in the
Church.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem in 387 described the
Church as catholic because it :
 extends to the ends of the earth,
teaches all doctrines necessary for salvation,
instructs all people, heals every kind of sin and
possesses every virtue.
The title “Roman Catholic Church” highlights
the importance of the unity of the Catholic
Church with the successor of St. Peter, the
Bishop of Rome.
Particular churches are fully catholic through
their communion with the Church of Rome.
Who Belongs to the Catholic Church? And
Who Will Be Saved? (C 836-845)

Catholic Christians. People are fully

incorporated into the Catholic Church who
accepts her entire system and means of salvation
given to her:
creed
sacraments
ecclesiastical governance
In order to be saved, it is not enough to belong to
the Church. Lumen Gentium 14 states: “He is not
saved who does not persevere in charity.”
What about Non-Catholic Christians?

The Church teaches that Christians who believe

in Christ and are properly baptized are to be
received with the affection of brothers.

Through baptism and their belief in Christ,

they are in partial communion with the Catholic
Church (Vat.2, Decree on Ecumenism 3).
These brothers and sisters in Christ are saved
if they persevere in following the ways of Jesus
as they understand them.

While we Catholics may believe that we have the

“fullness of truth,” we should remember that
there is a difference between “having” the
fullness of truth and “living” whatever truth
we have grasped.
What About Non-Christians?

Non-Christians do not belong in any direct

sense to the Church.

Yet this does not mean that the grace of Christ

is not at work in their hearts.

Judaism.

The Catholic Church acknowledges her special

relationship with the Jewish people.
The Christian religion has its roots in Judaism.
The Jewish people were the first to hear the word
of God (Rom 9:4-5).
They have not ceased to be God’s Chosen People.
We share with them the faith of Abraham, the Ten
Commandments and the books of the Old
Testament.

Islam

The Church also recognizes that she has a unique

relationship with Muslims.
“The plan of salvation also includes those who
acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst
whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the
faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore
the one merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last
day” (C 841).
Other non-Christian religions.

The church also engages in dialogue with Hindus

and Buddhists.
She has a high regard for:
the manner of life and conduct,
the precepts and doctrines
Although differing in many ways from her own
teaching, nevertheless often have a ray of that
truth that enlightens all people. (Nostra Aetate 2).

Regarding the possibility of the salvation of non-

Christians, Lumen Gentium (16) states: Those also
can attain everlasting salvation who, through no
fault of their own, do not know the gospel of Christ
or his church, yet sincerely seek God and, moved by
grace, strive by their deeds to do his will as it is
known to them through the dictates of conscience.
What about non-believers?

help necessary for salvation to those who without

blame on their part, have not yet arrived atan
explicit knowledge of God, but strive to live a good
life, thanks to His grace” (Lumen Gentium 16).

Countersign. One way the Church has failed in

the past, and continues to the present time, to
live more fully this mark, is in the area of
inclusivity
For example,
in the sixteenth century, the Church lost a great
opportunity to evangelize China and Japan due to
failure to permit missionaries to adapt Church beliefs
and liturgies to Asian mentalities and customs. Of
course, such adaptations should never involve
falsifying or watering down the essentials of the faith.
Even though the Church since Vatican II has become
more inclusive and appreciative of women’s gifts, she
still has a ways to go in this area. Nearly all of the
important decisions in our Church today are still made
by men.
Missionary mandate (C 849-856). While the Catholic
Church very much respects the beliefs of other
Christian churches and non-Christian religions, she
also has a deep sense of her obligation to continue to
share the fullness of the Gospel with all who are
willing to listen. This missionary mandate is carried
out with a spirit of prayer, love and respect for the
beliefs of others.
The Catechism (856) states: “Believers can profit from
respectful dialogue by learning to appreciate better
those elements of truth and grace which are found
among people, and which are, as it were, a secret
presence of Christ.”
The Church is Apostolic (C 857-865, USC p.132)
The Church is apostolic in a threefold way:

Origin. The Church is “built upon the foundation of

the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being
the cornerstone” (Eph 2:20).

Teaching. The Church is apostolic because she teaches

and defends the teachings of Christ and guards
them against false teachers. The Church seeks to act
on Paul’s exhortation to Timothy: “You must keep to
what you have been taught and know to be true...”
(2Tim 3:14-17).
Structure. The Church is apostolic because she continues
to be taught by the bishops who are the successors of
the apostles, assisted by all involved in the catechetical
ministry of the Church and united with the Bishop of
Rome, the successor of Peter.

This mark or characteristic of the Church has led many

Protestant clergy and laity to enter into full communion
with the Catholic Church. (For their stories, see Surprised
by the Truth edited by Patrick Madrid.)

Countersign. The main countersign of this mark is the

large number of ecclesial communities that ignore the
importance of apostolic succession.
 THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Christ and the Apostles lived as a community
After Christ’s death… ……. the apostles feared
for their lives …….
Their hopes crumpled all around them
 Through Christ’s resurrection…
The apostles found new hope.
The Resurrection of Christ is the starting point of
Christian Faith
Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus
commanded his disciples;
to make more disciples,
to baptize them and instruct them in the faith.

He also promised that

He will be with us until the end of time, and that
He will be back. “and you shall be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the
ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) .
He will send the Holy Spirit
(Pentecost) The descent of Holy Spirit
builds, animates, and sanctifies Christ’s mystical
body, the Church.
As the Spirit descended on the Apostles, they went
out from hiding and began to undertake the
evangelizing mission Christ left them with –
so was the Church birthed on Pentecost Sunday.
the Apostles were transformed from being fearful
disciples into courageous preachers of the good
news.
(Evangelization – the initial proclamation of the
Gospel to non-believers for the purpose converting
them to faith in the Lord Jesus)

The Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to carry

out their mission. . . spread . . . later formed
into a Christian community . . . and eventually
the Church
FIRST CRISIS OF THE EARLY CHURCH:
Should the Gentiles be accepted into the Church?
Must they also become Jewish and follow the law
of Moses?
Council of Jerusalem ( Acts 15)- set the stage for
opening Christianity’s doors to those of any
nationality or culture
Paul argued that Christian converts need not pass
to circumcision and the strict obedience of the
Jewish law because it is Christ who is the essence
of the church.
Mandate of Christ “TO PREACH THE GOOD
NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO ALL
THE ENDS OF THE EARTH”
 PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Stephen – a deacon, man filled with grace and
power, who was working great wonders and signs
among the people ( Acts 6: 8) - Became the first
martyr of Christianity - His death was the signal for
increased persecution against the Church at
Jerusalem * sporadic persecutions were
experienced by the early Christians

Reasons of the Persecutions of the Christians by the

Romans: (The beliefs and practices of the
Christians were in conflict with the worldview of
the pagan Rome)
They worship only one God and do not recognize
the Roman gods and goddesses.
They also refuse to worship the emperor.
Christians are believed to be engaged in some form
of cannibalism in their Eucharistic Rite which is
celebrated in secret.
 Public spectacles of bloody games, like
gladiatorial contests, were condemned by the
Christians as inhuman.
Christians refused to serve in the army and
protested against wars.
Christians showed disloyalty to the state by not
paying the imposed temple tax.
Year 64 – under the reign of Emperor Nero -
general persecution of the early Church started –
great fire in Rome
They were thrown to the lions
Making them living torches in the garden of
Nero.
Among his victims were St. Peter, who was
crucified upside- down, and St. Paul, who was
beheaded. Year 67 – Rome – Sts. Peter and Paul
were persecuted
Rome would always occupy a central place in
Catholic Faith as seat of St. Peter. His successors,
the bishops of Rome, would be given a place of
special leadership and authority in the Church.

