THY 4: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN VISION IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD ○ Misguided people seek to attain happiness

HARMONY WITH GOD: through wealth, public office, kingship, celebrity,

and pleasure. yet, these false goods do not even
CALLED TO COMMUNION provide the partial happiness for the sake of
which people pursue them
● Whose happiness is so firmly established that he has no
quarrel from any side with his estate of life? - Boethius
CONTENTS: ● The joys of evil men provide a good example to virtuous
I. Spirituality of Truth vs. Relativist men of how they should judge the kind of happiness they
a. Introduction often see falling to the wicked… Their very wickedness
b. Spirituality of Truth rips apart their conscience - Boethius
c. Religion ● The truth will lead us to happiness
d. Religion vs. Spirituality ○ Boethius (475-535 A.D.)
e. Relativism ■ He made it clear that we are in search of
II. Spirituality of Mercy vs. Throw-away Culture happiness. Therefore, people try to
a. Hedonism pleasure themselves .
b. Egoism ■ Many people are in search of their
c. Consumerism happiness but some are unsuccessful in
d. Throw-away Culture finding it
e. Spirituality of Mercy ■ If we are to gain true happiness, we
f. Culture of Care must look for that thing that makes us
III. Spirituality of Communion vs. Individualism feel discontented.
a. Individualism ■ Human beings are discontented from
b. Spirituality of Communion the start hence we search for progress
c. Dignity, Common Good and Solidarity and happiness
d. Conclusion ● Discontentment will only be
relieved if we find absolute
SPIRITUALITY OF TRUTH VS. RELATIVIST happiness
Introduction ● Spirituality begins with discontent
Our situation today: a POST-TRUTH SOCIETY ○ If I find myself a desire which no experience in
● Authority is questioned or rejected this world can satisfy, the most probable
● Personal opinion/belief is exalted explanation is that I was made for another world
● “Echo chambers” in social media ~ C.S Lewis
● Dialogue becomes impossible ■ The rich are not contented with what
● Veracity replaced by popularity they have and feel a lack of emptiness
○ Kung ano yung uso yung yung gagawin. ● Feeling of discontentment
○ Kung ano yung ginagawa ng karamihan, yun ● These people need truth and
yung susundin. happiness
○ The truth should always be considered ● Discontent is the first necessity of progress
● Universal rules are forgotten ○ First step to happiness (Boethius)
○ Many people will always justify the wrong things ■ Acknowledge that we are discontented
that they are doing and imperfect.
● There is no truth, or at least we have no access to it, only ■ If we consider ourselves as perfect, we
belief …. A CRISIS OF RELATIVISM will have a hard time in acquiring new
ideas in our lives
Spirituality of Truth ■ All our lives we aim to be content and
● Quid est veritas perfect at the end.
○ What is the truth? ● The truth should be a way of life
○ E.g. Pontius Pilate believes that he is the truth ○ Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Cascia: If we
■ He is the truth don’t look for truth, we are guided by other
■ Asks Jesus Christ, “Who are you?” interests, or fears, or the pressure of the crowd,
■ Wants to know the truth because he of the media of power, of self-comfort, and we
knows that he is the truth are not free, we are slaves of pleasure, money,
● Look for what is objectively true power, and riches
● Sometimes, what we believe is the truth even if it’s wrong ■ Leads to downfall
● Boethius first complains about the loss of good fortune ■ Must be in accordance with universal
(Book 1) teachings but also in the word of man
○ Philosophy replies that it is the nature of fortune ○ Must be:
to be fickle ■ Universal - the same at all places at all
○ Moreover, the goods of fortune are not true times
goods ■ Objective - discovered and not made,
● What then are goods? Philosophy begins to answer this not what I think or believe
question by examining five false Gods ■ Transcultural - it is the same for all
○ Everyone seeks happiness: a good so complete people
it leaves nothing more to be desired
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● Gustave Flaubert: There is no truth. There is only ■ Is the truth determined by what we
perception know and believe?
○ Many people do not believe in the truth anymore ■ It is true based on my knowledge
since they justify their perceptions to be true ■ E.g. “Based on my past experience, I
know that this is the right way” even
Spirituality though it is not the truth anymore
● In general: it's the awareness that we have a soul, and act ○ Pragmatic
accordingly ■ Truth is what works, or serves our
● In Catholicism: the various ways by we live out baptismal purposes
promises ■ Talks about usefulness
○ Not only our relationship with God ■ Is the truth determined by usefulness?
● In Christianity: It is a life of growing friendship with Christ ■ Same as utilitarianism
leading us to fullness (happiness). ■ If it is useful then it is true

Three Movements of Spirituality Three Different Kinds of Truth According to St. Thomas of
● Inward Aquinas
○ Identity: Who am I? Truth is the equation of a mind and a thing (Summa
○ Rational/Conscious: Intelligent and Free Theologica)
○ Must know that you are imperfect, discontented 1. Logical Truthfulness (verifying the truth)
and dependent a. If mind conforms to reality
■ If you think that you are close-minded, b. E.g. this is a pen → conforms with my past
you have already isolated yourself knowledge/reality → deduction facts → has ink,
● Fails to be a human being since ballpoint, etc. → true
human beings are naturally c. E.g. This is a water → clear
dependent to one another d. Lowest form of truth
■ If you acknowledge that you are 2. Moral Truthfulness (living out the truth)
discontented, you will know your goal ○ If his words/actions conforms to what is in his
(to be perfect). mind
● To know where you are going ○ Being morally true occurs if the words and the
● What actions can lead me to actions conforms to what is in the mind
that goal? ■ Mind (ideal mind or a mind that follow
● Upward that knows what is right or wrong)
○ Destiny: Why was I created? ● What is in the mind is
○ Created to know, love, and serve God in this life objectively true
and to be happy with him forever in heaven ● Mind is in accordance with
● Outward God’s rules and regulations
○ Relevance: How can I make a difference? and teachings
○ Open and relational: by, with, and for others ○ E.g. In my mind (naawa) → action (drive to
○ E.g. Helping other people, being a good friend, people and give them food individually) = moral
nurse, person truth
■ Hindi lang hanggang sa utak yung
Truth pagtulong, dapat may action
● Veritas in Latin ■ What is in my mind is in conformity with
● Became incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ my actions
○ “I am the truth” ■ “Naaawa ako kaya dapat meron akong
● “He is before all things, and in him all things hold gawin.”
together” (Colossians 1:17) 3. Ontological truth (actualizing the truth of who I am, whose
● To be a Christian means to be firmly convinced that there I am, for whom I am)
is no other way there are no other truths but Jesus a. Something is true in so far as it corresponds to
● Theories of Truth the mind of its maker.
○ Correspondence b. Deepening of the truth itself
■ True if automatically factual c. Everything we are doing and everything in our
● Based on what I sense, that is plans should be in accordance with the plan of
the fact. God
● It is possible for it to not be i. Plan of god in human reasoning is for
factual humanity is to be seen
■ Truth is what corresponds ii. Bring salvation to humanity as long as it
■ Is something factual automatically conforms with reality then we are
truthful? following the ontological truth
■ Something is true if it is factual to facts d. E.g. Doing what God would do
■ Weakness: what we know may not be e. E.g. Aiming for perfections
true i. We need to be guided by God esp. in
○ Coherence decision making
■ Truth is what coheres with the rest of
our knowledge
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 Religion ● All opinions are true and valid, even if they contradict each
● Etymology: other. As such, is a relativist society, there are no
○ According to the Summa Theologica standards, no permanent moral values.
■ Re lego/relegere ● One who is not a relativist is labelled as
■ Religare - “to bind again” FUNDAMENTALIST, or ARROGANT, or INTOLERANT
■ Re eligere - “to choose again” ● Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the
• Religion is the virtue where pay due respect to God Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas
• Not a theological virtue but a moral virtue. relativism, seems the only attitude that can nope with
■ Hence, when we pray to God, it is a thanksgiving. modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism
● Highest form of prayer = eucharist that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose
(mass) ultimate goal consists solely of one’s own age and desires.
■ Since we are imperfect, we aim to be perfect by
doing good. Types of Relativism
● Our duty to do good. 1. Descriptive Relativism
• Religion is a moral virtue for ourselves. a. One can observe different moral norms
■ When we pray to God, it is a thanksgiving. 2. Metaethical Relativism
■ God is leading us to our journey a. There are no universal or extra-cultural moral
● Religion is not to suppress us but it is to give thanks bc we truths
are led towards our goal 3. Normative Relativism
○ Wrong: “Lord I am a good person kaya dapat a. We have to “live and let live”
ganito ako.”
○ Correct: “Lord you are the greatest, I thank you.” Two Kinds of Relativism
● Allows us to realize that material things do not matter but 1. Relativism in Faith
no be contented with what we have in life ○ There is no absolute truth
○ Authority is questioned or rejected
Religion vs. Spirituality ○ Personal opinion/belief is exalted
Religion ○ “Echo problems” in social media
● Brings together people of similar beliefs/spirituality ○ Dialogue becomes impossible
● Collective ○ Universal values are forgotten
● It requires a distinctive format or traditional organization ○ Feelings and emotions come and go and are
● Will always have rules and regulations never a strong foundation
○ Not to limit, but to guide us what is true ■ Decide when you are level-headed
■ Opinions are opinions until they are
Spirituality proven factual
● How strong one’s personal relationship with God ○ Some may say that one religion is better than the
● It is personal and individual journey other
● Individual ■ Should be faithful to only one religion
● It does not require a distinctive format or traditional ○ Results of Relativism in Faith
organization ■ Religious indifferentism:
1. One religion is just as good as
Authentic Catholic Spirituality another. Christ is just one
● Sees RELIGION and SPIRITUALITY as intimately linked among many.
rather than opposed to each other. Rules and 2. Attacking on religion
relationships go together without rules and parameters. ■ Cafeteria Catholicism:
A relationship without rules or parameters leads to 1. We are free to just choose
contempt and abuse (E.g. 10 Commandments) which of the Church’s
● Acknowledges that there are REVEALED WAYS by which teachings we will accept as
we connect with God (e.g. Sacraments) true and follow, abandoning
● Believed that SPIRITUALITY is not formed by human beliefs and practices which do
experience alone but by conforming to a MANUAL- The not suit our taste or
Word of GOD preferences.
2. E.g. When the church tell us to
Relativism attend mass every Sunday but
● Relativism is prevalent, everywhere, and a crisis we prefer to pamper ourselves,
● Relativism is dangerous esp. when it comes to morality we forget our responsibility (to
○ E.g. Bagsak na agad di pa nakikita work ng attend mass)
students just because of their face values a. Praying is not enough
● The belief that there are no such things as permanent or to fulfill our
universal truths responsibility
● All truths, whether in matters of doctrine or morality, are according to our
dependent on the individual, on popular opinion, on religion
society, on culture, etc., but never on an objective basis 2. Relativism in Morals
such as the Word of God ○ There is no absolute right and wrong
○ Moral Relativism

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 ■ Evangelii Gaudium, 64: while the
church insists on the existence of
objective moral norms which are valid
for everyone. There are those in our
culture who portray this teaching as
unjust, that is, as opposed to basic
human rights.
