-Emergence of interest in missionary apostolate in Flanders.
Religion
Religion 11 QT
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1st Semester Theme: We are beloved & gifted
2nd Semester Theme: We are empowered & sent to mission
General Theme: “We are God’s beloved inspired by Mother
Mary, St. Theresa of Avila, and MMLDM, joyfully coming
together, engaging & accompanying the youth in mission.”
-Year of the Youth; CBCP (Catholic Bishop’s Conference of
the PH)
>Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, &
Empowered by Romulo G. Valles, D. D. (Archbishop of
Davao
SYMBOL ANALYSIS
Human Figure: young people conformed to Christ
Dove: Holy Spirit
Blue Hand: carrying the human figure; supporting &
presenting gesture that symbolizes how the youth are loved
by the Lord
Footprint: movement for a purpose & making a mark
*The Road to Emmaus  inspired by Jesus’
death/resurrection (converse with Jesus)
You are Beloved
-“as Father loves me, so I also love you” (Jn 15:9)
-“…remain in His love by following His commandments”
You are Gifted
-youth are gifted w/ the Holy Spirit, who inflames them with
faith, passion, & courage
-Like Pedro Calungsod & Richie Fernando, youthfulness is a
gift
You are Empowered
-rooted in Christ, youth are empowered to shine on a world
of darkness & compassion, taking part in His body, Church,
for building God’s reign
Early Childhood
-born April 8, 1857
-eldest of five children; father was a textile merchant and
had a Dry Goods Store in the main street of Roeselare
-Catholic education
>educated in High School by the Canonesses of St.
Augustine in Ieper followed by finishing school, the Ursuline
Academy in Tournai (French speaking part of Belgium).
Fr. Theophile Verbist and other young priests had taken up
parish work in Mongolia, (later to become CICM)
Young Adulthood
-Maria sought out the Redemptorists to seek advice and
guidance.
-With her strong personality, she sought admission to a
religious congregation which would send her to a foreign
land.
-Her advisers discouraged her. She was cultured, well-
educated, gifted, hence all ready for the important
apostolate of educating the girls of her own country.
Religious Life
-Chose to enter the community of the Canonesses of St.
Augustine.
>monastery traces its roots to St. Augustine of Hippo
-May 4, 1881, took her vows of evangelical counsels +
commitment to monastic stability
-Followed the Rule of Life of St. Augustine
- Spent time with students after class to listen to them and
give insights.
-Class project started a correspondence with a Carmelite
priest in India (a brother of a former student)
-He eventually invited the community to send sisters.
-A former student, wanting to go to the foreign mission,
joined the Canonesses and offered to accompany Marie
Louise. She was a novice and did not need ecclesiastical
permission to go.
- On Sept. 3, 1897, the first Missionary Canoness of St.
Augustine traveled to India.
Religious-Missionary Life
-The year after they arrived in Mulagumoodu, they were
already able to deal with the people of the village in the
native language.
-The increasing number of orphans at the Infant
Jesus Orphanage led Marie Louise to think of a source of
income.
-By 1899 a one-room primary school was opened thanks to
donations from relatives, friends and former pupils. The staff
consisted of former pupils whom the head mistress, Sister
Marie Ursule guided in their teaching.
The Morning Star (American Redemptorist magazine, 1902)
- In 1902, I was visiting the Belgian Sisters at
Mulagumoodu in India. That very morning, seventeen
urchins had been streaming in.
Mother Marie-Louise was receiving them with a smile, a
caress, a kind word. Happiness was shining in the eyes of
those who could stay and of those who had come with the
new charges. After a while, Sister Marie-Ursule became
worried. “Mother,” she said, “..we may not take them all.
The paddy reserve is getting low, and we have still six
months to go.” “Do not worry,” was the calm reply. “God is
sending them. He must provide.”