MARTYRS

Attitude Of The Early Christians Towards

Persecution:
“ Crucify us; torture us; send us to death; wipe us
out; Your injustice is the proof of our
innocence!”The cruel inventions of your fury
serve as recommendations for the Church. Our
numbers go on increasing while you make blood
harvests of our ranks.” “The Blood of Christ is a
seed”

The final general persecution of the church was

under the reign of Emperor Diocletian in the
year 303 and lasted for 10 years. It is the worst
persecution – extremely violent and added many to
the list of martyrs in the Church
THE END OF PERSECUTION
Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into
East and West in the year 292

Constantine succeeded Diocletian 312 – an armed

conflict broke out between Constantine and
Maxentius. Constantine beheld a vision of a cross
in the sky, over which were emblazoned the Latin
words “In hoc signo vinces” “In this sign you shall
conquer”
– Constantine, with his co-emperor Licinus, issued
the Edict of Milan

Edict of Milan – freedom of Religion to Christians

and even to all human beings ended the persecution
of the Christians. With Constantine’s victory, the
Eastern and the Western realms were unified
Constantine is the sole Emperor who was
converted to Christianity in the year 313

Constantine transferred the capital of the empire

from Rome to Byzantium which he renamed
Constantinople
With the Edict of Milan Christianity enjoyed the
status of “religiolicita”
No more crucifixions
Christians were given places for worship In 391,
Emperor Theodosius the Great declared
Christianity as the state religion of Rome, the
only legitimate imperial religion.

MONASTICISM
Monasteries existed to preserve both the spirit of
Christianity and the ancient wisdom of civilization
- Life of prayer and community
It is founded in St. Anthony of Egypt in the year285
St. Benedict - most important figure in
monasticism. He built a monastery of Monte
Cassino. His rule became the standards for
monastic life for centuries
9th Century – monasticism became the centers
of learning and their abbots were powerful men.

THE GREAT SCHISM (Western Church /

Eastern Church)
Rome and Constantinople – 2 great centers of
Christianity - they became more and more separated
by theology and politics.
 THE GREAT SCHISM (Western Church /
Eastern Church)
Rome and Constantinople – 2 great centers of
Christianity - they became more and more separated
by theology and politics.

Eastern Empire – often resented the Romans’

claim to primacy

The Great Schism:

 The Eastern and Western Church officially split
in 1054.
Tensions between the two Churches started in the
late 5th century and culminated with the Patriarch
of Constantinople Michael Cerularius and Pope Leo
IX excommunicating one another.

By the time of the Schism four major differences

existed between the Eastern and Western Church.
These differences were the following:
The Eastern Church used the Greek language while
the Western used Latin.
The Eastern Church used leavened bread for the
Eucharist while the Western used unleavened bread.
The Western Church enforced celibacy for its
priests and religious while the Eastern Church
allowed its priests to marry.
The Western Church used the “filioque” while the
Eastern Church did not.

Filioque (Ecclesiastical Latin: [filiˈɔkwe]), Latin

for "and (from) the Son", is a phrase included in
the form of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed
(commonly called the Nicene Creed) used in most
(commonly called the Nicene Creed) used in most
Western Christian churches since at least the 6th
century. It was accepted by the popes only in 1014,
and is rejected by the Eastern Orthodox Church and
Oriental Orthodox Churches. It was not in the
Greek text of this Creed, attributed to the Second
Ecumenical Council (the First Council of
Constantinople), which says that the Holy Spirit
proceeds "from the Father", without additions of
any kind, such as "and the Son" or "alone":
The Latin text now in use in the Western Church
speaks of the Holy Spirit as proceeding "from the
Father and the Son".
Differences over this doctrine and the question of
papal primacy have been and remain primary
causes of schism between the Eastern Orthodox and
Western churches.
The Filioque has been an ongoing source of
conflict between the East and West, contributing, in
part, to the East–West Schism of 1054 and proving
to be an obstacle to attempts to reunify the two
sides.[6]
 THE DARK AGES OF THE CHURCH
The total dominance of Christianity and the repression
of all art, science and progress that was not Christian in
nature. The era became known as the Dark Ages because
of the introduction of theocracy.

The Inquisition
 The last great innovation of the Age of Theocracy was
the Inquisition,
started out as a measure designed to suppress all non-
Christian thought.
seeking out, trying and sentencing persons guilty of the
broadly defined crime of "heresy".
The Inquisition quite openly used torture to obtain
evidence for a wide range of alleged charges, including
heresy, witchcraft, bigamy.

RENNAISANCE

PROTESTANTISM
A movement in Western Christianity whose adherents
reject the notion that divine authority is channeled
through one particular human institution or person
such as the Roman Catholic pope.
Protestants look elsewhere for the authority of their faith:
Bible - the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament – as
the source and the norm of their teaching.
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians also
stress the authority of the Bible, but they also look to
tradition, and, in the case of Catholics, to the pope as a
source of authority.

ANGLICANS
The separation of the church of England from the Roman
Catholic Church was by King Henry VIII. Although he
was declared then by the church as “Defender of Faith,”
he wanted to push for a separation between the church and
the state so that he may have full control over England.
This is because he wanted to annul his marriage with
Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn.
Although he sought first the permission of the pope but
Pope Clement VII refused him. As advised by Cromwell
and Thomas Crammer, Henry VIII broke away from the
church. He then proclaimed himself supreme governor of
the church of England.

COUNCIL OF TRENT (1545-1563)

This represented the true reformation. Others called it
Counter Reformation.
It was convoked because of the situation created by
Protestantism. Since Luther revolted in 1517, things
became bad to worse. But it took twenty years for the
church to convoke such a council.
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COUNCIL
 It gave the complete list of books of the Bible, and
declared that Tradition and Scriptures are both sacred.
 It declared that God’s grace and man’s freedom had to
cooperate in the process of salvation, and that nobody is
predestined to be eternally damned or saved. True faith
must be expressed in good works.
 It decreed that the seven sacraments were instituted by
Christ, Himself. The Eucharist is the memorial of the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, not only the commemoration
of the Last Supper.
 To fight the clergy’s ignorance, the council decided to
establish diocesan seminaries for their spiritual and cultural
formation.
Preaching on Sundays and holidays was made obligatory.
It also removed all the abuses connected with the
indulgences.
It exhorted Cardinals and Bishops to avoid luxury and to
become models of holiness and humility.
It confirmed the existence of purgatory, the legitimacy of
the veneration of the saints, and the validity of religious
vows.