■ E.g. Death penalty
■ E.g. Being born with deformities
1. According to utilitarianism, a
person with deformities is not
considered as a beneficial tool
for society
○ Logical consequence of relativism in faith
○ Morality is just a social construct
■ Understands only when we talk about
what is right and true but there is more
than that
○ Denying existence of moral absolutes
○ Relativism > indifferentism > loss of morality
■ Indifferentism: “I am the measure of all
things”
1. Results to loss of morality
○ Rule of power rather than of reason
■ What is reasonable as long it is not
popular is disregarded
■ Results in OIC - object, intention,
consequence
○ Branches of Relativism in Morals
■ Utilitarianism and hedonism
1. What is useful is good
2. What is pleasurable is good
3. The end justifies the means.
4. The beauty of life consists in
giving oneself to others - St.
John Paul II, UST Manila,
January 1993
5. E.g. “Criminal yan, patayin mo
yan”
■ Practical relativism
1. Evangelii Gaudium, 80: Acting
as if God did not exist, making
decisions as if the poor did not
exist, setting goals as if others
did not exist, working as if
people who have not received
the Gospel did not exist
a. Aims to fill our egos
b. E.g. “Wala akong
pake kung may
matapakan akong tao,
as long as nagawa ko
gusto ko”, “wala
akong pake kung
mawawalan sila ng
pera as long as meron
akong pera”, “wala
akong pake kung
mamatay silang lahat
basta mamatay lang
yung isang kaaway
ko.”
2. A form of moral relativism that
is self-centered, self-
indulgent, and grounded on
convenience and material
security
3. Reason behind the lack of
sense of mission among
Christians
4. E.g. Measures everything
around you only based on your
perception
a. Bc of individualistic
approach ,you lack
sympathy and
empathy.
b. You will be blinded by
your ego → sense of
entitlement, ego and
individualism of
people
c. As long as you’re not
affected, you will not
do anything to help
Can we be good without God?
● Without God, if I say being truthful is good, I only mean “I
like being truthful”
○ Only an opinion
● Without God, if I say stealing is evil, I only mean “I don’t
like stealing”
○ Indirectly, there is still a belief that a higher being
exists
○ Aiming for good things brings us closer to God
SPIRITUALITY OF MERCY VS. THROW-AWAY CULTURE
Hedonism
● “There is a spirit of hedonism abroad today which attracts
men into thinking that life is nothing more than the quest
for pleasure and the satisfaction of human passions” -
Mater et Magista 235
○ Seeking pleasure is not bad bc it is part of our
nature
○ Being satisfied is not bad bc it is part of our
human passions
● Greek: hedone (pleasure)
○ Its focus is what makes hedonism bad
● The doctrine that pleasure (sensual pleasure) is the
ultimate goal of life, man’s highest good and greatest
happiness
○ Quest for pleasure
○ Sensual pleasure
■ If it becomes our way of life and the
driving force of existence = problematic
doctrine
● Devotion to pleasure and self-gratification as a way of life
○ Everything that a hedonist does is pleasure-
related
○ The way that hedonists achieve pleasure and
self-gratification is different from the way normal
people achieve it = chaos in society
● This philosophy is more often promoted through
advertisements
○ Today’s marketing provides us with products by
saying that these products can give you
happiness and satisfaction
○ E.g. Advertisements
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 ■ They do not show how they
manufacture their products or what it is
made of
■ Instead, they show that buying their
product will give you happiness which
makes people drawn to the product →
consumerism
● “I am here for one purpose: to get as much out of life as I
can. Pain and suffering are evils that must be avoided at
all costs. The main thing in life is to always feel good”
○ To avoid any forms of suffering in life. Even the
legitimate and heroic suffering. A hedonist wants
to have a pleasurable life regardless of how it is
achieved
Hedonism and the Human Person
● “This attitude is disastrous. Its evil effects on soul and body
are undeniable” - Mater et Magistra 235
○ Its effects are very destructive to the soul and the
body of a human being
● How is hedonism disastrous to the person
himself/herself? What are the consequences?
○ Hedonism is very problematic in how we
understand our whole being
○ For hedonists, man is the measure of all things →
a person will be egoistic, indifferent, and selfish
(distorted perception of a human being)
Hedonism, the Human Person, and the Environment
● “It is also necessary to reject the total technical dominion
over nature, because the natural environment is more
than raw material to be manipulated at our pleasure”-
Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate 48
○ Only sees the environment as raw material ready
to be manipulated for pleasure/the benefit of
man
■ They cease to see the environment as
something which is beneficial to the
future generations, people around the
sea, to the animals, etc.
● E.g. Animal extinction
○ They should be
protected bc these
animals may be of
help to us in the future
○ Some people kill
them for their greed
and pleasure
○ Many people see the environment as a gift from
God
■ We can use and manipulate it, not for
pleasure and greed, but for us to
progress
● Progress = protection with a
great output
● “Today, much harm is done to development precisely as
a result of these distorted notions” - Benedict XVI, Caritas
in Veritate 48
○ Every hedonist has this distorted view of a person
■ Sees everyone as a hedonist as well
○ This is why the environment is attacked by us,
people who are entrusted by God to care for the
environment
● Long-term effect of hedonism is not only the destruction
of the human being but also the environment
○ Rooted in the perception of every hedonist
○ If you are a hedonist, your perception of humans
and the environment are destroyed
■ Environment
● Normally seen as something
beneficial to our living;
something that must be taken
care of
● Hedonists don’t think about
the future generations; they
don’t think about the people
who would lose their jobs
because of industrial
advancements; they don’t care
about destroyed seas and
mountains
● This invites contemporary society to a serious review of its
lifestyle, which, in many parts of the world, is prone to
hedonism and consumerism, regardless of their harmful
consequences - Caritas in Veritate 51
○ Reminds us (educated people) to review our
lifestyle and to wake up the world that we have
fallen to the trap of hedonism and consumerism
■ Effects:
● People are dying
● World is dying
○ Ways to harm the environment
■ E.g. Scientists say that if u go to the sea,
u will find plastic
■ E.g. In the PH, there are mines present
everywhere
○ Most people are blind and deaf to these current
occurrences
● How is hedonism disastrous to the environment? Give
examples of the connection of hedonism and
consumerism.
○ “If an appreciation of the value of the human
person and of human life is lacking, we will also
lose interest in others and in the Earth itself” -
1990 World Day of Peace Message, Pope John
Paul II
■ Hedonists are egoistic and they don’t
care about other people
■ If you are a hedonist, you fail to see the
value of a human person even though
you have the same characteristics as
them (arms, legs, etc.)
● It is possible for you to see the
value of the world itself
○ “The way humanity treats the environment
influences the way it treats itself, and vice versa”
- Caritas in Veritate 51
■ The way you see humanity and the
environment is connected
● If you can’t see it, then it is
possible that you also don’t see
the value of human and plants
● Hence, pag may namatay,
gutom, o nadisgrasya,
hedonists won’t feel sorry for
them because for them, these
people are passing and
indispensable
● Reducing nature merely to a collection of contingent data
ends up doing violence to the environment and even
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 encouraging activity that fails to respect human nature
itself. - Caritas in Veritate 48
○ E.g. Seeing environment (similar to a human
being) as a raw material → much easier to kill
■ “Kasi kriminal siya (not pleasurable)
kaya patayin nalang”
○ No wonder why people are indifferent to one
another
● Our nature, constituted not only by matter but also by
spirit, and as such, endowed with transcendent meaning
and aspirations, is also normative for culture. Human
beings interpret and shape the natural environment
through culture, which in turn is given direction by the
responsible use of freedom, in accordance with the
dictates of the moral law. - Caritas in Veritate 48
○ Human beings are part of the culture Therefore,
we cannot deny the fact that nature is also part of
it.
Egoism
● Self-interest in the foundation of morality
○ In general, egoism promotes self-interest
○ Always for me, me, me
● Denies that we can be motivated by a concern for others
○ Hedonism feeds our ego
● This theory claims that everyone always acts to his or her
own advantage and that the only reason why a person
performs morally good actions is because it serves his or
her own interests
● Psychological Egoism vs. Ethical Egoism
○ Psychological Egoism- we “do” act in our own
self-interest not because of the interest of the
group and other people
■ Denies that we can be motivated by the
concerns of other
■ We only see and care for ourselves
■ “I am doing this for my own self-
interest.”
■ E.g. Other people gustong maging
“sipsip” to powerful people to gain
connections
○ Ethical Egoism - we “should” act in our own self-
interest
■ A moral theory that contends all choices
either involve or should involve self-
promotion as their sole objective
■ Ethical egoists believe that people
should not be their brother’s keeper,
because people do not completely
understand the true needs of others
● In everything you do, you only
do it for your own benefit
■ A moral theory that contends all choices
either involve or should involve self-
promotion as their sole objective
■ It's every man for himself in this world
○ They are somehow alike and somehow different
Consumerism
● Due to egoism, consumerism emerged
● It is the equation of personal happiness with the purchase
of material possessions and consumption
○ E.g. Buying new pair of shoes when you still have
new one just for pleasure (hedonism)
● Focuses on material things
● “I shop, therefore I am”
○ Many people are defined by the things they
acquire and show off to other people
○ Some excessively consume then throw it away
○ To shop is their identity.
Negative Effects of Consumerism
● Global inequality (On society)
○ Spending on what is not necessary has made the
rich richer, and the poor poorer
■ Bigger gap between the two
○ Money is the competition for you to have the
capacity to buy wonderful material things
○ Sometimes forgotten by the rich bc for them, as
long as they can consume, life is okay
● Obesity (On individual)
○ Having a mentality of buying what I can over
buying only what I need
○ E.g. Shops excessively even if we know our
capacity
■ Di gutom → buys a lot kasi it looks
delicious or bc you are greedy →
obesity
■ E.g. cravings → buys a lot then throw
what was not eaten
○ Half of the world is obese, but the other half is
dying of hunger and thirst.
● Pollution & resource depletion (On the environment)
○ Being unmindful that natural resources are finite,
and producing much waste, far more than what
nature can handle
○ E.g. Raw materials comes from the environment
■ When demand is high, production is
high. However, the environment is not
unlimited.