1901 – First Return to Europe
- “The runaway nun who dragged a novice along”
- “A disappointment to the Bishop of Quilon”
- “The begging nun of Mulagumoodu”
- 3 young women who became Postulants
1903 – A Diocesan Congregation
- Approval of the Constitutions of the Missionary
Canonesses of St. Augustine
- Profession of vows of new sisters in 1904
- Purchase of a property in Roeselare in 1905
- First private audience with Pope Pius X in 1906
- Approval of Novitiate at Roeselare in 1908 Sense of
Identity
- Granted the Decree of Praise in 1911 (the recognition of
the Holy See of an institute as an ecclesiastical institution of
pontifical right)
1910 – An International Missionary Congregation
- Wrote to the Superior General of the Scheut fathers in
1907, “We are dedicated to the salvation of God’s people on
the foreign missions. We are mainly Belgians from the
Flemish part of the country…How I would thank
God if He would bring our two congregations closer to one
another.” – MLDM
1910 – Mission in the Philippines
- June 10 arrival in Manila
- “The reputation of the medical skill of the sisters had
preceded them. When they opened the health clinic on June
22, they found a crowd of people in quest of nursing aid,
medication, and advice. On July 4, they started the classes
with 255 pupils on roll. What an outstanding record.”
– Fr. Carlu, CICM
- “We have a lot in common with the apostles. They were
poor and untrained. Aren’t we? We barely know the
language and we have hardly anything. But the apostles
were filled with courage and with trust in the Lord, so they
worked wonders. We too will work wonders, if we remain full
of courage, faith, and trust.” –MLDM
- February 25, 1911: MLDM took the road to Bontoc in the
Mt. Province with Sisters Marie Charles, Marie-Agnes and
Marie-Ignace
- May 10 left for Tondo with Sr. M. Lutgarde and two
novices.
- July 10 the two novices, Srs. M. Elizabeth and M. Raphael,
made their first vows.
1911-1913 – Firming up the Structure
- Drafting the Constitutions and Custom Book
- “The more He (Jesus) is present in all we say and do, the
more shall we realize that without Him nothing is of any
value.” – MLDM
-To maintain a necessary measure of independence, it was
good to work with priests of different congregations:
-Carmelites and Jesuits in India
-Scheutists in the Philippines
-Redemptorists in the West Indies
-Transfer of the Central House from Mulagumoodu to
Roeselare in Belgium
1914-1923 – Mission Expansion
- Appointment of Cardinal Van Rossum as protector of the
Congregation
- Establishment of mission in the Virgin Islands,
Caribbean, New York, Belgian Congo, Inner Mongolia in
China
1924-1928 – Fulfillment
- 1926: Approval of the Constitutions of the
Congregation
- March 1927: Purchase of the property at Heverlee, Belgium
- June 1927: First General Chapter of the Congregation,
Election of Sr. Marie-Agustin as 2nd Superior General
- October 1928: Death and burial in Heverlee.
Mother Marie Louise De Meester
- Foundress (Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary)
Becoming ICM
- In 1963, the congregation formally associated itself with
the Congregation of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary (CICM) for mutual help in spiritual matters as
well as missionary activities.