2nd VATICAN COUNCIL

The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican
II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic
Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and
closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965.
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COUNCIL

It brings about an updating, a renewal that would enable

the church of the 20th century to address the problems of
the 20th century.
It gives greater recognition on the laity’s role in the
church.
It gives way to a greater participation of the local
churches in decisions that would affect the church
universally.
It effected most visibly the shift in the aspect of
LITURGY. (The faithful were given the opportunity to
participate more fully, actively and consciously in the
liturgy.”)
Vatican II: In 1962, under the pontificate of John XXIII,
the Church opened its twenty-first Ecumenical Council –
Vatican II. For the next three years, Cardinals, Bishops and
theologians from all over the globe met to discuss the
Church’s role in the modern world. The Council
produced sixteen documents to guide, unite, renew and
modernize the Bride of Christ.
Shortly after the Council ended, the Church went through a
period of uncertainty and turmoil. There were many
defections from the priesthood and religious life as well as
faulty interpretations of the Council documents. All of this
cast a shadow of confusion over the laity.
POPE JOHN PAUL II
John Paul II (1978 to 2005): In 1978, the College of
Cardinals broke with tradition and elected the first non-
Italian Pope in 456 years. Cardinal Karol Wojtyla from
Cracow, Poland was elected Pope and took the name Pope
John Paul II. He was a philosopher and theologian. He
participated in Vatican II, contributing especially to the
documents:
The Declaration on Religious Freedom and The
Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.
His pontificate was one of service and evangelization.
He not only called the Church to a new evangelization,
but also encouraged the laity to live holy lives.
His witness and teachings helped many Catholics come
out of the confusion that occurred after Vatican II.
wrote numerous letters and encyclicals,
published the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the
new Code of Canon Law and
traveled to over 100 countries preaching the Gospel.

Pope Benedict XVI:

In 2005, the College of Cardinals in conclave elected Card.

Joseph Ratzinger to succeed John Paul II.
The Church in the Year of Faith.
What is the Year of Faith?

At certain times in the history of the Church, popes have

called upon the faithful to dedicate themselves to
deepening their understanding of a particular aspect of the
faith
The Year of Faith as declared by Pope Benedict XVI, is an
opportunity for Catholics to experience a conversion – to
turn back to Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with
him. The pope has described this conversion as opening the
“door of faith” (see Acts 14:27). The “door of faith” is
opened at one’s baptism, but during this year Catholics are
called to open it again, walk through it and rediscover and
renew their relationship with Christ and his Church.
Why is the Year of Faith this year?
With his Apostolic Letter of October 11, 2011, Porta Fidei,
Pope Benedict XVI declared that the Year of Faith will
begin on October 11, 2012 and conclude on November 24,
2013.

October 11, the first day of the Year of Faith, is the

•50thanniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican
Council (Vatican II) and also the
•20thanniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
During the Year of Faith, Catholics are asked to study and
reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the catechism so
that they may deepen their knowledge of the faith.
 The Year of Faith and New Evangelization

The New Evangelization is a call to each Catholic to

deepen his or her own faith, have confidence in the Gospel,
and possess a willingness to share the Gospel. The New
Evangelization is first and foremost a personal encounter
with Jesus Christ; it is an invitation to deepen one’s
relationship with Christ. It is also a call to each person to
share his or her faith with others. The Year of Faith, just
like the New Evangelization, calls Catholics to conversion
in order to deepen their relationship with Christ and to
share it with others.
The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI occurred on 28
February 2013 at 20:00 (8:00 PM) CET (19:00/7:00 PM
UTC). The resignation was first announced on the morning
of 11 February 2013 by the Vatican.[1][2][3] Benedict's
decision to step down as leader of the Catholic
Church made him the first pope to relinquish the office
since Pope Gregory XII in 1415[4] (who did so in order to
end the Western Schism), and the first to do so on his own
initiative since Pope Celestine V in 1294.[5] The move was
unexpected,[6] given that the modern era popes have held
the position from election until death.[6] The Pope stated
that the reason for his decision was his declining health due
to old age.
[7]The conclave to select his successor began on 12 March
2013[8] and elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio,
Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who took the name
of Francis.

Pope's resignation was likely due to numerous factors,

mainly revolving around the internal problems of the
Vatican, of which sexual shenanigans were likely one.

POPE FRANCIS (2013– present)

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who took the name Pope
Francis, became the first Argentine pope and the first from
outside Europe for over 1,000 years when he was elected
pope last March 13, 2013.
 The Ecclesiology of Pope Francis

During his July 22-29,2012 visit to Brazil, Pope Francis'

homilies and addresses had a simplicity and directness
that inspired the faithful with confidence in God's love,
hope for reform and love of neighbor, especially the
poor. But two of his speeches went beyond pastoral
exhortations to lay out his vision and agenda for the
church -- his July 27 address to the Brazilian bishops and
his address the next day to the episcopal council of
CELAM, the Latin American conference of bishops.
Where does Francis want to lead the church? What
does he want the bishops to do?

Church as reconciler: In his address to the Brazilian

bishops, Francis retells the story of the Madonna of
Aparecida as a parable of the Latin American church. Tired
fishermen, who have experienced failure in a dilapidated
boat with old, torn nets, find a broken statue that must be
mended. "In Aparecida, from the beginning, God's message
was one of restoring what was broken, reuniting what had
been divided," Francis explained. "Walls, chasms,
differences which still exist today are destined to
disappear. The church cannot neglect this lesson: She is
called to be a means of reconciliation."
Church of the heart: For Francis, faith enters the church
through the heart of the poor, not through the heads of
intellectuals. Francis confessed that "perhaps we have
reduced our way of speaking about mystery to rational
explanations, but for ordinary people the mystery enters
through the heart." This leads him to understand the
missionary role of the churchnot as winning an
argument but as offering something beautiful. "Only the
beauty of God can attract. God's way is through
enticement, allure," he told the bishops. "He reawakens in
us a desire to call our neighbors in order to make known
his beauty. Mission is born precisely from this divine
allure, by this amazement born of encounter."
A church with a simple message: Francis concluded,
"The results of our pastoral work do not depend on a
wealth of resources, but on the creativity of love." He
argued that the message should be kept simple. "At times
we lose people because they don't understand what we
are saying, because we have forgotten the language of
simplicity and import an intellectualism foreign to our
people." This church does not obsess over whether Jesus is
"one in being" or "consubstantial" with the Father. Rather,
it presents Jesus as the compassion of God.

Church of Emmaus: Using the Gospel story of Emmaus,

Francis talked to the bishops about people who have left
the church because they "now think that the church --
their Jerusalem -- can no longer offer them anything
meaningful and important." He does not blame the
culture, he does not harangue against relativism,
consumerism and other "isms"; rather, he calls for self-
examination by the bishops.

Perhaps the church appeared too weak, perhaps too distant

from their needs, perhaps too poor to respond to their
concerns, perhaps too cold, perhaps too caught up with
itself, perhaps a prisoner of its own rigid formulas, perhaps
the world seems to have made the church a relic of the past,
unfit for new questions; perhaps the church could speak to
people in their infancy but not to those come of age.
Faced with this Emmaus situation, what does Francis
suggest?
We need a church unafraid of going forth into their night.
We need a church capable of meeting them on their way.
We need a church capable of entering into their
conversation. We need a church able to dialogue with those
disciples who, having left Jerusalem behind, are wandering
aimlessly, alone, with their own disappointment,
disillusioned by a Christianity now considered barren,
fruitless soil, incapable of generating meaning. …

Are we still a church capable of warming hearts? A

church capable of leading peopleback to Jerusalem? Of
bringing them home? Jerusalem is where our roots are:
Scripture, catechesis, sacraments, community, friendship
with the Lord, Mary and the apostles. … Are we still able
to speak of these roots in a way that will revive a sense of
wonder at their beauty?