Throw-away Culture
● Consumerism and hedonism paved way to throwaway
culture
● Mentioned in Laudato Si by Pope Francis
○ Root: Mentality of Hedonism
● We have created a “throwaway” culture which is now
spreading - Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium 53
● Ruthlessly consumes, exploits, and discards human life
and our natural resources as one of the root causes
○ When someone throws his/her cellphone, many
people will claim it. Those who are in lower
socioeconomic status are more protected.
○ The poor are more vulnerable and exploited in
this system → promotes injustice
● We live in a world where everything is seen as disposable,
temporary or replaceable, and overflowing landfills aren’t
the only obvious signs
○ Rooted in hedonism and emerged to
consumerism that created a throwaway culture
○ This mentality is carried on how we see other
human beings
○ Throwaway Culture is now embedded in our
minds wherein it has led us to think that
○ “Broken relationships, forgotten people,
abandoned beliefs and dilapidated dreams to
find the far-reaching efforts of the throwaway
mentality.”
■ From consumerism (culture that focuses
on material things), it has now reached
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 our minds and become a mentality
wherein we see people, dreams, etc as
something that are disposable,
replaceable, and temporary
■ Called as person with no heart at all
● Context:
○ Garbage everywhere
■ Overflowing landfills are not just a sign
but also a warning
■ Not a symbol of progress
■ It is a reminder that throwaway culture is
true and happening
■ Try to stop this mentality
■ In the future, all the available lands will
be filled with trash
■ E.g. Wall-e
● People around the world has
left the earth due to its extreme
state of pollution
● In reality, it’s possible for us to
leave the earth
● Putting to waste things that could otherwise be reused for
another purpose
● “Today, however, we have to realize that a true ecological
approach always becomes a social approach; it must
integrate questions of justice in debates on the
environment, so as to hear both the cry of the Earth and
the cry of the poor.” - Pope Francis, Laudato Si
○ Why is it always the poor?
■ It is the poor who will always receive the
effects of global warming and
destruction of the environment first
■ It pertains to people whom have no
concrete homes
■ The poor will be affected and not the
rich
■ E.g. Typhoons
● Typhoon → baha → nasira
bahay → no chance to
fish/farm → walang kabuhayan
● Due to this culture, people (the poor) are now deemed
“useless”, excluded or “thrown-away”
○ Antidote for throw-away culture: Mercy
○ That’s why we must soften our hearts by teaching
people the spirituality of mercy
Consumerism, Wasteful Consumption, Throw-away
Mentality
● “Quickly reduces things to rubbish” - Pope Francis,
Laudato Si 22
○ Thing = everything including human beings
● The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more
like an immense pile of filth. In many parts of the planet,
the elderly lament that once beautiful landscapes are now
covered with rubbish - Pope Francis, Laudato Si 21
● Our present system of discards management is disposal
and not management.
○ This is just a hakot/tambak system, also known as
the collect and dump system, is not ecological.
■ Not really a management system
■ On sweeping under the rug the things
that need to be recycled
■ Tinago lang natin sa mga lugar na hindi
kita ng mga tao
■ Might be easy today, but can be
problematic in the future
○ This is the father and mother of Payatas, Smokey
Mountain, Rodriguez and other dumpsites and
landfills.
■ Unsanitary and hazardous to the
environment
Indicators of Throw-away Culture
● Wasting of our resources fueled by consumerism and the
market economy
○ As if resources are unlimited
● The practice of senseless contraception and abortion
○ Aims to disregard a life of a person as if they do
not exist just like any other human being
○ Due to this culture (brought by consumerism and
hedonism), it has created a mentality with a cold
heart,
■ We cannot feel, empathize and
sympathize with other people, hence
killing is justifiable even if it is senseless
and it is not with a very heavy reason
○ Seen as convenience in other countries
■ Not to save a life or for emergency
reasons
● Abandonment of the elderly and handicapped
○ Seen as useless
● Exclusion of the poor, exploitation of the weak
○ In every law and decision of the gov’t, they are
not taken into consideration
● Discarding of genuine relationships, of married love and
marriage vows
○ As if marriage is easy and has no meaning
○ You only think about pleasure → cheating
■ Many will try to justify cheating
Spirituality of Mercy
How to teach the Spirituality of Mercy?
● Responsible Consumption
○ We have to protect God’s gifts so that future
generations may continue to enjoy them
● Culture of Solidarity
○ Everyone is brother/sister
○ No one is disposable
■ May it be a criminal or not
○ Must teach the Culture of Solidarity in contrast
with the Culture of Individualism and
Indifference
● Culture of Encounter
○ Active concern for the poor, the week and the
vulnerable
○ This is done for us to know other people’s
feelings and to be merciful
○ We try to address and listen to their cries and
problems
What is Mercy?
● Mercy is translated from Misericordia (Latin)
○ “Misereri” - to pity
○ “cor” - heart
● Is having compassion on someone with all one’s heart; the
very inmost depth (or core) of one’s being
○ Is an expression of love
○ To feel pity and have compassion originated
from our heart
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ○ E.g. Mabigat sa feeling kapag naawa tayo
○ Is a feeling of compassion that originated in the
core of the heart
● God’s Mercy
○ Is the greatest “relative” characteristic of God
○ With relation to all that exists in creation, mercy
is the greatest divine attribute - St. Thomas
Aquinas
■ Bc God does not need anything:
absolute, perfect, self-existent; with no
one above him and everyone beneath
him
■ Even if He doesn't need anything or
anyone, He still created us not by
accident but through love (expression
of mercy).
● Love and mercy are
synonymous
○ He does us so much good even when he has zero
need for us. This is God’s mercy.
■ Ano pa bang kulang ng Panginoon?
Pwede naman niya tayong patayin lahat
kasi wala naman mawawala sa kaniya.
■ Why does God always forgive us? He
showed us mercy bc he loves us
○ Be merciful just as the Father is merciful - Luke
6:36
● Some define it as only “forgiving, forgetting, and
continuing on with one’s life”
○ Which is not the real meaning of mercy
● Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy -
Matthew 5:7
● The condition for mercy is mercy
● “Jesus is the face of the father’s mercy” - Pope Francis,
Misericordiae Vultus
○ Jesus Christ is the image of mercy
○ Has eyes different from one another and is
looking in separate ways
● Video:
○ There was forgiveness in Cherry’s part whose
mother was murdered
○ Even though she has accepted the reality and
forgave the murderer, it doesn’t mean that the
punishment is forgotten
○ Mercy must always include justice
■ Mercy shows that God loves all of us
■ Justice because God wants us to learn
from our mistakes. Thus, consequences
can be given.
Two Meanings of Mercy/Qualities of God
1. God’s Justice
○ Bc He wants us to learn from our mistakes, hence
we must always face the consequences
○ E.g. Student failed to submit w/o valid reason
■ Prof can be merciful but doesn’t mean
that the student will not face any
consequence
○ Mercy must be beared with Justice
■ Just as god loved all of us but also
taught us that in every bad thing that we
do, he will give justice to our actions
2. God’s Mercy/Forgiveness
○ Bc it shows us that He loves all of us
According to the Bible, Mercy is...
● Old Testament (Hebrew)
○ “Chesed”
■ Loving, kindness, steadfast, loyalty,
unfailing love despite unfaithfulness of
beloved
○ “Rachamim”
■ Pity, compassion, to forgive when one
has all the right to be angry
● New Testament (Greek)
○ “Eleeos”
■ Combines the concept of “chesed” and
“rachamim”
■ Can be synthesized from misericordia
○ “Splanka”
■ Denotes feeling from the inmost core of
a person
■ A warm feeling from the heart or a
discomfort in the “guts” (pagbaliktad ng
sikmura)
According to the Aquinas (in ST II-II.30.1), Mercy is…
● Human mercy is grounded in a “defect” in our nature: The
defect of human vulnerability to suffering
○ The defect is the ability to suffer in any human
misery
● Misericordia literally means “having a miserable heart” for
another person’s misery
○ A heart that suffers and feels the suffering of
others
○ Knows what suffering is bc he himself has
experienced it
● “The compassion in our hearts for another person's
misery, a compassion which drives us to do what we can
to help him."
○ That’s why we have 2 aspects of mercy
● Three Kinds of Human Misery
1. Suffering that goes against our natural appetite
for existence and life
■ E.g. Illness
2. Suffering that strikes us suddenly and
unexpectedly
■ E.g. Accidents
3. Suffering that strikes a person when he
consistently pursues the good, yet he meets only
overpowering evil
■ The undeserved suffering of the
innocent and the virtuous is the worst
kind of misery according to Aquinas.
Two Aspects of Mercy
1. Affective Mercy
■ An emotion: the pity we feel for the plight of
another
■ Must be translated to effective mercy
● If naawa ka lang at wala kang
ginawa, wala ka talagang awa sa
awa na yun
■ E.g. May nakita nang binaha, naawa ka na.
● Dapat may gagawin ka after mo
maawa
2. Effective Mercy
■ Something that we do
■ A positive action for the good of another
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 ■ Taking steps to relieve the miseries or meet
the needs of others
■ E.g. St. Dominic sold his books in order to
feed the hungry
● He sacrificed something bc he felt
compassion, mercy and love for
others
● Characteristics of the Two Aspects of Mercy
1. Rooted in the right reason
■ The truth about the sufferings of others,
and what is in fact the objective "good"
for the other whom we seek to help
■ Two aspects are grounded with right
reasons and knows what is good and
what is bad
2. Proven in effective action
■ Helping and not merely sympathizing
■ Since we know what we feel due to
compassion and mercy to others, we
then look for ways and prove ourselves
to act upon that feeling
● "Since man, therefore, has God above him, charity which
unites him to God is greater than mercy, which relieves
the wants of others" (II-II.30.4).
● On the other hand, when we consider which of the virtues
should govern our relationships with other human beings,
then it is clear that mercy directed to our neighbors in
need is the supreme virtue in man (II-II.30.4).
Is it a sin to be unmerciful?
● Yes, due to the Sin of Commission and Sin of Omission
○ Sin of Commission
○ Sin of Omission
■ If we are not merciful (what TA is
promoting; coldness of heart) and we
do not care anymore
■ Walang pake
■ If we aren’t able to empathize and
sympathize with others, then we have
committed a sin.
● Sin will always lead us to
eternal fire
● Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire
for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave
me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing
to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I
was naked and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in
prison and you did not look after me. Truly I tell you, you
did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for
me. - Matthew 25:41-43,45
○ The people in hell (acc. to the pic) were not
murderers or thieves or adulterous. They were
merely unmerciful
● The opposite of mercy is indifference
○ Since mercy can see every value in this world and
that everything is interconnected
○ The more-common opposite of the love of God -
of God’s compassion - is indifference. ”I’m
satisfied; I lack nothing. I have everything. I’ve
assured my palace in this life and next, since I go
to Mass every Sunday. I’m a good Christian. but
leaving the restaurant, I look the other way.” -
Pope Francis
■ Hindi lang tayo naaawa. dapat meron
din tayong gawa.