- Since then the sisters have been called the
Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary (ICM-Immaculati Cordis Mariae)
©Patricia Salvador 10-2
Heart’s Deepest Desire
-we all want a “good life”
-Christian “Good News”: God wants us to be happy & have
the “good life”
>God’s Desire: -John 14:27 (Peace)
-Jeremiah 29:11 (Hope)
-John 15:11 (Joy)
-John 10:10 (Abundant Life)
-Careerism: ideological view of the good life that reflects an
exaggerated self-concern & materialistic notion of success
where moral values and identity are sacrificed
-Major Goal: be an authentic Filipino Catholic person
-True “Good Life”: a career that’ll develop our authentic
selves through intimate loving faith relationship with God &
others and inspires us to contribute positively for the
common good
-Basis of Our Identity: God
Understanding the Human Heart
-Human Heart: universal symbol of love; where we attribute
our deepest emotions and desires and experiences different
aspects of our humanity at center of our being;
Human Heart in Sacred Scriptures
-deep center of a person; core of one’s being
-place of prayerful reflection with God & others
-Prophet Micah: wholeheartedness  “do the right, love
goodness & walk humbly with God”
-Ezekiel & Jeremiah: brings news that God promised to take
away stony hearts & replace them with hearts filled with
compassion, kindness, and love
Kind of Heart that God Wants Most for Us
-inner attitude; disposition to what’s good, wise, & beautiful
Old & New Testaments
-heart = place we meet God, in an encounter modeled after
the unique presence of God in the human heart of the Son
of God
-Union of Our Hearts with the Heart of Christ: bring out the
best in our lives; constitutes our greatest sharing in God’s
divine life & enables us to respond to the needs of others
with the heart of Christ
Deus Caritas Est ; (God is Love)
-Pope Benedict XVI: “formation of the heart” (Deus
Caritas Est): for the charity workers so that their love of
neighbor will no longer be just a commandment but a
consequence deriving from their faith, active through love

Promoters of Catholic Social Teachings
-learn to accept & love the love of God & others
Developing a Discerning Heart
Christian Discernment
-process of finding answers to questions & making moral
decisions in light of our faith
-finding & reflecting God’s will in events of our life with
regard to major choices & decisions
Discernment
-“to know”
-Secular Meaning: ability to judge well
Why Discern?
1. Recognize from among all voices we hear, which is Lord’s
voice
2. Grow in ability to read within his/her life & understand
when and what he/she is being called by Lord, in order to
carry on his mission.
-Call to Discipleship = call to holiness
>life of grace offered to everyone by God thru the
Risen Christ and the Holy Spirit
>Call to Holiness = call to fullness of Christian life and
love
Basic & Most Significant Elements of Discipleship
(Gospel of Mark; Mk 3:13-15)
Elements Meanings
-discipleship is a gift, freely offered to us
I Chose You -Jesus chose us despite our imperfections
and flaws
-first calling is to "remain with" Jesus and go
To Be With Me through life's journey w/ Him by our side
-vertical aspect of discipleship: relationship
w/ Christ
-chosen for a mission: to go out and bear
fruit that will
To Be Sent Out remain
-horizontal aspect of discipleship: we cannot
contain His love w/ in us, we are driven by
the fire of God's love to "love our neighbour”

-Authentic Christian: both loves God and neighbor

Requirements in Discernment
1. Desire to do God’s will (committed faith) "Called to be with Him"
2. Openness to God -The root reason for human dignity lies in the human's call to
3. Knowledge of God (with enlightened faith) communion with God (Gaudium et Spes 19 [Joy & Hope;
Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World])
Essential Qualities
-Humble: growing awareness of our sinfulness/imperfection Called to be "Sent"
-Charitable: understanding & not judging harshly
-Courageous: risk & carry out His will Discipleship Means Forming an Integral Faith
>Moral Courage: deliberation of careful thoughts Doctrine: head/mind
Morals: hand
Skills in Discernment Worship: heart
Skills Meanings
-believing in God’s reality = encounter Him Required Meanings
Experience of
“in Spirit & in Truth” -informed, thinking faith
God -Scriptures To Believe in Jesus -when we truly love Christ, we thirst to
-grounded in Sacred Scripture (Doctrine) know him more deeply
-Dei Verbum 21: “the Father…meets his (Knowledge of -How to gain an informed faith?
children with great love and speaks with >faith grounded on Sacred
God’s Word) Scripture & Living Tradition of the
Listening to the them.”
-one way of recognizing His presence; Church
Living Word of
aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence To Follow Jesus -part of this is putting into action our
God love for him by serving others and
-Consolation: see either a confirmation (Moral) (Profession
-Desolation: clear ease of going against His contributing ourselves to social
of Faith in Daily transformation
will
-spiritual sensitivity from prayer & worship Life) -WWJD? (What would Jesus do?)