Francis then presented practical challenges:

"Unless we train ministers capable of warming people's
hearts, of walking with them in the night, of dialoguing
with their hopes and disappointments, of mending their
brokenness, what hope can we have for our present and
future journey?“
 "There is need, then, for a greater appreciation of local
and regional elements. Central bureaucracy is not
sufficient; there is also a need for increased collegiality and
solidarity." What is needed is "not unanimity, but true unity
in the richness of diversity.“

 The church's legacy is transmitted through witness, and

"one needs to hand it over personally, to touch the one to
whom one wants to give, to relay, this inheritance."
 "We need a church capable of rediscovering the
maternal womb of mercy. Without mercy we have little
chance nowadays of becoming part of a world of 'wounded'
persons in need of understanding, forgiveness, love."
 "Let us not reduce the involvement of women in the
church, but instead promote their active role in the ecclesial
community. By losing women, the church risks becoming
sterile."
 THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE
PHILIPPINES

The Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines

 is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, with its head
being the Pope.
It is also one of two nations in Asia with a predominantly
Roman Catholic population (the other is East Timor),
 and is the third largest Catholic country in the world
(after Brazil and Mexico).
 The faith was brought to what is now the Philippines by
Spanish missionaries and colonisers, who arrived in
waves during the 16th century.
Spanish Era
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain had three major goals
for the occupation of the Philippine Islands.
 One was to colonize the Philippines and participate in
the spice trade dominated by Portugal.
 Second, Spain wanted to use the islands' geographical
location to trade with China and Japan and to spread
Catholicism to those advanced civilizations,
 third was for Spain to spread Catholicism in the
archipelago itself.
While many history books claim that the first Mass in the
islands was held on Easter Sunday of 1521; the exact
location is disputed. Some books claim that this was done
on the same day in a little island near the present day
Bukidnon Province. There is only one recorded Christian
Mass in the Philippines that is provable, and it was that
held at the island-port named Mazaua on Easter Sunday,
31 March 1521. This incident was recorded by the Venetian
diarist Antonio Pigafetta.

The Legazpi expedition of 1565 marked the beginning

of the Hispanisation of the Philippines. This expedition
was an effort to occupy the islands with as little bloodshed
and conflict as possible, ordered by Phillip II. Lieutenant
Legazpi was in charge of making peace with the natives
and through swift military conquest. To do so, he set up
colonies.

Pre-conquest religion of the natives

 consisted of monotheistic and polytheistic cults.
Bathala (Tagalog – central Luzon) or Laon(Bisayan –
central islands) was the ultimate creator above other
inferior gods and goddesses.
 Natives also worshiped nature and prayed to the
spirits of their ancestors to whom they also made
sacrifices. Mostly men practiced ritualistic drinking and
many rituals performed aimed at cure for a certain illness.
 Magic and superstition also existed among the natives.
The Spaniards claimed to liberate the natives from their
wicked practices and show them the right path to God.

In 1599, negotiation began between a number of chieftains

and their freemen and the Spaniards. The natives agreed to
submit to the rule of a Castilian king and in return, the
natives were indoctrinated into Christianity and were
protected from their enemies, mostly Japanese, Chinese,
and Muslim pirates. However, the missionaries continued
to face many difficulties in Christianizing the region

Difficulties
Several factors hindered the Spaniards' efforts to spread
Christianity throughout the archipelago.
 An inadequate number of missionaries on the island
made it difficult to reach all the people and harder to
convert them.
 This is also due to the fact that the route to the
Philippines was in itself a rigorous task and
some clergy never had the opportunity to set foot on the
islands.
 Some clergy fell ill or waited years for their chance to
take the journey.
 For others, the climate difference once they arrived
proved to be unbearable.
Other missionaries desired to go to Japan or China
instead
 The most difficult obstacles facing the missionaries
were the dispersion of the Filipinos and their seemingly
endless varieties of languages and dialects. The
geographical isolation forced them into numerous small
villages and every other province supported a different
dialect.

Religious orders
The Philippines is home to many of the world's major
religious congregations, and today these include the
Augustinians, Recollects, Jesuits, Dominicans,
Benedictines, Franciscans, Carmelites, Salesians, and the
indigenous Religious of the Virgin Mary and the
Augustinian Recollect Sisters.
The five regular orders who were assigned to Christianize
the natives were the;
 Augustinians, who came with Legazpi,
Franciscans (1578),
Jesuits (1581),
Dominican friars (1587)
Augustinian Recollects (simply called the Recoletos
1606).

In 1594, all had agreed to cover a specific area of the

archipelago to deal with the vast dispersion of the natives.
 The Augustinians and Franciscans mainly covered the
Tagalog country while the Jesuits had a small area.
 The Dominicans encompassed the Parian.
The provinces of Pampanga and Ilocos were assigned to
the Augustinians.
 The province of Camarines went to the Franciscans.
 The Augustinians and Jesuits were also assigned the
Visayan islands.

The Christian conquest had not reached the Mindanao

province due to a highly resistant Muslim community
that existed pre-conquest.

The task of the Spanish missionaries, however, was far

from complete. By the seventeenth century, the Spaniards
had created about 20 large villages and almost completely
transformed the native lifestyle.
The missionaries continued their efforts to convert the
natives to the Christian faith amidst some resistance. Their
strategy was;
o to take children of the chieftains and put them under
intense education in religious doctrines and the Spanish
language so that they in turn could convert their fathers
and eventually native followers would emulate their leader.
Between 1578 and 1609, missionaries saw an optimistic
and enthusiastic attitude from the natives there were more
converts than ever.

Despite the progress of the Spaniards, it took many years

for the natives to truly grasp key concepts of Christianity.
In Catholicism, four main sacraments attracted the natives
but only for ritualistic reasons, and they did not fully alter
their lifestyle as the Spaniards had hoped.
 Baptism was believed to simply cure ailments,
 Holy Matrimony was a concept many natives could not
understand and thus had violated the sanctity of
monogamy. They were however, allowed to keep the
tradition of dowry which was accepted into law. "Bride-
price" and "bride-service" were not observed by the
Spaniards, but were performed by natives despite labels of
heresy.
 Confession, or Penance, was required of everyone once
a year, and the clergy used a bilingual text aid called
confessionario to help natives understand the rite's meaning
and what they had to confess.
They were initially apprehensive to the concept but they
gradually used Penance as a way to excuse excessive
actions throughout the year.
 Communion was given out selectively for this was one
of the most important sacraments that the missionaries did
not want to risk having the natives violate. To help their
cause, evangelism was done in the native language.

Doctrina Christiana is a book of prayers in Tagalog

published in the 16th century.
 The American Occupation
The Americans had conquered. After 377 years since a fleet
of three ships commanded by Ferdinand Magellan reached
Eastern Samar in 1521 and 333 years since Miguel López
de Legazpi entered Cebu port in 1565, Spain finally lost
her colony in Southeast Asia. On December 10, 1898 the
Philippines was ceded to the United States by Spain under
the terms of the Treaty of Paris4. By virtue of this treaty,
the Filipinos, freed from the Spanish yoke, were under
another foreign master, an episode that would last until
1946.

