The
Augustinian missionary presence in Burgos is embodied in the persons of
Rev. Fr. Benjamin Unabia, OSA (Parish Priest/Prior) and Rev. Fr. Leonard
Realiza, OSA (Asst. Parish Priest). These two friars cater to the
various needs of the Catholic faithful. There’s a consciousness among
the people of Burgos that their faith is an inseparable part of their
lives. The people love their parish and recognize it as a community
where they can nurture their faith. On their own initiative, they
support the parish and the Augustinian community in whatever way they
can. Most notable in the people is their generosity. Previous experience
with the diocesan clergy has instilled in the people the value of
taking care of their parish. The people contribute food, provide
financial assistance for parish projects and offer voluntary labor
during special celebrations.
Life in the BEC
There is
full, conscious and active participation of the Catholic faithful. On
the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) level in the various barangays,
a lot of issues and concerns have to be considered and resolved. Our
arrival in Burgos, together with my two companions sparked the revival
of the BEC’s in the barangays for it was the first time that
seminarians were assigned there for summer exposure. The experience was
new to the people for, unlike the diocesan seminarians, we stayed for
longer periods in the barangays for our immersion. BEC was actively practiced before in the barangays
but, due to unavoidable circumstances, the activities stopped and were
never revived. A number of reasons contributed to the stagnation of the
BEC’s: First is political unrest and division. Politics is deeply rooted
in the lives of the people. The previous election created divisions and
factions among the BEC members and even among families. Second is
internal problems and division in the BEC. Servant leaders and members
become cold, indifferent, not interested and stop attending BEC
activities. Sometimes financial matters destroy the BEC especially when
the BEC common fund is used without permission. Third is the priority of
work and the advent of technology. Making a living takes priority over
any other activity and the people spend a lot of time in the farm. In
most cases, some members are too tired to attend BEC activities and opt
to have their rest instead. Attendees during BEC activities are mostly
wives and their husbands can seldom be seen. Those who attend are
usually the catechists and lay ministers of the parish. With the
proliferation of satellite televisions, teleseryes compete with BEC schedule which is usually set in the evening.
Our presence as Augustinians is a big help to the Church of Burgos
because of the service we render to the people. We let the faithful feel
that they are part of the Church, the Body of Christ. In serving the
parish, the faithful recognize that they are not neglected but
considered themselves part of the whole Christian family. Since the
Augustinian presence in Burgos is an ad experimentum
missionary venture for two years, the friars are still adjusting to the
situation in the parish. The collaboration between the Catholic faithful
and Augustinians is very noticeable and this healthy relationship
promotes the growth and development of the parish as a whole.
BEC in the Missionary perspective
Missionary work indeed is not an easy task. As we experience in Burgos,
missionary works require a lot of patience, preparation and dedication.
Many Catholics have the mind-set that mission is just for priests and
nuns or for a chosen few. But by virtue of our baptism and being
Christ’s disciples we are called to mission as Jesus said to his
disciples, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mat 28: 18-20,
NAB)
As baptized Christians, we therefore have the responsibility to spread
the Good News of salvation to all. “The call to discipleship is a
vocation to communion and mission. All are called to a union of love
with God and with one another. All are also called to mission. In other
words, all—without exception—are called to evangelize” (PCP II, 402). In
Burgos, since the parish cannot provide for all the spiritual needs of
the Catholic faithful due to some inevitable circumstances, the lay
faithful are empowered to heed the missionary call of Christ. They need
not go to far-flung barrios to spread the Word of God. They can start in
their own localities. “Their baptismal consecration immerses them as
Christ’s disciples in the world. It is in the world that they are called
by God” (PCP II, 406).
In Burgos, the BEC is a great help in promoting renewal and communion
among families that reside far from the parish and are only visited by
the parish priest a few times in a month. The activities that the BEC’s
promote, facilitate and favor the growth of the faith and Christian life
of the families. “It is in the world that they are to grow in holiness.
It is there especially—in the family, work and recreation, in the vast
fields of economics, politics and culture—that they are to evangelize
others.” (PCP II, 406)
BEC also promotes the cultivation of Christian life in the family. As
the basic unit of the society, Christian family is called as “Church in
miniature” (ecclesia domestica).” (Perfectae Caritatis, 49) The family
that makes up the BEC is the material source of the faithful in their
sharing of faith experiences. They reflect on the Word of God and try to
see its relevance in their family life. “Called to reach out to its
neighbourhood and beyond, the family becomes a true foundation for Basic
Ecclesial Communities.” (PCP II, 421) Evangelization and growth in the
faith and spiritual life happens in the BEC because the people share
their experiences with their other members in the cluster or cell. This
is a picture of community life marked with sharing of insights and
inspirations. The very content of faith sharing in BEC’s is their daily
life. “In the struggles and joys of their day to day living, in the
realities and activities of the people, the laity provide the world with
a variety of ways of living and sharing our faith. Through them and
their situations, the Church finds and fulfills her mission in the
world.” (Plenary Council of the Philippines II, 425)
BEC: Building communities in the Augustinian Spirit
Augustinians are missionaries, the servants of the Church. We can never
separate the idea of mission from “being Augustinians.” In fact,
Augustinians were the first missionaries to the Philippines. “In the
evangelizing and liberating mission of the Church in the Philippines,
consecrated men and women, more generally known as “Religious,” are
playing an indispensable role.” (PCP II, 448) As religious we are called
to become witnesses and respond to the needs of the Church. Our
presence in Burgos is a sign of our witnessing to the Gospel and
response to the missionary call of the Church. “Religious, for their
part, find in their consecrated life a privileged means of effective
evangelization. They embody the Church in her desire to give herself
completely to the radical demands of the beatitudes. By their lives they
are a sign of total availability to God, the Church and the brethren.” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 46)
Augustinians bring the message of communion.and promote community
building. Our witnessing to the religious vows and our common life
provide a striking example for others. “Our community life should offer
the world a real example of authentically human and sincere brotherhood,
which mirrors the love of God to all peoples, without distinction.”
(Ratio Institutionis 1993, 110) The fraternity we live out in
cooperation with one another serves as an inspiration to the community
outside our own. Our life radiates to others the charism we practice.
“As Augustinians we should always cultivate a sense of community and
teamwork in every pastoral effort” (RI 1993, 110a) since missionary work
is not possible if we are to act on our own. We need the help of the
various sectors of the Church in order to make our mission relevant.
With this, “we also need to open ourselves more to cooperation with the
local church, seeing ourselves as partners in mission with the laity.”
(RI 1993, 111) “We must listen to others, especially to the laity and
experts, encouraging their cooperation and their apostolic
organizations, so that we may work together as friends and brothers for
the building up of the Reign of God.” (RI 1993, 110c) The assistance
provided by the laity to our missionary ventures makes our work much
more bearable. Their talents and capacities complement the skills that
sometimes we religious lack. Thus, it is just to acknowledge the special
role the laity plays in our mission. There are instances that the
faithful have concerns about revised policies and regulations. The laity
can help in letting the faithful understand and in implementing new
programs that help in the growth of Christian communities. Moreover,
flexibility and adaptation is important in missionary work. We must be
able to adjust to the variety and differences in culture and perform our
mission effectively. “It is indispensable that we respect the diversity
of peoples wherever we work. This will make it more possible for us to
appreciate their religious and cultural heritage and engage in dialogue
with them.” (RI 1993, 112). robert lee lingo, osa.
0 comments:
Post a Comment