Active Prayer -true faith results to sincere desire to
(CFC 100)
Life -sacred time and space do something to help build His
Seeking God in -silence & reflection; let Him speak to our kingdom
hearts -personal relationship w/ God &
Peace abandonment to His will can prevent
-someone who can properly discern the man from being demeaned & save
Seeing a Lord’s word for us him from falling prey to the teaching
Spiritual -be careful in branding actions as God’s will of fanaticism and terrorism (Deus
Director -Mary quietly walking w/ Jesus = kind of To Worship Jesus Caritas Est 37)
silent walking with Jesus (Worship) -our faith lives & grows through prayer
(Celebration of Faith & worship
Christian Discipleship >Keeping the Lord’s Day
in the Sacraments >Celebrating major feasts
-"Walk humbly w/ God": description of the life of faith;
>Observing the Days of Fasting &
placing our deepest trust in God alone; stresses the kind of
Abstinence
life God wants for us >Celebrating the Sacrament of
-"Walk": reflected in the call of Jesus, who invites us to walk Reconciliation
with Him, or follow Him, to remain in His love >Receiving the Sacrament of
-Mk 1: 17: Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom w/ Anointing of the Sick
the call to repent and believe in the Gospel
-To Follow Jesus: “imitate Him”; empowers us to faithful
commitment to Christ and the Kingdom of God
-Last Account of Mother Mary: Acts
>Account in the Bible: Luke and Matthew
Servant of the Reign
-Luke 1:26-38: “The Annunciation”
>”I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me
according to Your word.”
At the Service of Jesus
-Mary was specifically called to bring Jesus into the world.
-Jesus was raised well and provided his needs.
-Luke 2:39-40: “[In her care and] Through her guidance,
Jesus grew in age and wisdom”
>Return to Nazareth
In the Service of the Poor & Needy
-Luke 1:39-45: “The Visitation of Mary”
>Mary sang “The Magnificat”/“Canticle of Mary” when
she visited her pregnant cousin Elizabeth who needed
assistance considering her advanced age
>Mary’s pregnancy didn’t stop her from enduring the
inconvenience of travelling in order to serve.
-Luke 1: 46-55: The Magnificat
>Magnificat: integrates praise of God with commitment
to social transformation
>good news of fullness of life to the poor
>First part: Praising God
>Second part: God will punish the sinful
At the Service of the Community of the Reign
Roles Significance
-Mary’s Fiat: her unconditional “Yes” to
First Believer of God’s plan expressed her faith in the
the Reign promise of the Reign: “Blessed are they
who hear the word of God and keep it”
First Evangelizer -Mary was the first one to carry out the
good news in the reign of Jesus Christ.
of the Reign
First and Model -Mary is the first & model follower of Jesus
Disciple of Jesus because of her firm belief in God’s Word.
Marialis Cultus on Values (Marian Devotion)
-written by Pope Paul VI
-her decision-making: accepted her faith
-her choice of virginity for total consecration to God
-her proclamation to God vindicating the humble and
oppressed and her question regarding the possibility of
becoming a mother confirmed her service to God
-devotion of Mother Mary need to be translated in
consecrated acts for the transformation of society in order to
secure quality life for the poor
-best example of discernment = Mary
-Mary asked Angel Gabriel (Lk 1:34) the confirmation of her
role in Jesus’ life
St. Damien of Molokai: Roman Catholic priest from Belgium
and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of
Jesus and Mary; helped the people with leprosy
Doctrine: God created us out of His Love
Morals: To live in complete dependence on God’s love
Worship: To trust God for His profound & unconditional love
-integral dimension of our Christian faith
-we are born to relate with one another
-society affects us and we affect society
-commitment to do good in our society is part of our sharing
in Christ’s own salvific mission
-Social Responsibility: obligation to act for the benefit of the
common good
-Christian Social Responsibility: obliging to the call of God to
spread Jesus’s Mission
Seeing Reality
“We live in the worst and best times.” ~Charles Dickens
-Crisis: overwhelm/paralyze us into complacency/inaction
-Kairos: challenges us to do what’s good for others
Facing the Reality of Human Suffering
1. The oppressed, exploited and abused
2. Materially poor people
3. The abandoned, rejected, outcast (elderly, PWD, Sick and
the aborted babies)
4. The struggling and weary (workers, victims of injustice,
unresolved crimes)
5. The lonely, bored and isolated (lured with worldliness,
misled with emptiness)
6. The Worldly and Avaricious Rich (full of ambition and
arrogance)
7. The Ailing Environment
Salvifici Doloris (Salvific Suffering)
“In whatever form suffering seems to be, and is almost
inseparable from human beings’ earthly existence.”
