Biblical Apostolate

17^TH NATIONAL BIBLICAL WORKSHOP

Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate

Cha-Li Beach Resort, Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City

February 11-15, 2008

 

  FINAL STATEMENT

 

For the 17th National Biblical Workshop of the Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate (ECBA-CBCP), some 218 Bible workers from all over the country gathered at Cagayan de Oro City, the city of golden friendship, in northern Mindanao. They were joined by 24 delegates from ten (10) South East Asian countries who would participate in the 5th South-East Asia Catholic Biblical Federation.

 

The ECBA Workshop held on February 11-15, 2008 was followed immediately by the CBF Workshop (February 16-17). Venue to both events was the Cha-li Beach Resort, Zone 3 Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City.

 

When the participants were arriving, the weather was turning inclement, delaying the flights of some participants and preventing others from coming. Outside the venue, angry waves were pounding the sea walls. It is as if nature itself, still groaning in the travails of the children of God, was mourning if not lambasting, the brewing political crisis in the country as the Senate was investigating the NBN-ZTE corruption scandal involving the officials in the highest echelon of the government. The encircling gloom played like a prelude to the theme of the workshop: “God’s Word: Source of Justice, Reconciliation and Peace.” More than ever, the power of God’s Word is needed to break darkness’ spell that threatens not just the political fabric but the very soul of the nation.

 

In his introductory remark, Bishop Arturo Bastes, ECBA Chairman, put the two workshops in the context of several biblical events that would rightly make 2008 the Year of the Bible. On June 24-July 3, 2008, the Catholic Biblical Federation will hold its 7th Plenary Assembly in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Africa. Then, the biggest biblical event of the year follows in October: the 12th Ordinary Synod of Bishops which has as theme “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.” No less significant is the celebration of the Year of St. Paul marking the bi-millennium of his birth which will be celebrated on June 28, 2008—June 29, 2009. The letters of St. Paul, considered the first “Christian theologian,” comprise the earliest New Testament writings.

 

The conferences were chosen to elucidate the different dimensions of justice, reconciliation and peace. On the first day, Fr. Albert Alejo, SJ spoke on “The Transformative Power of God’s Word in the Struggle against Corruption.” He was followed by Sr. Bernardita Dianzon, FSP who developed a theme with Pauline and ecological color: “St. Paul and the Groaning of Creation.” The Keynote Speaker, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, was prevented by bad weather from coming. But he sent his reflection on the theme “The Word of God—Source of Justice, Reconciliation, and Peace” and this was delivered with,  “rabbinic” commentaries, by Bishop Arturo Bastes in the morning of the second day. Another speaker, Ambassador Tita de Villa, did reach Cagayan de Oro in the afternoon and she spoke on “Challenge 2010… Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.” Bishop Virgilio David was not as successful, so his prepared conference on the Lineamenta of the Synod of Bishops was presented by Bishop Renato Mayugba.

 

The main conferences were supplemented by sharing and workshops. The convention appreciated the National Catholic Family Bible Quiz, now in its 3rd edition. It has branched out to other countries and has given birth to a TV talk-show “Power to Unite.” On the third day, the participants had several workshops to choose from: Bible Translations and the Challenge of Justice, Reconciliation and Peace (Fr. Marc Jacobson and Dr. Annie del Corro), Justice, Reconciliation and Peace in the Bible and the Qur’an (Msgr. Elmer Abacahin and Ms. Aminah Mambuay), Promotion of Justice, Reconciliation and Peace in the Military and Police (P. Supt. Romy Inway Palgue and P. Supt. Warren Tolito), Catholic Faith Defenders as Promoters of Justice, Reconciliation and Peace (Atty. Mike Abas), and Bibliodrama and the Biblical-Pastoral Ministry (Fr. Rudi Poehl,SVD).  

 

Indeed, the participants were offered a wealth of materials to ruminate upon, a veritable banquet for the mind and spirit. The organizers have really done a magnificent job. The workshop would not be successful if not through the efforts of our wonderful hosts who showed us the best of the province’s hospitality and golden heart. Our gratitude goes to Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ and his team headed by the Diocesan Bible Director Fr. Alan Pulgo. Thanks to generous individuals and groups who prepared food and entertainment for us. Thanks also to Fr. Iluminado Rojo, the Regional Director for Mindanao. With our thanks goes our felicitation to the whole Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro which is currently celebrating its Diamond Jubilee as an independent diocese.

 

Finally, we would like to thank our speakers and workshop animators for sharing with us the fruits of their own “wrestling with the Word” and for braving the inclement weather in order to join us.

 

In this workshop, we felt more intensely the travails of the workers for justice, reconciliation and peace. Creation “groans” with us as we try to live up to our dignity as children of God. Although we realize how deep we have fallen into the spell of corruption, and how difficult and how hopeless the situation may seem to some, we are full of hope for we know that the grace of God in Christ Jesus is more powerful than darkness and our human frailty. Our hope and our strength comes from the Word, “inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in holiness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). In the power of the Word, we shall strive to implement the following lines of action, the fruit of our 17th National Bible Workshop:

 

1. Our struggle for Justice, Reconciliation, and Peace

1.1. We reiterate our resolve in the Bontoc Workshop: that we shall, in our personal capacity, reject corruption in all its forms. We shall begin with our personal values, the values of our family, parish, basic ecclesial communities and religious institutions.

 

1.2. We shall apply ourselves to more organized actions to fight corruption, form or join “circles of discernment,” and support those who forsake corruption to redeem their dignity/soul.

 

2. Challenge 2010

2.1. We shall respect and help others respect the dignity of the ballot. We shall help expose in a Christian way the evils of CORRUPTION which has become imbedded in the electoral process and in our social life.