As literacy was low, the Americans started their

colonization work by educating the Filipinos.
The American soldiers were the first teachers. In 1901
volunteer teachers arrived: 48 aboard the Sheridan,
48aboard the Buford, and 523 aboard the Thomas (it is for
this reason why the first American teachers were called,
Thomasites)7. They administered what would be one of the
contributions of America to Philippine culture, the public
school system. That same year the Philippine Normal
School was founded, so Filipinos could be trained to do
actual classroom teaching. English was introduced as the
medium of instruction, and soon, Filipinos were taught to
speak English8. Paul Monroe would later write, «As the
Church was the symbol of the Spanish [rule], so the school
has been the symbol of American civilization»9.
The situation of the Church during the early years of
American rule, socially and physically speaking, was one
of total disaster.
o Church buildings and institutions were razed to the
ground and many were severely damaged
o There were fewer than six hundred seventy five Filipino
priests.
o The union of Church and State, which existed during the
Spanish period, was severed. As an effect, the priests were
left almost without material resources. For one thing, the
clergy could no longer engage in government
functions.Then, with the public schools now established,
the Church had no more control over them
American democracy protected the principle of separation
of Church and State, and on account of this,

oit became a major discussion whether religion, as in the

Spanish regime, should continue as a school subject.
oSome wanted it removed, as it would revive the
difficulties which the Filipinos had taken up arms to solve.
oSince the Treaty of Paris provided that Filipino customs
and traditions be respected, a compromise solution was
approved, thus allowing religion to be taught to children
whose parents asked for it, thrice weekly, and outside class
hours.
 The emergence of the Aglipayan Church

The presence of the Spanish friars in the parishes also

occasioned opposition among the Filipino clergy and
eventually led to the formation of the Filipino National
Church, better known as Iglesia Filipina Independiente in
1902. This was founded by Isabelo de los Reyes, a
journalist, and Gregorio Aglipay, a Filipino Catholic
priest. They were joined by six hundred Filipino priests and
soon gained a moniker, the Aglipayans13.

 This anti-clerical sentiment was likewise manifested in

the growing Masonic Movement which, with its strong
anti-Catholic bias, influenced many political leaders and
educators.
 The Protestant ministers who came all the way from the
United States. They penetrated the public schools where
most of the teachers, the Americans, were Protestants. One
can be right in saying that the public schools were
favorable for the spread of Protestantism in the country.

The work of the missionaries of St.Vincent de Paul (better

known as the Padres Paúles, or sometimes, the
Vincentians)

 Since their arrival in the Philippines in 1862, their

apostolate had been geared towards the training and
education of the Filipino native clergy.
 they were the ones running most of the seminaries
Though, seminaries had to be closed on account of the
political situation in the country, coupled with the
exclusion of religious instruction in the classroom, the
more they are challenged to established Catholic
institutions, such as seminaries.

Holy See to the Rescue

During the Spanish period, the Holy See had no direct
charge over church matters in the Philippines. This was
because of the patronatoreal which had granted the
Spanish monarchs the right to exercise dominion in both
church and state affairs in the colony17. With the fall of the
Spanish government, the Holy See had to address the needs
of the Church in this former Spanish colony.
• It sent its Apostolic Delegate in Manila
 Archbishop Placide Chapelle of New Orleans.
In 1902 a new Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Giovanni
Battista Guidi, bringing along the papal constitution, gave
special attention to clerical formation in the diocesan
seminaries. It enjoined bishops to erect «institutions for the
education of young men aspiring to the clerical state»

• With this papal constitution also came the announcement

of the Holy See appointing four American bishops to
replace the Spanish hierarchy.
Early Signs of Resurgence

• Creation of Provincial council

To address the issues on internal reform and reorganization

in the Church, there was to be a provincial council of the
entire Philippines. In 1904, this council was convoked, The
Council marked a turning point in the Philippine Church
History. It strengthened the clergy and the people who at
this time were reeling from the aftershocks of the
Philippine Revolution and the menacing Aglipayan schism.
It introduced needed reforms. In effect the progress of the
Church in the Philippines was seen as growing.
• The entrance of religious priests from other countries

This was the bishops’ (who were mostly Americans) effort

to stem the tide of the growing Protestant culture

The American Jesuits proved to be the greatest factor in the

Church’s transition from a Hispanized culture to one which
was becoming heavily influenced by American
mores,customs and language. Their work in education,
research and scholarship, retreats, social in-volvement and
mission work provided more impetus in the Church’s
apostolic activity
By the second half of the 1920’s the situation of the Church
was making a turn for the better, showing multiple signs of
revival. Members of the Aglipayan Church returned to the
Catholic Church in large numbers; Catholic education grew
both in numbers and in its standard of excellence, thanks to
the arrival of religious orders and congregations;
seminaries run by the Vincentians and the Jesuits started to
get more seminarians.
During the Japanese Occupation

The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941,

and the next day, December 9, the Japanese Imperial
Forces attacked and eventually occupied the Philippines.
The USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East)
composed of American and Filipino soldiers fought
together courageously side by side against a common
enemy in Bataan, only to surrender to the Japanese on April
1942.
Results:

There were many foreign priests and religious who

belonged to nationalities with whom the Japanese were at
war, and, as a result, were interned in prison camps,
tortured and killed. Still others escaped into the hills where
they continued to exercise their ministry with guerillas and
refugees.

It would only be at the end of the World War II, in 1946,

after the Philippines was granted independence by the
United States, that the Church could start Her work of
rebuilding and reorganization from the ravages of war32.
The Post-War Period
Rehabilitation Work; Establishment of the Catholic
Hierarchy
After the liberation of Manila in March 1945, the Apostolic
Delegate, Archbishop Guglielmo Piani sent a message to
the Holy See concerning the atrocities suffered by the
Church personnel and the number of church buildings on
account of the bombings and shellings.