-Christian meaning of Human Suffering
-1984 Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II
-Suffering: pain caused by illness/injury
>Physical Suffering: body is in pain
>Spiritual Suffering: pain of the soul
-Believe in God’s plan = God has a good intention
-He will never leave you alone.
-God is constantly at work & in-charge even amidst of
suffering
-God’s Plan: Jeremiah 29:11 and John 10:10
God’s Plan for Us
-God made the world out of love
-God created us to be relational and capable of loving
>We are Created as Relational Beings
-the way we are created reveals that God’s plan is to share
His divine life with us
>Imago Dei: share His divine life and goodness
-Adam and Eve abused their gifts thus came all moral evil &
human suffering that we experience today
-Suffering entered the world because of our sin
-God certainly doesn’t approve of anything that injures us,
either in our body or spirit (Peter)
-God allows for us to sin because of the greater good of
creating us free so we can love and receive love
>Free will and intellect (Jer. 29:11)
>Love is a decision that includes free will, not force
>If free will and intellectual is abused then it will lead to
sin and suffering
God’s Mysterious Ways
“I know that my redeemer lives, and in that in the end He will
stand on the Earth.” (Job 19:25)
-we feel it’s easy to accept the suffering of sinners but not
the suffering of the innocent
-God is always in control & we should place our trust in Him
-God knows everything and works for our good
-Proverbs 3:5-6: human suffering is within God’s saving way
 Testaments Significance -Sadducees: more conservative = priests
-Job suffered all kinds of disasters at the -Jewish Social Life = Laws of Ritual Purity (Lev 19:2) =
prompting of Satan Holiness
-pious answer is not foreign to us because
we often to judge like job’s friends Their Basis of Holiness
Old Testament -blaming God for the unexplained cause of
1. Duties performed in the temple
our suffering & accuse Him of punishing us
-the only right attitude to God is to trust Him 2. How they observe Kashrut (Jewish religious dietary laws)
who is the creator of the world -resulted to social boundaries and the Jews & Gentiles, being
-Hebrews believed that suffering = divine insensitive to the needy.
punishment >The pure and unclean
-Jesus was crucified & cried out to God, “My >Jews and Gentiles
God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” >The well and the sick
>tempted to despair & question -The Jews became selfish and thought highly of themselves
New Testament -”Father, into your hands I commend my
= became indifferent because of their mindsets of thinking
spirit”: note of hope & statement of trust
-in the passion of Jesus, suffering has been
of them being the only chosen ones of God
linked to love -Jesus’ ways: telling parables
-NOT God’s will that Jesus was crucified >countered their beliefs but in a non-violent way
>showed the values of the Kingdom = The Good
Trusting in God’s Love Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37)
-how powerful evil may appear, does not have the last say, >SEE, STOP AND TOUCH the needy
good triumphs over evil >showed true holiness = helping others in need
-God transforms all human evil by His infinite love, revealed
to us in/through Jesus Christ, who sends the Holy Spirit True Holiness
-Triune God, creator of the world, is just and merciful, -intersection between the love of God and love for neighbor
knowing and acting upon the suffering of mankind -when we are being moved by God’s love to help others
>Immanuel: God-with-us, God’s eternal word made flesh, -helping other people despite religion, race, gender, etc.