■ Especially to those people who are in
dire need of your help
■ Due to the obstacles mentioned below,
even if we know the meaning of mercy,
we still fail to be merciful
■ Sometimes, we would only see empty
action by people who claim they’re
merciful
■ We would also see self-righteous
people who’d say: “I will be in heaven bc
I go to church.”
● But when they meet other
people mas masahol pa sila sa
aso.”
● Four obstacles are usually
present to these kinds of
people that's why we need to
correct them
Four Obstacles to being Merciful
1. Self-centeredness
○ Being absorbed in our own issues
○ “What’s in it for me?”
2. Self-pity
○ Preoccupation with our own perceived suffering
○ “If they think they have problems, well, I have
problems too.”
3. Pride
○ Thinking we are privileged because we are holier
○ “They probably deserve their sufferings bc of
their evil deeds”
4. Selfishness
○ Wanting to keep all we have for ourselves
○ “I worked hard for it, it’s all mine.”
Towards Contemplation
● “For God so loved the world He gave us His only Son…” -
John 3:16
○ A manifestation of mercy
○ Humans were too sinful, he gave his son for us to
have a model being a good person in this evil
world
● “Creation groans to be saved” - Romans 8:21-22
○ We need a savior
○ God gave us his only son, he did not destroy us,
he was merciful, he loved us even though we’re
sinners
● The intrinsic dignity of the world (LS 115)
○ Teaches us to be merciful to other people
● The intrinsic value of (non-human creatures) (LS 69,140),
Kinship (LS 92)
○ Teaches us to be merciful to the environment
○ Helps us see the value of every
person/environment
○ When we can empathize with the
people/environment → we have seen the value
of the people → we can see that everything is
interconnected
● That everything is connected (LS 70, 79, 117, 120)
○ All of us are linked by unseen bonds, everyone
and everything in this world is connected →
hence everything must be protected
● The divine persons are subsistent relations, and the world,
created according to the divine model, is a web of
relationships. Creatures tend towards God, (LS 240)
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 ○ Everyone is linked with each other
■ After all those connections, we will
always tend towards perfection,
towards our ultimate goal, which is not
pleasure but God.
● It also entails a loving awareness that we are not
disconnected from the rest of the creatures, but joined in
a splendid universal communion. As believers, we do not
look at the world from without but from within, the value
of every human being, the value of plants and animals, the
value of every environment, conscious of the bonds with
which the Father has linked us to all beings (LS 220)
● “The ultimate purpose of other creatures is not to be
found in us. Rather, all creatures are moving forward with
us & through us towards a common point of arrival, which
is God… Human beings, endowed with intelligence &
love, & drawn by the fullness of Christ are called to lead
all the creatures back to their Creator.” (LS 83)
○ We must see the value of everything and of
everyone so that we can help each other,
because we are linked and we are in a
relationship with each other and everything,
towards a common goal, towards an ultimate
goal, towards perfection, towards God.
Sawa Vs. Awa (Lr Ocampo)
Throw-Away-Culture Culture of Mercy (Awa)
(Sawa)
Objectification (of things Contemplation
and people)
Consumption Compassion
Maximization (resources) Care (together with love)
Disposal Communion
(interconnectedness)
Culture of Care
● “Culture of Care as an antidote to the double degradation
brought about by the throwaway culture (EG 193, LS 231,
AL 191)
● The culture of care is the antidote of throw away culture.
○ Dapat marunong tayo makialam
■ Especially when throw-away culture is
promoted
■ Ang pakikialam natin sa ganong bagay
is to show care, mercy, malasakit
● Living “The Primacy of Mercy” is living the life in
accordance with God. (MV 17, MetM 1)
● Laudato Si’ mentioned the word “Care” 35 times, while
“stewardship” was only mentioned twice. The subtitle of
Laudato Si is in fact on “care for our common home”.
From “stewardship” we notice a shift to “care”. Hence,
there is a shift from duty-based ethics to a virtue-based
ethics of “care”.
Laudato Si
● Focused on the care of our creation, the importance of the
environment to our existence as human beings, our faith
as Christians, the environments’ role in nurturing our faith,
about the Christian teachings that God told us; that we in
this world to take care of it
● Mentions stewardship, but mentions care in so many
instances
○ From stewardship we notice a shift to care, hence
in Laudato Si, it’s not only a question of ethical
duty-based stewardship, but when we take
care/fulfill our duties as stewards of this world, it
must be virtue-based ethics
○ Virtue based ethics
■ We must take care of this environment,
not only in the level of necessity, not
only in the level of survival which is duty-
based
● “We only care for the
environment because it is our
duty; because I am a steward, I
am part of this environment,
and because I am part of this
environment I need to survive.”
(Duty-based ethics)
■ Take care of the environment in a virtue-
based ethics
● The Earth has its value, it is
given to us to be taken care of,
that every animal and
everything has a value that
must be respected and taken
care of, not only for survival
and necessity, but because we
love God. Because we love
God we take care of the
environment.
SPIRITUALITY OF COMMUNION VS. INDIVIDUALISM
Individualism
● Are we in an individualist generation?
○ The goals that we usually envision are for
ourselves esp. when we talk about our goals and
aspirations in life
● Some people would say that we are living in a “me, me,
me” generation
○ Most dream jobs are focused on self-
development
○ Never rule out our responsibilities to take care of
others
○ We must be a good person in the society
○ We should never forget our responsibilities to
the community
● “Social work is only for the church”
○ Part of the church’s role but is not exclusive from
other people; should involve people
● E.g Pandemic
○ What have you done?
○ What are your steps to helping other people?
○ A challenge for all of us
● Individualism is the belief that the individual is the primary
unit of reality and the ultimate standard of value.
● Not necessarily a bad thing for it affirms the Christian
doctrine that every human being is unique, irreplaceable,
and must never be used as a means to an end.
● However, when taken to the extreme, it becomes
selfishness and leads to isolation
○ Views clouded with individualism + not seeing
the bigger picture being a part of the community
→ selfishness & isolation → unique and sees
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 everyone else as a measure of all things Crisis of Individualism Today
according to Protagoras ● Being dependent upon others is often considered
● If overemphasized = problematic shameful or embarrassing
● People tend to be self-reliant
Traits of Individualistic Cultures ● The rights of individuals tend to take a higher precedence
● Uniqueness ● People often place a greater emphasis on standing out
● Autonomy and being unique than on being part of a whole
● Independence
● Leads to disregard of Common Good
● Self-Sufficiency
● Prevents human beings from developing a sense of
Individualism vs. Collectivism mission and heroism
● All others are rivals
Care Giving Everyone is People are born
● Aim for the middle way
supposed to take into extended
○ Aim for the spirituality of communion that
care of him - or families or class
balances the” We” and the “I”
herself and his or which protect the
■ We must know when we can emphasize
her immediate in exchange for
the uniqueness of every individual, and
family only loyalty
at the same time see the common good
for the community
Communication Speaking one’s Harmony should
○ Being independent among others is shameful
mind is healthy always be
and embarrassing
maintained
Spirituality of Communion
Consciousness “I” - “We” -
● Etymology:
consciousness consciousness
○ Gk - coinonia: coming together
○ Coming together
Education Purpose of Purpose of
○ Latin - Communio: sharing in common
education is education is
● Ideal state of fellowship that should exist in the Christian
learning how to learning how to
Church
learn do
○ To be in communion with one another wherein
you are all Christians aiming for the common
Group Identity Right of privacy Stress on
good and to be saved
Belonging
● Our trinitarian God made us in His image as community,
Language Languages in Languages in for community. The Church is called to build community
which the word “I” which the word “I” in the world.
is indispensable is avoided ○ Catholics welcomes people regardless of
religion bc the AIM of the Catholic church is
Opinion Personal opinion Opinions and COMMUNION
expected: one votes ○ Historically, Catholic church tries to find a
person one vote predetermined dialogue with other Christian
by in-group denomination/Churches
○ CC is greatest when it comes to dialogue with
Others Others classified Others classified other religions
as individuals as in-group or ○ Through apostolic successions, the responsibility
out-group is given to the Pope hence he became the bridge
maker to be in communion with other people
Task Orientation Task prevails over Relationship ○ Jesus Christ is part of a communion wherein ALL
relationship prevails over task will be safe

Transgression Transgression of Transgression of Aspects of Communion

norms leads to norms leads to ● Communion with God
guilt feelings shame feelings ○ We need to be in communion with one another
○ God created us to be originally with Him.
● Both are undesirable extremes. What is the middle way? ○ Human beings are the image and likeness of God
● Everything that is beyond of what is needed is always ○ God is the Father, the Son, The Holy Spirit = The
wrong holy trinity
● Good in a way where individualism promotes uniqueness ■ God is love, joy, good
and dignity of self; collectivism allows us to see bigger ● God wants to show all these to
picture the people whom he created
● Spirituality of Communion (middle way) is promoted to ■ 3 different persons, but 1 God
balance the “We” and “I” ○ OT: God the Father
○ NT: New covenant
○ From the onset, God willed human beings to live
in communion with Him and with one another
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 ■ From the moment of our creation, God
aimed us to be with Him because God is
love, holy, and good He wants the
others to have these characteristics as
well.
■ When we were created, he has been in
communication with us
○ E.g. Book of Genesis:
■ They know how to communicate with
God
■ God was with them and talked to them
directly.
■ God made a suitable partner for Adam
= Eve
○ Man became the image and likeness of God not
only through the communion of persons which
man and woman form right from the beginning.
Man becomes the image of God not so much in
the moment of solitude as in the moment of
communion - Pope St. John Paul II
■ When we are in communion with other
fellowman, we are seen to be in
communion with God
■ E.g. You pray every day but you are a
bad person to other people
■ E.g. You go to mass but you shut them
off when they ask for help
○ Sin destroyed communion and led to alienation
■ Self-alienation → divine alienation →
social alienation
■ Destroyed communion → alienation
■ Led Adam and Eve to alienation
○ God’s plan of salvation
■ To gather children scattered by sin
■ The church is God’s instrument for
gathering his scattered children, ergo
for restoring communion
■ First, by saving (“calling out)) the
Israelites from Egypt and making them
his chosen people.
● In the OT:
○ The people were
given chances and
protection
○ To be in communion
with each other to
strengthen their
communion with God
○ When we talk about
communion in Hb, it is
synonymous with the
word qahal (church)
■ Somehow
close to the
church
■ Finally, by calling all men and women to
communion in the church of Jesus
Christ.
● In the NT:
○ All of us are called to
be in communion with
God
○ Synonymous with the
Church - ecclesia (Gk.)