• The first five years after the war were spent in the
restoration and rehabilitation of the Church’s damaged
institutions
• On July 7, 1945, the majority of the Catholic bishops met
for the first time in Manila since the outbreak of war
First Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP I)
The first major act that the Philippine Catholic hierarchy
did less than a decade after the war was to convoke a
Plenary Council. It was held at St. Augustine Church in
Manila, from January 7 to 25, 1953. Pius XII, the reigning
pontiff at the time, appointed Cardinal Norman Thomas
Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney, as Papal Legate a latere to
the council.
The council was composed of 6 Archbishops, 21 Bishops,
and 4 Apostolic Prelates. Invited to take part in the council
was the procurator of the Metropolitan See of Manila and
21 Superiors of the various male religious orders,
congregations and societies existing at the time in the
country. By that time, the Philippines had remained the
only Christian nation in the Far
East, and to a certain extent, had prospered with the rest of
the world. The population had grown three times as great
as it was fifty years back, to around twenty-five million.
There were, by then, 28 dioceses, 1,301 parishes, 25
religious orders for men, and 28 religious orders for
women. There were 28 bishops, 1,397 Filipino priests
(religious and diocesan combined), and 1,162 foreign
priests42.
Some problems and issues:
• First, there was the growing religious indifference among
the rising generation, coupled by an educational system
that had long excluded the teaching of religion.
• Second, there was the seething issue of Communism
which had been exploiting the material problems of the
poor and the workers
Other Important Church Events
•T he Marian Congress held in Manila on December 1,
1954, presided over by Fernando Cardinal Quiroga y
Palacios, the Archbishop of Santiago de Campostela in
Spain. Participated in by more than one million Catholics
with President Ramon Magsaysay at the helm the Congress
was a huge demonstration of the growing Catholic faith in
the country
• Then, from April 27 to May 2, 1965, the Church
celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Christianization of
the Philippines. Cebu’s Archbishop Julio Rosales
coordinated this mammoth commemoration graced by the
Apostolic Delegate to the United States Egmidio Vagnozzi,
the President of the Philippines Diosdado Macapagal,
Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the Philippine bishops and other
prominent figures both of the Church and the State
By this time the world was undergoing social, political and
cultural transformation of unprecedented magnitude. Even
ecclesiastical events of universal importance were
happening very fast
On October 18, 1958, the College of Cardinals elected as
Pius XII’s successor, Cardinal Angelo Roncalli, who took
the name of John XXIII. On October 11, 1962, in
impressive ceremonies, the seventy seven year old pope
opened the Second Vatican Council. Sadly though, he died
on June 3,1963. His successor, Pope Paul VI, took up from
where he left, directed the course according to plan, and
saw its conclusion.
The Second Vatican Council, which ended in December
1965, issued a body of documents all touching upon nearly
all aspects of Christian life and the relation of the Church
to the world. To use the contemporary parlance, it created a
paradigm shift.

The Philippine Church found Herself met by the challenge

of this shift, its corresponding theological and pastoral
implications, and was soon addressing issues and problems
along a different mold and perspective.

http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=5435
The unifying theme of all the documents is renewal.
Vatican II was a council aimed at renewing or reforming
the Church.
As a communion that based on the Holy Trinity, the Church
is not only an institution but must be seen and experienced
as a community whose members―clergy, religious, and
laity―are united to each other and actively participate in
the life and mission of the Church. The Church’s mission is
not limited to the spiritual dimension. The Church must be
involved in the social, economic, political, cultural spheres.
The Church is called to collaborate with other religions,
civil society and states to bring about justice, peace,
freedom and development in human society.
 The Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference in 1971
which adopted the basic themes of Vatican II ecclesiology
and promoted the growth of Basic Ecclesial Communities
(BECs) in Mindanao was part of that reception.

 So also was the Second Plenary Council of the

Philippines (PCPII) in 1991 which echoed the Vatican II
vision of a renewed Church:

• Community of Disciples,
• living in Communion and Participating in the Mission of
Christ as a prophetic, priestly and kingly people and as the
Church of the Poor.
According to PCP II, this vision can be expressed in BECs.
Thus, BECs are the means by which ordinary lay-faithful
can experience the Church as a community of disciples,
where they can live in communion in their neighborhood
and local communities, where they can be empowered to
actively participate in the prophetic, priestly and servant
mission of the Church and become truly part of the Church
of the Poor.

Philippines - Church-State Relations

http://countrystudies.us/philippines/88.htm
1970
For much of the Marcos administration, the official church,
led by archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin, adopted a
stance of "critical collaboration." This meant that although
Sin did not flatly condemn Marcos, he reserved the right to
criticize. Below the cardinal, the church was split between
conservative and progressive elements, and some priests
joined the communist dominated National Democratic
Front through a group named Christians for National
Liberation. Cardinal Sin was instrumental in the downfall
of Marcos. He brokered the critical, if temporary,
reconciliation between Aquino and Laurel and warned the
Marcoses that vote fraud was "unforgivable." In radio
broadcasts, he urged Manileños to come into the streets to
help the forces
led by Enrile and Ramos when they mutinied in February
1986. The church, therefore, could legitimately claim to be
part of the revolutionary coalition.

When the Philippines was placed underMartial Law by

dictator Ferdinand Marcos, relations between Church and
State changed dramatically, as some bishops expressly and
openly opposed Martial Law. The turning point came in
1986 when then-Archbishop of Manila Jaimé Cardinal Sin
broadcast over Church-run Radio Veritas an appeal for
people to support anti-regime rebels. The people's response
became what is now known as the People Power
Revolution, which ousted Marcos.
1980’s – 90’s
Aquino is a deeply religious woman who has opened
cabinet meetings with prayers and sought spiritual
guidance in troubled times. Although there were reports
that the Vatican in late 1986 had instructed Cardinal Sin to
reduce his involvement in politics, Aquino continued to
depend on him. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines issued a pastoral letter urging people to vote
yes in the 1987 constitutional plebiscite. In March 1987,
Sin announced that he was bowing out of politics, but two
months later he broadcast his support for ten Aquino-
backed candidates for the Senate and recommended that
voters shun candidates of the left. In 1990 Sin defined his
attitude toward the government as one of "critical
solidarity."
20th century
The Catholic Church made a remarkable comeback in the
Philippines in the twentieth century, primarily because the
Vatican agreed to divest itself of massive church estates
and to encourage Filipinos to join in the clergy. This
resurgence was so successful that Protestant mission
efforts, led by large numbers of American missionaries
during the period of American colonial rule, made little
headway. In the early 1990s, the clergy were predominantly
Filipino, all of the diocesan hierarchy were Filipino, and
the church was supported by an extensive network
of parochial schools.
1946-present
When the Philippines was placed under Martial Law by
dictator Ferdinand Marcos, relations between Church and
State changed dramatically, as some bishops expressly and
openly opposed Martial Law.The turning point came in
1986 when then-Archbishop of Manila Jaimé Cardinal Sin
broadcast over Church-run Radio Veritas an appeal for
people to support anti-regime rebels. The people's response
became what is now known as the People Power
Revolution, which ousted Marcos.
Church and State today maintain generally cordial relations
despite differing opinions over specific issues. With the
guarantee of religious freedom in the Philippines, the
Roman Catholic clergy subsequently
remained in the political background as a source of moral
influence especially during elections. Political candidates
still generally court the clergy and other religious leaders
for additional support, although this does not guarantee
victory.
Internal movements
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
•emerged vis-a-vis the Born-again movement during the
70s.
•offered Life-In-the-Spirit seminars in the early days which
have now evolved and have different names. These
seminars focus on the Charismas or gifts of the Holy Spirit.
•Some of the Charismatic movements were the Assumption
Prayer Group, Couples for Christ, El Shaddai, Kerygma
and the Shalom.
• Professed to be ecumenical, similar to the evangelical and
Pentecostal Christians; in fact, many non-Catholic
Christians also join this movement.Even though the
movement is ecumenical, majority of its adherents are
Catholics, in addition, leaders and speakers in these groups
are sometimes Catholic priests.