Jesus Christ -capacity to love; unholiness = indifference
-Jesus Mission: reveal concretely & make present the love of -Basis of True Holiness: love of neighbor; taught that being
God for all through the teachings and good works climaxed unclean comes from within; means treating all people as
in his passion, death, and resurrection (Lk 4:18-19) brothers and sisters out of love for God regardless
-How to Trust in God’s Love?
>offer your suffering to Him, Give thanks, look forward Way of Jesus – Jewish Social Life
to Christ’s return 1. He taught them the values of the Kingdom of God
2. He taught them that being unclean isn’t about what they
Jesus Offered Liberation eat. (Dietary Laws of the Jews)
-Jesus liberates us from indifference
Freedom from Enslaving Sins
-Jesus’ Mission = Gospel of Jesus = Freedom from enslaving
-Philippine vs. Jewish Society
sin and freedom from holistic liberation
>pyramid-like structure; rich (top) & poor (bottom)
-Root cause of all social evils: privation of love in our hearts
-Theocracy: Jewish political structure
pretending not to know how love, even though we ARE loved
>Theo = God; Cracy = Power; governed by many laws
dealt with what makes one religiously clean (ritual purity)
Freedom for Holistic Liberation
-Basis of their Law: found in Leviticus (Lv 19:2); “You shall be
holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” Gospels
>those who were responsible for creating and Gospels Freedom from ES Freedom for HL
implementing the laws were accepted as most clean and at Mk 3:1-6 -wrong interpretation on -He healed the man
the concept of working and addressed the
the top of the pyramid, while the rest were judged as the (Man with
on the Sabbath Day purpose of Sabbath
unclean Withered Day
-division and discrimination among social classes were stark Hand)
>those who strictly observed the law & those who did -discrimination between -he ate with the tax
Mk 2:13-17
not; pure and unclean; knowledgeable and ignorant of the the tax collectors and the collectors and the
law thus, resulted in the marginalization of the poor and all (The Call of sinners sinners
non-Jews the Levi)
-under the Roman Government -discrimination between -Christ is the living
Jn 4:1-30 the Jews and Samaritan water
>Polytheism: Romans
>Monotheism: Jews (Samaritan -Adultery: many relations >empowered the
Woman) of the Samaritan Woman woman to preach
-Gender discrimination about the Messiah
Causes of Political Unrest (Enslaving Sins) *Sychar-setting
a. Occupation of foreign troop (63 BCE) Lk 19:10 -Corruption and -Jesus promised
b. Delinquency on the Part of the Roman Officials (Zacchaeus) extortion salvation to
c. Taxation (Tithes: 10% of annual produce/earnings) Zacchaeus
d. Religious Fanaticism e. Revolutionary Prophets
f. Class Conflict g. Social Banditry -Jesus challenged the unjust socio-cultural-political patterns
h. Bitter Hostility between Jews and the Gentiles at that time
>Gentiles: collective term to the non-Jews -Metanoia: change of heart
-Pharisees: to implement and to ensure that people will -never merely a private turning to God
follow the law
-True Repentance: creates social effects that encourage a
commitment to change unjust systems and structures in
society
-liberation that Christ offers is outgoing and communitarian;
holistic; for all
-“The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of freedom and a
force for liberation…” (Introduction to the Instruction on
Certain Aspects of the Theology of Liberation)
>Example: In the N.T., Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Lk
19:1-10)
-Our work for social transformation is an experience of being
loved by God through Jesus
>Key: always remember Jesus; call upon him constantly
to make His spirit, love and love of God, enkindle our hearts
so that we will be moved to love in return
The Call of Christians
-Christ’s offered liberation is not yet complete for we still see
human suffering which is mostly caused by our own self-
centered decisions and actions
-called to do part and help solve them by cooperating w/
Christ’s offered holistic liberation
-Transfiguration: facing reality and to come out of your
comfort zones; sacrificing to follow Jesus
>Mark 9:2-8: Mt. Tabor: Jesus, Peter, James and John
>Peter, James and John are the closest friends of Jesus
>They are sad because of the prediction that Jesus will
suffer & die = Prediction of His passion
>Peter: proposed to build 3 tents in the sacred place; he