■
The Church is the gathering for
communion
● Church in itself is gathering
● To listen to the same homily =
gathering
○ Not only for
commonalities but as
a thanksgiving to
GOD
● When gathering, you are to
strengthen communion with
god
● Communion among Believers
○ When we are with one another, we are in
communion with God
○ Being in solidarity with our brothers and sisters
○ When we are with one another, we are in
communion with God
○ E.g. I pray twice a day but I hate other people and
I don’t care about them
■ Your words are already empty =
problematic
○ To have a strong communion with God, we must
be in communion and solidarity with other
people
○ In the eyes of God, Jesus Christ is the head, and
we, the people are the body
■ Our body must be in accordance with
what Jesus Christ has taught us
■ Us as people,
■ As the body we must work together in
accordance with what Jesus Christ has
taught us
○ Church: Body
○ Christ: Head
○ When we are baptized, we became with Him
● Communion in Life of Christ
○ Consequently, communion with one another.
○ Christ as the Bridegroom
■ In the book of Genesis, marriage was
instituted. Marriage was seen not only
as a normal activity but also as a sacred
communion
● Seen through Adam and Eve
● Communion with God
■ God’s love is shown through the
prophets by reminding them to be
faithful.
● From moment of creation, God
made many efforts to remind
us to be faithful
● However, we keep on
committing sins
● It doesn’t discourage him bc he
loves us unconditionally
● He look for ways to have the
communion to be instituted
again
■ The Death of Christ on the cross shows
the unconditional love of Christ to
Humanity. A kind of love that is
expected from both husband and wife
● NT:
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 ○ Death of only ■ Vivifies the Church
begotten son to show ● The indwelling presence of
his unconditional love God
○ Our sin has been ● Shows us that through the
forgiven Church, we can feel God
■ God was waiting for us ● May be felt during mass
● He experienced infidelity ● Holy Spirit is present even if we
● He will not give up on her bride cannot physically go to Church
● Renew relationship through ■ Unifies the Church
covenant ● Unity in diversity, many parts
● Faithfulness must exist working as one
○ Church as Bride of Christ ● Even though we differ in many
■ “... the two shall become one flesh” aspects, church open its door
■ Church and Christ is married for everyone
■ Husband and wife can become one ● Only possible bc of the
flesh guidance of HS
○ The Cross became a symbol of communion ● Work as one/common Goal:
■ During Roman times: symbol of social salvation
sin, fear, death ■ Moves the ministries of the Church:
■ Through the cross he showed his ● Variety of gifts
unconditional love ● Spirit of empathy guided by HS
■ Shows us 2 movements of communion and Church
○ Two Kinds of Communion ● Sacristans
■ Vertical Communion ● Lectors
● Communion with the most holy ● Voluntary works
trinity ■ Charisms
● God and His creation ● Special gifts of the Holy Spirit
● God is up there pouring down given to individuals for the
his blessings and grace to good of others, especially for
humanity the purpose of building the
● He loved us even if we are Church
sinners ● Gifts that draw us to
● He sent the Holy Spirit for us to communion
be guided, and to know what is ● After God’s death on the cross
salvation and be blessed during Pentecost, the Lord still
■ Horizontal Communion guides us every day.
● Communion with all the ● Not through Christ physically,
baptized but through the HS (concept of
○ The members of the Holy Trinity)
Church equally share ● Not exclusively to Theo profs
in: and priests, but for all of us
■ The Divine ○ Holy Communion
Nature ■ Sacrament of Eucharist: example where
■ The Passion we can see the work of Holy Spirit
of Christ: we guiding us
know ■ The act of reception of the Sacrament of
sufferings of the Holy Eucharist
one another. ■ Sacrament: visible sign of an invisible
therefore, we reality
know how to
help ■ Sacrament of our Union with Christ
■ The Same ● Ecclesia: aims to gather people
Faith: being in the name of Jesus Christ
with Christ at ● When we receive the
the end of sacrament, we receive Christ
time ● Our communion with Him is
■ The Same strengthened
Spirit: ● “You are what you eat”
because of ○ When we eat Jesus
baptism, we Christ, we will also be
have the a holy person
guidance of ● E.g. Going to mass
the Holy ○ It is still important
Spirit ○ Being a good person
○ Holy Spirit is not enough, one
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 has to attend mass ○ Mortal sins: killing
weekly as well ○ If you receive Christ
● Accepting Jesus Christ thru the w/o preparation thru
Eucharist → strengthening our the Sacrament of
communion with God → we Reconciliation, no
are now prepared for a strong spiritual grace/gift will
communion with others thru be given by the Holy
the body and blood of Christ Spirit
■ Sacrament of our Unity with the whole ○ If we want to accept
Church Jesus Christ, we must
■ Holy Communion in the Catholic be in a state of grace
○ In receiving Jesus
Church cannot be administered to
those who are:
Christ, we must be
● Not baptized
holy and prepared
■ Receiving
○ Three kinds:
■ Baptism by the Eucharist
blood: does not
Christians make us holy
who dies in but it
the name of strengthens
faith even if our
they were
not baptized communion
in the Church with God,
(E.g Martyrs) leading to
■ Baptism by holiness
desire/faith: ■ At all times, in all places, there is only
those living One Bread, One Cup
in far-flung
● The body and blood of Christ
areas; they
don’t know ● Communion of Saints
Jesus Christ; ○ The Church is the community of the faithful
they practice If you are a member of the Church, you must do
holiness in the ff:
their own ■ Professing the true Christian faith
ways by ■ Participating in the same Sacraments
doing the ■ Under the government of legitimate
works of
pastors thru apostolic succession
Jesus;
difficult to ■ Especially the one vicar of Christ on
reach by earth, the Roman Pontiff.
priests so ○ The Church is a communion in these holy things
there is no If you are a member of the Church, you must
one to follow the ff:
educate ■ Teachings of the Apostles
them; they ■ Sacraments (visible signs of God)
desire to be ■ Hierarchical Order (Apostolic
saved Succession)
■ Actual
baptism: call
for all people
esp for
people who
knows that
being
baptized is
the right way
to be a
member of
the Catholic ○ We pray for each other → we are in communion
Church with each other
● Not Catholics ■ Even those with God, in the purgatory,
● Not in state of grace (those in or in the Earth
state of mortal sin)
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ■ We are all journeying to be saints to be
with God
■ Communion in Holy Things, Holy
Persons (given authority by Jesus Christ
to administer the Sacraments thru
apostolic succession)
■ All of us are connected so that we can
be happy and we can achieve salvation
○ Church Triumphant
■ Saints: already triumphant in heaven
■ Already achieved holiness and
perfection
■ People here can help and intercede for
us
○ Church Militant
■ Living on Earth and journeyed toward
Church Triumphant
● We are connected to the saints
thru our baptism
● We are yet to achieve holiness
■ Our duty is to pray for the Church
Suffering and Church Triumphant
■ Can pray for themselves
■ We are not praying for the Church
Triumphant to help us, but to intercede
for us
● When we ask for intercession,
we are praying to God
■ When we pray, we ask for something
from God
■ We pray for those who are Suffering bc
they cannot pray for themselves so that
they can go to heaven
■ E.g. “Sinasamba yung mga santo”
● We do not pray to them, we
only ask for their intercession
○ Church Suffering
■ Still in purgatory
● If you are here, you are being
prepared to be with God in
heaven
● Your sins are cleansed in
purgatory
■ Those in purgatory cannot go to hell
■ They can pray to the Church Triumphant
and Church Militant but they cannot
pray for themselves
■ E.g. Praying for the departed
● We are not sure if they are in
heaven or are in the purgatory
● We hope that if they are in the
purgatory, they can pray for us
to be holy in this world
● We ask for their guidance and
prayers
● Communion of Churches
○ One Church
■ How can we be in communion with our
brothers and sisters (other Churches)
■ In the Catholic perspective, it is
possible to be in communion w/ other
religion
○ The Church today is in a sad state of division
■ But, we believe that this division is
bound to be healed because Christ
saved us. Communion will eventually be
restored
● We are optimistic that our lives
are bound to be healed
despite our sins
■ Because God is love, he gives us hope
The Church of Christ
● The Catholic Church
○ Founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ, c.33AD and
began its operations in Jerusalem after
Pentecost
■ Pentecost
● Mary and the apostles received
the Holy Spirit
● Start of the early Christian
Church
● Gathering In the name of Christ
● Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus
○ During the Apostolic era, it was simply referred
to as “the Church”
■ The previous symbol is a fish
■ Shows us that they are fishers of man,
giving thanks to Jesus who is the
fisherman
■ Apostles preached the gospel all over
the world
○ Later on described as “Catholic” (universal) to
mean “the Church that is everywhere” in contrast
to splinter groups and sects. (St. Ignatius c.107,
St. Polycarp d.155)
■ Katolika/o: universal
■ Being universal means that it aims to be
the Church that will be embraced by all
■ Universal in a sense that the message of
salvation is not only exclusive to the
Catholic Church but for all people
■ No wonder why the Catholic Church
aims to have a dialogue with other
Churches
● Historical Progression of Churches
○ Apostolic era: (Early Christianity)
■ Leaders of the community preached the
gospel of God
■ They listened to the teachings firsthand
■ Were able to live with Christ
■ Bc of their faith and teachings, early
Christians were faithful up to the point
of death
● They uphold their faith in Christ
■ Eventually, politics entered →
misunderstandings → some didn’t
accept the teachings
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ○ Great Schism
■ Two major divisions of the Church
● Roman Catholic Church
○ Head: Pope
○ Western
○ Despite this division,
they still reach out to
the Eastern Orthodox
○ Assured that the
universality is still
provided to those
who separated
● Orthodox Church
○ Head: Patriarch
○ Eastern
○ Reformation
■ Popularized by Martin Luther
■ Other Christian
Churches/Denominations (Protestants):
Restorationism, Anabaptist,
Anglicanism, Calvinism, Lutheranism,
etc.
■ Assyrian Church, Oriental Orthodox
tried to separate since 431/451
● Communion with the Roman Pontiff
○ Roman Pontiff is the Leader of the Catholic
church composing of particular churches in
communion with each other
○ Alter Christus
■ Received his authority thru Jesus Christ
itself, thru the apostolic succession
■ Aims to be in communion and in
dialogue with other Churches esp those
in Orthodox Churches, ecclesial
communities, etc.
○ Led by the Bishops
■ E.g. Cardinal Tagle is the head of the
Archdiocese of Manila - we listen to him
in terms of faith
○ Pope is the head of the Catholic Church
■ Pope is the symbol of communion
■ If the pope dies, all cardinals in the
world will be called to Vatican to elect a
new pope
■ We have bishops representatives of our
Catholic Churches; not leaders
○ The Catholic Church is a communion of
particular Churches
■ Even if the Catholic Church is a very big
organization, it is in itself a communion
○ A particular Church is a community of believers
presided over by a validly ordained bishop.