 

2.2. We shall help the PPCRV in the formation of conscience and the mobilization of volunteers to disseminate its roadmap, to monitor the conduct of elections, and to carry out electoral reforms.

 

3. Bishops’ Synod on the Word of God

3.1. We shall pray for and follow the developments in the Synod on the Word of God. Once the Apostolic Exhortation on the Word of God comes out, we shall make it one of the principal guides for our Bible apostolate.

 

4. Jubilee of St. Paul

4.1. We shall strive to know, love, and imitate the great Apostle of the Gentiles. We shall reflect on his letters and pray for a share of his zeal for the Gospel. We shall support the various initiatives of the Church for the celebration of the Pauline Year 2008-2009 and her concern for ecology.

 

 

5. Bible Celebrations

5.1. We shall participate more actively in the different Biblical initiatives, celebrations, and causes: Family Bible Quiz, National Bible Month/Week/Sunday, Bible symposia/sharing.  

 

 

 

 

6. Five-fold area of Biblical Pastoral Ministry

6.1. We shall integrate our biblical pastoral ministry under five areas: Formation, Celebration, Translation, Production, and Distribution.    

                                                                                                

7. Networking 

7.1 We shall network with the CBF and the Biblical Pastoral Workers in South East Asia and North East Asia. We shall make use of media technology in coordinating our efforts and in spreading the Good News.

 

Approved this 14th of February 2008

 

 

MOST REV. ARTURO M. BASTES, SVD, DD

Bishop of Sorsogon

ECBA-CBCP Chairman

In the name of the participants

THE FINAL STATEMENT OF ASPAC

 

DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES

ASPAC BA COORDINATORS’ MEETING

MAY 20-26, 2007

BAGUIO CITY, PHILIPPINES

FINAL STATEMENT

            We the twenty enthusiastic Biblical Apostolate coordinators, representing the different provinces/regions in the SVD Asia Pacific Zone, gathered in Baguio City and San Fernando City,

Northern Philippines, from May 20-26, 2007. The theme that guided us throughout the meeting was ‘Living Prophetic Dialogue: His Life is Our Life‘. The gathering followed two main objectives, namely, to evaluate the implementation of the Madang 2004 resolutions and to reflect on the implications of the XVI General Chapter statement and resolutions on Biblical Apostolate in our Zone.

          As we looked into our zonal situation, we are encouraged to find confreres who are committed in animating one another in reading the Bible and living the Word. Earnest efforts have been made to integrate the four SVD characteristic dimensions into our missionary life as well as in our formation programs. Worthy of noting is the contribution of confreres to both the local and universal Church through the Biblical Apostolate and through their cooperation in the Catholic Biblical Federation.

          The rich religious pluralistic heritage and environment of our people and their thirst for the Word of God has given birth to a considerable number of lay partners committed in the Biblical Apostolate. Even though there is a constant effort to inculturate the Word of God in our liturgies and activities, we know that we can still do more. We should also improve our communication among coordinators and our participation in important milestone celebrations in the Church that have to do with the Biblical Apostolate.

          Reflecting upon this situation, we find a meaningful and challenging dynamics for our Biblical Apostolate between LIFE and TEXT. The movement from LIFE to TEXT starts when we encounter the people. They become our partners with concrete names and faces. Their present context, their aspirations and questions help us to read these realities in the light of God’s Word (cf. Mk 7:24-30). The movement from TEXT to LIFE consists in returning to the sources. In the light of the XVI General Chapter we are called to be animators among our confreres for them to become Word-centered communities. The TEXT (Bible, Constitutions and other SVD Documents) is a permanent reminder of the centrality of God’s Word in our life and mission (cf: IDW 6, 29).

• Journeying with St. Arnold and St. Joseph in the next triennium, we, the ASPAC Biblical Coordinators, commit ourselves to witnessing to the Word in the spirit of Prophetic Dialogue through:
• Integrating the Word of God in all our ministries, trying to attune ourselves with the dynamics of finding a balance between life and text;
• Looking for new and creative ways of reading, sharing and living the Word of God in daily life;
• Allowing ourselves to be evangelized by our dialogue partners as we evangelize them through ongoing biblical-pastoral formation;
• Strengthening the continuity of the Biblical Apostolate Programs and the integration of the BA (directives, guidelines, policies) into the over all direction of the province;
• Improving communication among ourselves, especially on zonal events and celebrations (BA, centennial of St. Joseph and St. Arnold, UCCBA).

          In conclusion, doing BA should start with ourselves as St. Joseph Freinademetz said, “How happy it should make us to be allowed to help in some small way in sowing the good seed, the Divine Word. Before that Word can be entrusted to us, however, the Divine Gardener demands that we undergo a kind of test, that we first cultivate a small plot, our own heart” (As Wine Poured Out, p. 41).

ASPAC BA COORDINATORS

25 May 2007

PHN PROVINCIALATE

SAN FERNANDO

CITY

LA UNION, PHILIPPINES

fr. heart,svd/WEBSITE/BA (The Final Statement of ASPAC)

For more than twenty-five years members of the province have played a leading role in the Bible Apostolate of Northern Luzon, Pioneering in establishing the first biblical center in the nation, many SVD confreres serve in the biblical apostolate in the Philippines and abroad.

There is a very close collaboration between the SVD biblical ministry and the John Paul I Biblical Center. The offices for both are located at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan City. This setup makes it possible to avail of the facilities of the biblical center and staff for a more effective service to the members of the province and to the

Church of

Northern Luzon. In 2005 the apostolate concentrated on implementing the Bible Reading Year of the Divine Word Missionaries.

Some highlights of the ministry include Bible formation, publications, and distribution of Bibles. The formation programs include the World Alive Biblical Institute (a summer course for Bible animators), a basic course in bibliodrama. and basic Bible seminars.

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