wants Jesus to stay
>Moses and Elijah: symbols of the Old Testament
>Moses: the Law/The Liberation/ 10 Commandments
or Pentateuch to the Jews
>Elijah: greatest prophet
>Cloud: God appeared/came to the mountain
-The Instruction to Listen:
1. Order: love God and love our neighbor (inseparable)
2. Listen: be attentive and alert to what is being revealed
>going down the mountain (from the gospel)
>sacrificing means coming out of our comfort zone to be
with those who are suffering
>to listen means to question the oppressive social
structures rooted in human sin
>Call of Christians: entails sacrificing something to follow
Jesus
-Our responsibility as Christians: trusting in God’s love
amidst our suffering calls for human participation by
listening, acting and help alleviate human suffering through
continuing God’s mission
Reflecting on Our Social Responsibility
-obligation to act for benefit of the members of the society
-Bayanihan: Filipino spirit of voluntarily working together
-Ningas Kugon: sad weakness of Filipino generosity
-our tendency to not finish what we started
-happens for we don’t reflect on why we extend our help
-our faith in Jesus provides us a solid foundation in helping
others especially when sacrifices must be made
Common Reasons for Helping
Reasons Meanings
-tend to view service as a mere requirement
Reward and -realize that good intentions are not
enough; one must act and do something
Punishment -service shouldn’t be reduced to a mere
“investment”; lacks sincerity
-they reach out because they sympathize
with the people in need (wrong for it is only
God who can really save us from our pitiful
condition) inflamed by true Christian service;
challenge to sustain their commitment
Pity >Messianic Complex: mindset that the
poor are completely helpless
-work for justice & love is the human
participation in God’s grand creative work
and Christ’s redemptive mission
-mature enough to understand that social
responsibility is a moral obligation
Moral -it is their responsibility to take care of one
Obligation another and the community they live in
-some have a strong sense of idealism to the
point of sacrificing their moral values rooted
in Christian faith
-selflessly gives loving service for others
because of their Christian faith
-see work as their concrete show of
gratitude to Jesus
Christian Faith -social responsibility = response to Christ
-their relationship w/ Jesus is what gives
them a solid reason for their real and
enduring commitment to serve others and
work for social change
Social Responsibility and Faith
-the love that we experience from God through Christ is
what deeply justifies and gives meaning to our love for our
neighbor
Elements Meanings
-love our neighbor out of gratitude to God
-Christ is the embodiment of God’s love
Reason & -love has the power to move us to love others in
Meaning return
>St. Augustine: expressed love between God
and neighbor
-amidst the norm in the present we must not lose
sight of what is right
Norm
-our actions that is wrong but we try to justify it is
still wrong
-love for others & country is part of our life of
grace
-loving requires sacrifice and is a lifelong struggle
because both w/ in our hearts and around us a
tension exists between authentic love and self-
seeking indifference; between God’s grace and sin
Power -God’s grace is also felt in our effort to change our
society
>Light and shadow coexist in our country; all
aspects of social life are infused w/ problems
-Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est: where there is
charity and love, there God is
-Lumen Gentium 9 = “Light of Nation“
-the will of the Lord is to continue our journey to holiness
-to continue Jesus’ Mission which is to love and build the
Kingdom of God on Earth
We Are Not Alone
-“This is my body which will be given for you; do this in
memory of me” (Lk 22:19)
>Eucharist: inspiration to be socially active; “from the
table of the Lord to the table of the world”
>we have Jesus made present by the Holy Spirit
The Redemptive Act of God
-more than calling to mind a past event; act of remembering
-act of asking God to repeat what He had done in the past =
to save us once again (sacramentally present)
-God allows us to carry out our mission as the Eucharist
being our inspiration
-We become who we receive = Jesus Christ
-God is the bread who sanctifies us and the Holy Spirit that
binds us to do our mission.