(diocese, vicariate apostolic, prefecture
apostolic)
○ “Where the bishop is present, there is the
Catholic Church” – St. Ignatius of Antioch c. 107
■ Every bishop/cardinal is a symbol of
unity and of a particular Church
○ The Bishop’s presence is a guarantee that
sacraments are validly administered and the
apostolic faith is preserved intact through
generations.
○ The Bishop of Rome presides in charity over the
universal Church. He is the Chief Bridge Builder
■ Leader in the dialogue in bringing the
message on salvation of the churches;
not only to the Catholic church
■ Pope brings salvation and have a
dialogue with other churches
■ Shows great system which divides the
Roman Pontiff and Orthodox Christian
○ The Pope is the perpetual and visible source and
foundation of the unity both of the bishops and
of the whole company of the faithful. He has full,
supreme, and universal power over the whole
Church. Cf. CCC 882
■ Even though we are different and have
misunderstandings, the pope aims to
be the CBB and spearheads all
dialogues to other churches as well
○ During the time of the early Church, the Bishop
of Rome acted as arbiter settling contentious
issues in the Church.
○ Every bishop in the Catholic Church must be
approved by the pope and receive a papal
mandate before being ordained to the
episcopacy, and it is the pope who confers on
that bishop the authority to govern the diocese
to which he has been appointed.
○ Papal infallibility means that the Pope cannot
make errors when making an ex cathedra
statement on faith and morals or when he
proposes a teaching united with all the bishops
of the world.
■ Papal Infallibility is pope’s special power
■ Ex cathedra means “from his
seat/authority as a pope”
■ Pope can also make mistakes bc he is
not perfect; however he should not
make errors when making ex cathedra
(faith and morals), hence infallible
■ E.g. Human trafficking, EJK, abortion
(should be well-researched and
gathered info from bishops in the world)
○ The college or body of bishops has no authority
unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s
successor, as its head. As such, this college has
supreme and full authority over the universal
Church; but this power cannot be exercised
without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff.
CCC 883
● Separated particular Churches
○ Churches presided over by a validly ordained
bishop, but are not in communion with the
Bishop of Rome.
■ They do not believe in the authority of
the Pope
■ But the Pope/Catholic Church will
always welcome the Orthodox
Christians and acknowledge their
validity
■ Catholic Church always welcomes
Orthodox Christians
■ Catholic vs Orthodox: The Catholic
Church believes the pope to be
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 infallible in matters of doctrine. priesthood, have not preserved the genuine and
Orthodox believers reject the infallibility integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery,
of the pope and consider their own cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called
patriarchs, too, as human and thus "Churches" in the proper sense (Dominus Iesus
subject to error. In this way, they are
similar to Protestants, who also reject 17:2)
any notion of papal primacy. ○ The Church and Non-Catholic Christians
○ Are true Churches "because these Churches, ■ Non-Catholic Christians are those who,
although separated, have true sacraments and though not formally members of the
above all — because of the apostolic succession Catholic Church, have received valid
— the priesthood and the Eucharist, by means of baptism.
which they remain linked to us by very close
● Can still be saved
bonds"
● Catholic Church will extend its
■ We are very connected with them, what
hand for proper dialogue
separates us from them is that they do
● Unlike our Orthodox
not acknowledge that the Pope is the
Christians, we still
head of the church
acknowledge their existence,
■ Acknowledge Patriarch as the head of
still acknowledge that they are
church
loved by God
○ “These Churches, which, while not existing in
● Are not called Churches bc
perfect communion with the Catholic Church,
they do not preserve the
remain united to her by means of the closest
genuine and integral
bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid
substance of the eucharistic
Eucharist, and are true particular Churches." –
ministry
Dominus Iesus
● Their priest are not validly
■ Popes tried to reconnect with the
ordained
Orthodox brothers and sisters, but they
● The Catholic church as a
do not acknowledge the Roman Pontiff
universal church aims to have a
as the head of the church
dialogue with them, aims to
■ Even though we have different
talk to them, aims to work
expressions of masses, In the eyes of the
hand in hand with them, and to
Catholic Church we have that same
at least talk about the salvation
nature in the mass
of God in their own way.
○ "Therefore, these separated Churches and
● Even though the reformation
communities as such...have by no means been
existed in the 16th century that
deprived of significance and importance in the
resulted in different churches,
mystery of salvation. For the spirit of Christ has
doesn't mean na papabayaan
not refrained from using them as means of
na ng Catholic Church yon.
salvation which derive their efficacy from the very
■ The Church solemnly acknowledges
fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the
Catholic Church." IV Unicity and Unity of the that the Holy Spirit is truly active in the
Church, 17 Dominus Iesus, Congregation for the churches and communities separated
Doctrine of the Faith, June 16,2000 from itself. To these other Christian
■ “Outside the Church there is no Churches the Catholic Church is bound
salvation” - false in many ways: through reverence for
■ There is still the possibility of salvation God's word in the Scriptures; through
by God
the fact of baptism; through other
■ We can see that with the dialogue of
Catholics with the our Orthodox sacraments which they recognize.
brothers and sisters ● Although separated from the
■ We are connected by a very special Catholic church, their baptism
bond, their mass is accepted as a valid is valid, it still remains part of
mass by the Catholic Church her in a mysterious way
● Ecclesial Communities ● All of those who receive
○ Christian Communities that function “like baptism belong to the catholic
church
Churches” but lack valid orders.
● Catholic Church is not
○ Most of these were born out of the sixteenth exclusive
century Reformation movement. ● The Catholic Church through
○ According to Catholic doctrine, these its history in time, finds and
Communities do not enjoy apostolic succession tries many ways to
in the sacrament of Orders, and are, therefore, communicate/dialogue with
deprived of a constitutive element of the Church. Christian denominations and
other Churches.
These ecclesial Communities which, specifically
because of the absence of the sacramental
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ● Catholic is one of the greatest
institutions around the world
when it comes to dialogue with
other religion
● E.g. UST
● Di lahat ng estudyante sa UST
is catholic, even if you have a
different religion you are still
welcome to listen to the word
of God, still given chance
through Theo subjects to hear
the teachings of Christ in this
world bc the aim of the
Catholic Church is communion
● We cannot deny the fact the
Catholic Church promotes
communion through dialogue
● E.g. Musilim brothers in
Mindanao are very active in
dialogue
● This is the teaching of the
church which Jesus has passed
down through his apostles
● The Pope is the bridgemaker,
aims to have a communion
with all other people in this
world, just like Jesus Christ
who is part of a communion,
the holy trinity
● Our trinitarian God made us in
his image as community, for
community. The Church is
called to build community in
the world even in our diversity
● All can be saved, all have the
chance to be saved.
● The Roman Catholic Church
aims to promote the spirituality
of communion, the church in
itself is a symbol of
communion, the Pope is a
symbol of that communion by
particular churches.
● The spirituality of communion
is a very good solution to the
prevalent mentality of
individualism
■ All those separated from the Catholic
Church remain part of her, in a
mysterious way. All those who receive
Christian baptism belong to the
Catholic Church
Dignity, Common Good, and Solidarity
The Dignity of the Human Person
● Individuals have an inherent and immeasurable worth and
dignity
● All are fundamentally equal before God – same origin,
same destiny, redeemed by Christ, called to respond to a
vocation
● All are radically equal before God - leads us to think no
less of somebody because they are from a different place
or culture, because they believe something different to
you, or because of their work or employment situation.
● Not an extreme bc it only emphasizes on the uniqueness
of every person in a sense that it will lead to a bigger
picture
Common Good
● When we aim for common good, we do not neglect the
uniqueness and value of every person
● The common good is the complete development of all the
people of the world.
● The common good is the complete development of all the
people of the world.
● ‘The sum total of conditions of social living, whereby
persons are enabled more fully and readily to achieve
their own perfection.’ (Pope John XXIII)
● Not the “greatest good for the greatest number”
(Utilitarianism) but the care for the greatest good of ALL
persons – no one excluded.
● The principle of common good balances individual rights
with one’s responsibilities for the welfare of society –
which in effect promotes and protects the rights and
dignity of others
Solidarity
● Show solidarity when aiming for the common good
● We are responsible for all
● A sense of responsibility on the part of everyone with
regard to everyone.
● A particular way of looking at the interconnectedness of
people living in different parts of the world that is a feature
of our contemporary human existence.
● Not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at
the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On
the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to
commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the
good of all and of each individual, because we are all
really responsible for all
Conclusion
● Theologically, rooted in Jesus Christ, guided thru Holy
Spirit, preached by the holy, universal, Catholic Church
(symbol of communion)
● Not an overemphasis of collectivism and popularity; aims
for common good thru solidarity
● Using uniqueness for common good with no exemptions
and aims for what is best for all while upholding values
and dignity of every human person
● A spirituality of communion means an ability to think of
our brothers and sisters in faith within the profound unity
of the Mystical body, and therefore as “those who are part
of me.”
○ We must see everyone as a part of us just like
Lord sees everyone as part of His body
■ We are the body and the Church
● A spirituality of communion implies the ability to see the
positive in others, to welcome it and prize it as a gift from
God.
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
● A spirituality of communion means to know how to “make
room” for our brothers and sisters, bearing “each other’s
burdens” and resisting the selfish temptations which
constantly beset us and provoke unhealthy competition,
careerism, distrust and jealousy.
● In a world where there is overemphasis of individualism,
we must apply the SOC that strikes a balance between the
We and I in which we can move forward as one faithful, as
one people aiming to be saved.

KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5

THY 4: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN VISION IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD ● “The dialogue of salvation was opened spontaneously on
HARMONY WITH the initiative of God: "He (God) loved us first;" it will be up
to us to take the initiative in extending to men this same
COMMUNITY: CALLED TO dialogue, without waiting to be summoned to it.” (ES no.
72)
○ All of us are called to be saved (promise of God)
DIALOGUE ○ It is our responsibility to convey message of
salvation to other people with different cultures
through the Dialogue of Salvation
CONTENTS: ● The Catholic Church’s document “Dialogue and
I. Dialogue with Culture Proclamation” defines what dialogue is all about. It states:
a. Introduction ○ Firstly, at the purely human level, it means
b. Asia/Philippines: Melting Pot of Different Cultures reciprocal communication, leading to a common
c. Culture as a Way of Life goal or, at a deeper level, to interpersonal
d. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism communion.
e. Scriptures and the Church ○ Secondly, dialogue can be taken as an attitude of
f. Inculturation and Inculturality respect and friendship, which permeates or
g. Dialogue in a Multicultural World should permeate all those activities constituting
II. Dialogue with Religion the evangelizing mission of the Church. This can
a. Introduction appropriately be called "the spirit of dialogue”
b. Religious Pluralism vs. Religious Relativism ● Where there is no dialogue, misunderstanding, conflict
c. Divine Providence and violence takes place…
d. Different Forms of Dialogue ○ Cultures with different religions will be the
e. Dialogue in a Multi-Religious World source of conflict of chaos
III. Dialogue with the Poor ○ If we aim to be saved, we must not be led thru
a. Introduction extremism.
b. The Poor as Object of Evangelization to being ○ Salvation is the goal
Subject of Evangelization ● Dialogue is recognized as part of the comprehensive
c. Conclusion evangelizing mission of the Church. It is characterized by
reciprocity and mutuality between dialogue partners who
DIALOGUE WITH CULTURE are different from each other.