Neocatechumenal Way
• established for more than 25 years.
• more than 700 and are found all over the Philippines with
main concentrations in Luzon (Manila) and the Visayan
Islands, especially in Panay, particularly IloIlo province
with over 120 communities.
• This faith-based initiative which centres on rediscovering
the Baptism has spread rapidly in the Philippines and has
the strongest presence in Asia, and remains to be one of the
strongest presences in the World.
• A Neocatechumenal Diocesan Seminary, known as a
Redemptoris Mater Seminary is also present in Manila, as
well as many families in mission in many of the Philippine
Islands.
• The Neocatechumenal Way is a reality within the Roman
Catholic Church and its efforts are mostly concentrated on
evangelization initiatives.
• It is under the authority of the local Bishop. Membership
in the Philippines now exceeds 25,000 persons.
 Papal visits
• Pope Paul VI was the target of an assassination attempt at
Manila International Airport in the Philippines in 1970.The
assailant, a BolivianSurrealist painter named Benjamín
Mendoza y Amor Flores, lunged toward Pope Paul with a
kris, but was subdued.[6]
• Pope John Paul II visited the country twice, 1981 and
1995. The Mass of the late pope in Manila (1995) was
recorded to have been attended by 4 million people, the
highest number ever recorded in papal history.
• Pope Benedict XVI declined the invitation of Cardinal
Gaudencio Rosales and CBCP President Angel Lagdameo
to visit because of a hectic schedule.
Pope Francis is expected to visit the country in January
2016 on the occasion of the International Eucharistic
Congress to be held in Cebu.[8]

Education
The Catholic Church is involved in education at all levels.
It has founded and continues to sponsor hundreds of
secondary and primary schools as well as a number of
colleges and internationally known universities. The Jesuit-
run Ateneo de Manila University, La Salle Brothers-runDe
La Salle University, and the Dominican-run University of
Santo Tomas are listed in the "World's Best Colleges and
Universities" in the Times Higher Education-QS World
University Rankings.[9]
Other prominent educational institutions in the country are
Colegio de San Juan de Letran, University of San Carlos,
University of San Jose Recoletos, San Beda College, Saint
Louis University, Don Bosco Technical College; and the
University of San Agustin.
 BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES :
AN EXPRESSION OF A RENEWED CHURCH IN
THE PHILIPPINES

By: Rev. Amado L. Picardal, CSsR, STD

2nd PLENARY COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES

(PCP II)
In response to the call of Vatican Council II for the local
churches to actively participate in the renewal of the
church, the local church in the Philippines convoked the
Second Plenary Council (PCPII), the first in Asia.
MAIN GOAL: “To actualize the result of Vatican II at the
local level.” They envisioned a renewed church in the
Philippines, focusing on Christ, with pastoral orientation
and evangelization, in the context of the Filipino culture.
(http://www.slideshare.net/phinto/a-brief-history-of-
catholic-church)

• The PCP II Vision of a Renewed Church and the

Ecclesiology of Basic Ecclesial Communities

• Historical and Phenomenological Perspectives of the

Basic Ecclesial Communities in the Philippines
The PCP II Vision of a Renewed Church
The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II)
A gathering of over 450 Church leaders (bishops, priests,
religious & lay people) held in January to February 1991
Held 26 years after Vatican II and 5 years after EDSA
uprising
To reflect on the identity and mission of the Church in the
context of new realities

PCP II Document
Lights & Shadows: The Philippine Situation
A Vision of a Church Renewed
Renewed Integral Evangelization
Workers of Renewal
PCP II Vision of a Renewed Church
Community of Disciples
Living in communion participating in the mission of Christ
as a Prophetic, Priestly & Kingly people and as a Church of
the Poor
Sources of PCP II Vision of a Renewed Church
Vatican II Vision of the Church as Communion and as
People of God – a Priestly, Prophetic and Kingly people
MSPC (Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference) Vision of
the Church as a Witnessing, Worshipping and Serving
community
The FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference)
Vision of the Church as Church of the Poor.
-a church that is renewed - is today finding expression in
one ecclesial movement. This is the movement to foster
Basic Ecclesial Communities.” par 137

Prophetic
(witnessing)

Priestly Kingly
(worshipping) (servant)
 PCP II Vision of BECs:
Community of Disciples
BECs as Way of Being Church
Thus, when we speak about a new way of being Church
we refer to the PCP II vision of renewed Church which
finds expression in the BECs.
What can be said about the Church in general can be said
about BECs. The BECs are the microcosm of the Church –
it is a new way of being Church.
The BECs are the most local expression of the Church:
the church at the grassroots, the church in the
neighborhood, the church in the barangay.
Through the BECs, the Church is truly experienced as a
community of disciples.
The lay faithful experience communion.
The lay faithful live out their vocation as people of God
that participates in Christ’s prophetic, priestly and kingly
mission
 The church becomes truly the Church of the Poor
The Church as Communion
The image of Church as communion emphasizes the
communitarian and interpersonal dimension of the Church.
Ecclesial communion can be lived out in various levels:
Universal (communion of local Churches)
Local (communion of dioceses/parishes)
Parish (communion of BECs)
According to John Paul II, the BECs can be “true
expression of communion and a means towards
construction of a more profound communion.”
In the BECs the members have a strong sense of
belonging & responsibility for one another.
The members experience the bond of unity which is based
on shared faith, celebrated in the breaking of the bread,
concretely expressed in the sharing of material goods.

Living in Communion as BECs

A new way of being Church means looking at the parish
as network of BECs – a communion of communions.
The members of BECs experience communion among
themselves, while each BEC is linked to other BECS.
 Although ministered by lay leaders, the BECs maintain a
bond of communion with their pastors – the parish priests
& the bishop.

Church as People of God: Prophetic, Priestly & Kingly

Vatican II & PCP II views the Church as a people of God
that is prophetic, priestly & kingly by nature and mission.
 This image of the Church asserts that all the baptized
share in the life and mission of the Church.
Thus, the laity have the right and responsibility to actively
participate in the prophetic, priestly and kingly mission of
the Church
Prophetic, Priestly, Kingly People
This provides us with a holistic view of the Church.
It negates the exclusively liturgical/ sacramental image of
the Church.
The Church is not only a worshipping community, it is
also a prophetic and servant community.
This image of the Church can be experienced by ordinary
lay people at the BECs since these are prophetic, priestly
and servant communities.

The Church as Prophetic People

It has the mission of proclaiming the Good news – a
mission of evangelization & catechesis.
It is also called to be the conscience of society – this is the
mission of denouncing evil and all its manifestation:
injustice, oppression, violence, the culture of death.
It witnesses to the word & calls people to conversion.
The prophetic mission of the church can be exercised in the
universal and local level by the hierarchy and the laity,