The Nature and Mission of the Church
-Vatican II: Church is the People of God
-Church is a community of people cutting across all ages and
nations united in one faith in Christ and His Spirit of Love (cf
CFC 1355)
>CFC: Catechism for Filipino Catholics
>Original Word of Church: Ecclestia
-Church as a community of embodied spirits
1. Church is Both Human & Divine
-Human: the people or community
-Divine: the origin, nature and mission
>creative design of the Father
>redemptive mission of the Son
>Sanctifying work of the Spirit
-Church is concerned with historical events as well as human
interests, needs and resources.
-Reveal its origin= God = who fulfills its mission = from God
2. Church is the Sacrament of Christ
-Sacrament: material sign that makes present a spiritual
reality
>Scripture, Sacraments, Saints, Ministries, Us, the people
of God
-interior conversion of Hearts (metanoia) that will lead us to
social transformation
-we help make present the mission of Jesus Christ by
carrying out our mission from Him using our means, talent,
resources and roles in the Church.
-we help make Christ present in the here and now
-CFC 1081: Church signifies in a visible, historical, and
tangible form the presence and redeeming activity of Christ
offered to all…”
-Church carries out a mission:
>addresses the physical and spiritual aspects of human
life; it concerns itself with issues pertaining to human needs
and other temporal things.
>touches on both personal and structural evil of society;
the church is aware that structural injustice is rooted in
personal sin
>aims for personal conversion that will lead to genuine
commitment to social transformation
PCP II
-Second Plenary Council of the PH
>Church envisions itself as the Church of the Poor, a
Community of Disciples committed to a renewed & integral
evangelization
-Community of Faith rooted in Christ immersed in the life of
the people
-create a free nation -respect human dignity
-harmony with one another and God
-unity of the world works
The Church’s Ways of Doing Its Social Mission
-Two Feet of Social Ministry: these should move together
accordingly to keep the balance
Acts of Charity
-rooted in Jesus: Jesus’ Healings & Miracles
>to serve the least, lost, and last
-directly help those in need; give temporary aid to victims
-sharing of possessions
>no one among them was left in need (Acts 4:32-37)
-defending their rights and the poor; breaking of the bread
Structural Change
-aims to offering long-term solutions that will eventually
produce more permanent & fuller relief in the suffering of
the poor
>Example: programs, laws
-PPCRV: Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting
-marked the change of the Church’s Social Mission
>Social Teachings to guide the faithful
-Pope Leo XIII: 1891 Rerum Novarum (doctrine)
>the condition of labor
>during the height of the Industrial Revolution
>the need to increase the charitable work into social
justice
-Realizations of the Church
>need to deal with social structures and issues that cause
harm to people
>against unjust socio-economic political systems, and
works for social transformation as part of its total
commitment in helping the ones in need
Being Part of the Church
-Parable of the Rich Man
> (Luke 16:19–31)
Awareness of the Suffering of Others
-The rich man failed to help Lazarus (poor man)
-He ignored him that failed him to respond to Lazarus’
suffering.
-Being are of other people’s suffering is the first step to
helping them
Responding According to One’s Means and Capabilities
-social responsibility requires good self-knowledge
-The rich man, in spite having all the capacity to help, he
didn’t bother to help Lazarus
-He didn’t know how to share what he has to the people in
need
-Through this, Jesus tells us that we help according to what
we can give: talents, time, resources, etc.
Listening to the Prophets
-call to action
-when the rich man realized his mistake, he wanted to tell
his brothers who were still alive but Abraham didn’t let him
-Jesus tells us to listen to the Word of God and believe and
act accordingly
-one’s help must be animated by the Word of God calling us
to love others
-His teachings can move us to reach out if we would listen
and accept it
©Reese Young 10-2; there’s a method to this madness