Introduction ○ Different: shows uniqueness but can live
● Asia harmoniously
○ Comprises of different cultures, beliefs, races ○ In the praxis of mission in the contemporary
that come together times, openness and respect are the desired
○ Different understanding of things to have a dispositions.
dialogue for the common good ■ Dialogue may lead us towards
● ASEAN achieving harmony.
○Govern relation among members of state based ● “The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature, since
on consultation and consensus it is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the
○ Branches of ASEAN Holy Spirit that she draws her origin, in accordance with
■ Political-security the decree of God the Father.” (AG 2).
■ Economical ○ We are the pilgrim Church = journeying Church
■ Socio-cultural ■ We meet and talk to other people
○ Southeast Asia: region of many cultures ■ When god came down to human
○ 10-member states beings, we must face these people in
○ Full of diversity in terms of culture, politics, social manner of dialogue
progress, and religion ● God the Father of all, has called all men to share in his life
○ Symbol that dialogue can be achieved and love through his son Jesus Christ. The risen Christ and
○ Shows that there is hope in our society his Spirit are active in the world making this love a present
● Dialogue and Religion and growing reality, making all things new. This same love
○ Acknowledging the differences and urges us to dialogue with people of other religions,
transcending to identify it because we have, especially since the Second Vatican
● In what ways do we now experience a “Flattening of the Council, an increasing awareness of the positive role of
World”? other religions in God’s plan of salvation. (FAPA, P198)
● Globalization that results “to an accelerated development ○ The Catholic Church will always promote
through space and time” compresses time, space and dialogue with other religions as well
consciousness of peoples from different parts of the ○ In our reality, there are other religions
world. Logan, Ikubolajeh B. Globalization: The Third ■ Catholic Church isn't the only existing
World State and Poverty Alleviation in the Twenty-First religion in the society
Century (Aldershot Hants, England: Ashgate Publish Ltd.) ■ Christian vs Non-Christian
2002 HC 59.7 .G51 2002 ○ If hatred and chaos from one religion to another
○ Different cultures emerge from day to day will be given emphasis then it will be impossible
○ The world is very small in terms of culture for everyone to live together harmoniously
○ Everything is made accelerated
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ○ Bc God is love = we are all even with the mission
to be saved
○ We must use the love of God as the source of our
love to other people as well.
● How can we live a peaceful life in society?
○ In Asia, mission and evangelization has to be
through the “triple dialogue”, that is, dialogue
with culture, religion and the poor. (FAPA 222)
Asia/Philippines: Melting Pot of Different Cultures
● Melting pot = different cultures meet and merge with
each other
○ E.g. Chinese food, japanese food, korean food,
related to fiestas
○ E.g. Architectural designs like Intramuros were
originated in Spain
○ E.g. American and Spanish family names
● PH has undergone so many colonization periods
● PH is closely intertwined with our religion
○ E.g. Festivals of Saints
○ How do we convey the message of Christianity =
salvation to other non-Christians?
● “International migrants come from all over the world and
travel to all parts of the world. As a result, people from
different cultures not only are in much closer contact
today, oftentimes they are forced to live alongside each
other.” (Antonio Pernia)
○ PH has so many migrants in history
○ Today, transpo is very easy → easier contact with
each other
■ E.g. Transpo was hard before, dorms
now exist
○ E.g. Having international dorm mates
○ In Asia, people live together alongside the
diverse religions and cultures. In the Philippines
just like other Asian countries, ethnic minorities
and groups are ever present.
■ PH isn't only a Catholic nation but also
includes other religions such as Islam
■ Never forget that ethnic groups are
existing
■ When we progress as a society and
maintain in faith, ethic minorities must
always be included
● The reality of mega-migration results in multiculturality.
Besides the pull factor such as work opportunity, other
people migrate because they are forced to (push factor)
because of poverty and of violence such as wars. These
forced migrants are called refugees.
○ E.g. Sir is a refugee bc he is from Mindanao and
came to manila to study and to work.
● The question that we have to pose is: As Christians what
should be our attitude in a multicultural world?
○ What should we do in society?
Culture as a Way of Life
Culture
● Colere (Latin; vb.)
○ Such as inhabit, cultivate, protect, honor with
worship. (Agcaracar P35)
● “Culture is conceived as the way of life of a social group,
not of an individual as such. It is the way a society copes
with its physical, social, and ideational environment. In
other words, culture is a society’s regularized or
standardized design for living.” (Luzbetak 1970: 111)
○ E.g. Subcultures such as Thomasian, Atenista,
Llasallea culture
■ We see these cultures in a collective
manner
● The way we eat, sleep, speak, think are some of the ways
in which we can trace the existence of culture. Culture,
therefore, is a particular group of people’s way of life. “The
ways or patterns of life, acquired by learning which
characterize a human community.” (Standaert)
● Culture is “a partially conscious and partially unconscious
learning experience whereby the older generation invites,
induces, and compels the younger generation to adopt
traditional ways of thinking and behaving. Enculturation is
primarily based on the control that the older generation
exercises over the means of rewarding and punishing
children.” (Harris)
○ There are instances that we are taught,
enculturation in a conscious manner.
○ There are also instances that we are constantly
motivated by a certain culture
■ E.g. Filipino Time
● Unconscious enculturation
● Already acquired
■ E.g. Kids who go to school
● Enculturation and conscious
enculturation
● Culture can be discerned in various levels this is according
to Standaert:
○ First
■ Through action, such as clothing, or
means of transport.
○ Second
■ Symbols, such as their myth, rites of
passage at birth, puberty, marriage,
birth, greeting each other. Part of the
symbol is language which is elementary
to culture that when another language
is present, another culture is present.
○ Third
■ Always changing
■ Cultures do evolve and this is due to
demographic development, economic
laws, climactic changes or human or
technological progress.
■ E.g. Courting in the PH,
● Before: Harana, Pagbisita,
today’s time
● Now: Fast dating, zoom
meeting
○ Fourth
■ Within a culture there can be several
subcultures.
■ Filipino culture has different subcultures
● Jeje Culture, Gaming Culture
Enculturation
● The process by which culture is passed on
● “A very long process of growing into the culture to which
he or she belongs” (Standaert p11).
● Beliefs, experiences, principles, values and memories are
shared as a result of common enculturation.
○ E.g. When we receive something from parents
such as being a liberalist, etc.
○ We must help or siblings and kids so that they will
have a good generation
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ○ Be careful when there are kids around
Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
● The Gospel must be inculturated in the people and that
Christ must find a home in the culture of the people. If
culture is a way of life one has to be slow in one’s
judgment because culture mirrors the behaviour and
belief system of a group of peoples or community.
○ Every culture is unique and special but it doesn't
mean that they don't have commonality with
others
● “Ritual behaviors, religious institutions, and sacred texts
all find their wherewithal in the bailiwick of culture.”
(Stanley Skreslet P97)
○ This kind of culture, religious culture, is in the
context of a particular religion
○ E.g. Pagmamano
■ Cultural in PH, it is also an expression of
religious respect, mano sa mga pari,
obispo, pastor
■ Not a practice in Vatican
● The Gospel, then, has to purify a culture while culture has
to enrich the Gospel. There must be a mutual enrichment
between the Gospel and culture between faith and
culture.
○ Culture and faith goes hand in hand
○ One has to purify it, the other must enrich it
○ E.g. Fiesta, enriched and cultural practice
■ We enrich dancing and singing in our
faith
● “In order that they may be able to bear more fruitful
witness to Christ, let them be joined to those men by
esteem and love; let them acknowledge themselves to be
members of the group of men among whom they live; let
them share in cultural and social life by the various
undertakings and enterprises of human living; let them be
familiar with their national and religious traditions; let
them gladly and reverently lay bare the seeds of the Word
which lie hidden among their fellows. (AG 11)
Scriptures and the Church
● The world culture in the general sense refers to all those
things which go to the refining and developing of man’s
diverse mental and physical endowments.
○ Especially in the biblical scriptures
● He strives to subdue the earth by his knowledge and his
labor; he humanizes social life both in the family and in the
whole civic community through the improvement of
customs and institutions; he expresses through his works
the great spiritual experiences and aspirations of men
throughout the ages; he communicates and preserves
them to be an inspiration for the progress of many, even
all mankind. (GS 53-62)
○ Mankind’s challenge:
■ To progress while not forgetting our
culture
■ Always include faith
■ Always have time for culture and faith to
meet
● Human and world flourishing is the goal of cultures. Thus,
culture not only could cultivate but also can mediate the
Christian faith to others.
○ Can only be achieved if we have culture and faith
working together
○ “Culture also includes religion as one of its
elements. Religion is the animating principle of
culture. Culture is like a body, with religion as its
soul.
○ Teachings of the church: have social harmony
○ Faith to work together and not against each
other
○ E.g. Filipino culture
■ We came from different religious beliefs
■ We must find a harmonious
commonality
● “The work of evangelization carried out by the church is a
continuation of the incarnation, and, therefore,
Christianity must assume whatever is good in the different
races and cultures is compatible with the essential
message of the gospel”
● “The spirit sows the “seeds of the word” present in various
customs and cultures, preparing them for full maturity in
Christ.” (RM 28)
Conclusion
● God is present in all of us, God is expressed in so many
cultures
● We need guidance and that is where the church comes
in
○ see the beauty of religion in every culture
● E.g. Spanish colonization
○ Clarified the presence of God
○ Spain was the right vessel for us to see the
message of Christianity
● Culture and religion aims for a harmonious society, to
work hand in hand, all Christians are called to be faithful
by trying to enrich culture with faith and faith with culture
Inculturation and Interculturality
● Helps us in the new evangelization
○ Bring the gospel of God in any walks of life
● “The theological foundation of inculturation is the
incarnation. The basic argument is that just as Jesus
Christ, the Word of God, became incarnate in a human
culture, in the Jewish milieu, the gospel of Jesus Christ
should be allowed to be inculturated (or incarnated) in the
local culture or context (Matt 5:17; Acts 10:34).”