BECs as Prophetic Communities

It is in and through BECs that lay people can participate in
the prophetic mission of the Church.
The BECs come together to listen to the Word, to
proclaim and give witness to it.
They are evangelized and evangelizing communities, they
are witnessing communities.
BECs have the task of evangelizing & catechizing
families, neighborhood communities and barangays.
BECs carry out their prophetic & evangelizing mission
whenever they come together in their homes and chapels
for their bible-service to reflect on the word of God and
their concrete situation.
The BECs also exercise the prophetic role by denouncing
evil in all its manifestation: the culture of death, the
violation of human rights, injustice, exploitation,
oppression, etc.
The BECs call everyone to conversion
The BECs announce a message of salvation & liberation,
of justice and peace.
The Church as Priestly People
The Church is a worshipping and celebrating community.
The priesthood of the faithful is expressed in the full and
active participation in the liturgical and sacramental
celebration.
The lay-faithful can exercise their priestly mission not
only in the parish level but also in BECs.
BECs as Priestly Communities
They gather weekly in their chapel to celebrate the
Liturgy of the Word presided by lay leaders.
Their monthly or bi-monthly celebration of the Eucharist
with the parish priest is festive and well participated.
They have communal liturgies or rituals for various
occasions (birthdays, planting & harvesting, sickness,
wakes & funerals)
The Kingly/Servant People
The Church as a Kingly People is called to be a Servant
Church.
The mission of the church is not purely spiritual.
The Church is called to be attentive to the situation of
poverty, injustice, armed conflict, human rights violation,
ecological degradation,
PCP II calls for a renewed social apostolate and for the
Church to actively participate in the work for justice,
peace, development & integrity of creation. The church is
to be involved in social transformation.
BECs as Serving Communities
It is in & through the BECs that lay people can actively
participate in the process of social transformation.
In response to the problem of poverty, they can set up
socio-economic projects (IGP, livelihood, cooperatives,
sustainable agriculture, etc.)
In response to the armed conflict, they can establish peace
zones and be part of the peace movement that pressures the
government and revolutionary forces to pursue the peace
process.
To ensure clean and honest elections, the BECs can be
mobilized to help the PPCRV or NAMFREL.
They can help in defending the environment
They can be mobilized to participate in nationwide prayer
rallies and vigils for various causes taken up by the CBCP
or the diocese
The Church of the Poor
The most popular image of the Church in PCP II – the
Church of the poor
 This requires that the leaders and members of the Church
embrace evangelical poverty, live a simple life-style and
share their resources with the poor.
Those who are not poor are called to make an option for
the poor, to be in solidarity with the poor and to defend
their rights.
The poor members are empowered & called to actively
participate in the life & mission of the Church.
BECs as expression of the Church of the Poor
The BECs enable the poor to embrace evangelical poverty
and to actively participate in the Church’s prophetic,
priestly and pastoral mission
The poor are not only evangelized, they also become
evangelizers
 The poor are not just passive recipients of aid, they are
active participants in the process of social transformation.
The poor are empowered to struggle for peace, justice,
development, liberation and the integrity of creation
BECs in the Philippines
Historical & Phenomenological Perspective

Emergence of BECs
The BECs (BCCs) first emerged in Mindanao, Southern
Philippines in the late 60s, a few years after Vatican II
The formation of BECs was part of post-conciliar renewal
carried out by foreign missionaries and local clergy.
The Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference (MSPC)
promoted the formation of BECs since the early 1970s

Growth of BECs under Martial Law

Many BECs in Mindanao, Visayas & Luzon were formed
during the Martial Law period.
The unhampered growth of BECs from the early 70s to
the late 70s. There were various groups & institutions
promoting BECs: MSPC, KrisKa, RMT, BCC-CO, etc.
Many BECs that emerged became prophetic & acted as
centers of resistance to the Marcos regime.
Awareness/conscientization seminars were given that
awakened the members of the BECs to the reality of the
situation.
The liturgies that were celebrated during Advent,
Christmas, Lent and Holy Week were correlated with the
situation of poverty, injustice, oppression and violation of
human rights.
The drama workshops also highlighted the situation under
a repressive dictatorial regime.
 The ongoing bible-reflection and bible-service also
referred to the current situation
The bible-reflection sessions and the liturgies became
spaces where people could break the culture of silence and
fear and encouraged them to participate in the struggle
against the dictatorial regime.
There were BECs that became involved in militant
activities – such as protest marches and rallies against
various issues (military abuses, human rights violations,
U.S. bases, dam project, land reform, etc.).
Some members and leaders of BECs in Red Areas even
supported the revolutionary movement

Suspicion and Repression of BECs

All these led to the suspicion that the BECs were being
used by groups struggling against the Marcos regime.
In a master’s thesis on “Contemporary Religious
Radicalism in the Philippines” which he submitted to the
National Defence College in the 1979, Colonel Galileo
Kintanar wrote that the religious radicals were building up
the BECs as “an infrastructure of political power” that
could pose as a threat to national security.
The identification of the BECs with the Left gave the
military a pretext to harass the BECs.
 Many of the development projects such as cooperatives,
communal farms & community based health projects were
suppressed on the suspicion that these were being used to
support the revolutionary movement.
There were chapels that were closed and the people were
forbidden to gather for prayer and bible-service.
 Leaders and members of BECs were arrested and some
were killed. Those who died were regarded as BEC
martyrs.
The military harassment and the loss of support from
some bishops and priests led to the weakening of many
BECs.
Many of those that continued focused on liturgical
activities and abandoned the developmental and militant
activities to play safe.
Yet there were still BECs that continued to exercise their
prophetic mission.
Development of BECs after EDSA
After the collapse of the Marcos dictatorial regime, BECs
continued to develop
Many remained liturgical-evangelical oriented
Some BEC programs identified with the left folded up due
to the split within the revolutionary movement and the
drying up of funds (BCC-CO)
But there were BECs that engaged in environmental
issues (anti-logging, anti-dam, anti-mining)
Others got involved in peace-building, setting up the
“Peace Zones.”
Other BECs emphasized economic development &
poverty alleviation programs
New impetus in building BECs after PCP II – diocesan
approach
Building BECs as part of PCP II reception &
implementation (renewing the church)
The BECs are now established in over 55 dioceses in the
Philippines. BEC National Assembly in November 2002
The CBCP has recently established a national BEC desk
headed by Archbishop Quevedo that will help in promoting
the formation of BECs all over the country

DESCRIBING BECs
BECs as generic term for small faith-communities
emerging at the grassroots (BCCs, SCCs, GKKs, GSK,
MSKs, KrisKa, Damayan & other local names)
They are communities, not organizations, prayer groups,
societies or associations. They are not specialized groups
but stable environment. The members often live in close
proximity and interact with each other regularly.
They are basic communities, because of their size, the
quality of relationship among the members and their social
location (base, grassroots)
They are referred to as ecclesial because they are
considered as a way of being Church. They are the church
at the microcosm, the church at the grassroots – in the
neighborhood & the village.
Description: PCP II
They are small communities of Christian, usually of
families who gather around the Word of God & the
Eucharist.
These communities are united to their pastors but are
ministered to regularly by lay leaders. The members know
each other by name & share not only the Word of God &
the Eucharist but also their concerns both material &
spiritual
They have a strong sense of belongingness &
responsibility for one another (par 138)
Usually emerging from the grassroots among poor farmers
& workers,
BECs consciously strive to integrate their faith & their
daily life.
They are guided & encouraged by regular catechesis.
Poverty & their faith urge their members towards
solidarity with one another,
action for justice& towards a vibrant celebration of life in
the liturgy.(par 139)

Summing up
BECs have sprouted all over the country
There is parallel but uneven development of BECs – in
some places they are already established & are part of the
structure of the local church, while others are just starting.
There are still many places where there are no BECs yet.
The formation of BECs is part of the ongoing efforts to
renew the Church since Vatican II. It is a new way of being
Church.
THANK YOU 
AND
GOD BLESS YOU
ALWAYS 