○ Incarnation: birth of Jesus Christ
■ Expression of inculturation
○ God is God but he became man
■ Word became flesh to show us how
things should be done, how to be saved
thru good works
■ Example that humanity can follow the
teachings of Christ while living a happy
life
● In this process of inculturation people receive the Word,
making it the principle of their life, values, attitudes and
aspirations. In this way they become the Body of Christ in
this particular time and place—a local church.
○ The community discovers a new identity, losing
nothing of its cultural riches, but integrating
them in a new whole and becoming the
sacrament of God’s liberating love active among
men…
■ Walang mawawala sa culture
○ Inculturation is not mere adaptation of a
readymade Christianity into a given situation, but
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
rather a creative embodiment of the Word in the
local church.
■ Inculturation
● Enrichment of both culture and
Christianity
● One country is not merely the
bringer of good news
● Word of God is already present
in the culture of the people but
they need guidance
● Certain ppl must not destroy
culture but should use it to
show the gospel and the word
of God in the context of culture
where they found the rays of
truth and the seed of the word
in a particular culture
● Merging and enrichment of
culture and the word of God
● E.g. Spanish culture
○ Not God-bringers:
They did not bring
God to the PH bc He
was already present in
our particular and
unique culture
○ Guardians only: They
only showed us that
God was already here
○ Filipinos saw the
message of God not
in the perspective of
Spaniards but in their
own understanding as
Filipinos
● E.g. Fiestas, simbang gabi
○ Simbang gabi is
unique in the PH
■ Culture and Christianity is closely
intertwined
■ This is the basic and fundamental
process of inculturation
■ Inculturation is the discovery of the
seeds of the Word which lie hidden in
the given cultures and living traditions.
The mutual exchange of their
discoveries among the local churches
will lead to their enrichment as well as
that of the universal Church. (FAPA I,
227-228).
● E.g. BECs
○ Small communities in
Mindanao
○ Weekly prayer
meetings
○ Example of
inculturation
○ Part of Filipino culture
is the love for
gatherings
○ Communities saw that
in their gatherings,
there is a beauty and
the word of God can
be seen in their
gatherings
● E.g. Pagmamano
○ Sign of respect
○ Culture of Filipinos
○ Manifestation of
Christian respect
○ Pag nagmano sa
ibang tao, di lang
dahil matanda silal
but also pag priest sila
or bishop
○ Uniquely Filipino
● “The incarnation of Christian life and of the Christian
message in a particular cultural context, in such a way that
this experience not only finds expression through
elements proper to the culture in question (this alone
would be no more than a superficial adaptation) but
becomes principle that animates, directs and unifies the
culture, transforming it and remaking it so as to bring
about a ‘new creation’. Arrupe
○ When there is an enrichment between culture
and the word of God, they are creating a new
culture wherein there is a meeting of culture and
Christianity (word of God)
○ New creation
○ Arrupe is a Jesuit
● “Christianity is itself enriched upon entering new cultural
phases and regions, acquiring surplus meaning in loyalty
and conformity to its tradition.”
○ E.g. African masses
■ Lasts for 3 hours
■ Singing and dancing are done as a form
of expression of faith and thanksgiving
■ Without it, it is not their way of
thanksgiving
■ Meeting of culture (singing and
dancing) and the message of gospel →
enrichment → new creation → enriched
and clear understanding of culture and
Christianity in the context of culture
● Christianity is itself enriched upon entering new cultural
phases and regions, acquiring surplus meaning in loyalty
and conformity to its tradition (Shorter P 13)
○ Related to new creation
● Bishop Joseph Blomjous used the term interculturation in
1980 “The period of 1960-1980 can be considered as the
main transition period from the traditional Mission to the
new Mission of the future. It has been characterized as the
period of ‘inculturation’, though the better term would be
‘interculturation’, in order to express that the process of
inculturation must be lived in partnership and mutuality. It
seems that we are now living in the peak of this
movement, the critical phase which demands from us a
real decision for profound and courageous reform. P13
○ Interculturation/interculturality
■ Also inculturation
■ Somehow the same but has some
differences
○ What was the mission before compared to the
movement of inculturation/interculturation?
■ They think that the European power
brought Christianity to the world
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ● They tried to have lots of
conquests for political gains
and Christian gains
■ When Spain went out to discover lands,
they had 3 Gs
● God, gold, and glory:
important in discovering new
lands
○ 1980: New movement
■ They saw that they are not the bringers
of God
■ If God is all-present, bat pa kelangan
dalin si Lord sa kanila?
● Kung kailangan pa, then He is
not God
■ God is present in all of us but we need
guidance
● Ppl to open the message in our
cultures and see the message
of God uniquely in our own
cultural context
● “The incarnation tells us that God is not afraid of using
cultures to communicate with us.”
● “While multiculturality and cross culturality content
themselves with the uniqueness of each culture,
interculturality goes beyond by putting premium on what
is common among people; thus it enhances mutual
enrichment, appreciation, and collaboration that would
create new synthesis.” (Agcaracar)
○ Inculturation: incarnation
○ Multiculturality and cross culturality
■ Sees the uniqueness of each culture
○ Interculturality
■ Looking on what is common among ppl
living in diff cultures who are the
receivers of the word of God
■ Looks beyond the differences
emphasized in multiculturality
■ It is only in the matter of emphasis in
which this term is different from the
other terms
● “Go to the people, live among them, learn from them, love
them. Start with what they know, build on what they have.”
○ Our mission as Christians
○ Mandate of Jesus Christ when the Holy Spirit
came into the world
○ In colonizing, one should not go there, destroy
their culture, and then build a new one
■ Should be an enrichment only (culture
and the word of God) → achievement of
evangelization
○ As mission and evangelization considers cultures
Paul VI has this to say “Evangelization loses much
of its force and effectiveness if it does not take
into consideration the actual people to whom it
is addresses, if it does not use their language,
their signs and symbols, if it does not answer the
questions they ask, and if it does not have an
impact on their concrete life.” EN 63
■ To have an effective mission of
evangelization all over the world
● Successful inculturation demands from those involved in
the process mature freedom in the Spirit which is
characterized by docility and trust in His guidance….. pg
229
○ We must be docile and we must always pray to
God so that He may guide us and
○ We must see the importance of God
Dialogue in a Multicultural World
● How can dialogue be possible between cultures today?
○ We need the triple dialogue: culture, religion,
poor
○ Important for us to continue the mission of Christ
in this modern era
○ “The Christian doctrine of creation maintains two
truths, that creation originates from God and that
creation is nevertheless other than God.”
■ Two truths that we know as Christians
■ If we acknowledge this, we can see the
value of everyone and we can see the
presence of God in every culture and
race around the world
■ If not, we will fail to show God’s
presence in all of us
● This diversity, nonetheless, should be celebrated as God
shows his generosity by entering into the different
cultures. Cultures, other than Christian culture, in
themselves bear the ray of truth.
○ When we acknowledge that everyone is created
and blessed by God, with God, we can see the
rays of truth in the different cultures around the
world
○ If we want to become missionaries and
evangelizers in this new world, we must always
see God’s presence in all of us in every culture
● “Indeed Galilee, lying along the border, was identified
with rejection insofar as those persons who live in
borderlands assimilate a multiplicity of racial, cultural, and
religious influences from “across the border”. Borders are
generally regarded as seedbeds of impurity.”
○ Early Christian communities
■ Ppl living outside the border =
impure/forgotten by God/not
preserving one culture
■ Mixed culture/influenced by other
culture= impure
○ This mentality needs to be stopped
● The multiculturality of the world because of migration can
be an avenue for greater space for evangelization “a
privileged locus of the new evangelization.” It is in the
diversity that we can have dialogue with different cultures.
○ As Christians, the challenge is to accept
multiculturality and interculturality
■ We must always open our minds and try
to be optimistic in trying to evangelize
ppl in the beauty of Christianity
■ We must never forget anyone
■ We must acknowledge that everyone is
gifted by God
■ In doing missions, we need to
remember that we are doing it for those
who are rejected, forgotten, and on the
borders
● Not a problem but an avenue
for a greater space of
evangelization
● You will learn from their culture
while they learn from
Christianity
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ■ Challenging in cultures where the ppl
are discriminated bc of their ethnicity
(forgotten and oppressed ethnic
groups)
■ We must join as one Christian
community and be an avenue for
change and evangelization
○ It is hard to start a dialogue between cultures
○ Through this avenue, the Christian religion may
be richer in a sense that the future community will
have lots of practices, messages and symbolisms
through different cultures
■ A beautiful Christianity
■ Shown in every corner of the world
DIALOGUE WITH RELIGION
Introduction
● Mega-migration → Multiculturality/Multi Religiosity
○ Talks about the migration of people to other
countries
■ Religiosity is also brought to other
countries
■ E.g. May be because of work and
opportunities, war and violence
● Culture and religion
○ Culture would always reflect the religion of
people
○ Closely related
○ When one cultures transfers to another place
■ It brings religious practices, traditions,
etc.
○ May become a problem if:
■ There is no dialogue
■ The new religion doesn’t accept the
existing one
○ E.g Middle East
■ The way you talk, dress, etc.
○ E.g. Chinese people
■ Small china town (Binondo)
● They have their own traditions
● Sometimes intertwines with the
philippine tradition which
creates a new kind of practice
and culture
■ Philippine and Chinese Culture are
intertwined → Filipino-Chinese Culture
○ E.g. Mindanao
■ If there is no dialogue, conflict results
● Interreligious dialogue and proclamation, though not on
the same level, are both authentic elements of the
Church's evangelizing mission. Both are legitimate and
necessary. They are intimately related, but not
interchangeable Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue, Dialogue and Proclamation, no. 77.
○ Interreligious dialogue: the desire to better know
God
○ Proclamation: it is already the action that we
need to do to spread the word of God.
■ Different in approach, but somehow
seen as the same (not the point)
○ Interreligious dialogue and proclamation are two
elements that are needed for us to continue our
mission to have dialogue with people
■ Must have a desire to better know God
thru other religions as well
■ You must also do something to spread
the word of God through your own
understanding.
○ Talks about Asia in general
■ Asia as a home to different religions
■ Beauty and cultural diversity
■ E.g. UN avenue in PH has an Indian
temple
● Has different histories
● Religion
○ Heart of culture
○ Not a sector of unity and harmony. Talks about
violence, difference, and diversity.
○ Important in building a community
○ 85% are Filipino Catholics
○ Violence against religion are common around
the world
● Religious Prejudice/Conflicts
○ E.g. India (Hindu vs. Islam)
■ Strong caste system in terms of religion
■ Minorities are Christian
■ Majorities are Muslims
○ E.g. Islams, Christians (INC, Catholicism), etc.
● Is faith and violence separable?
○ In a sense yes, in a sense no
○ Faith aims for love and peach and detaches itself
innately from violence
○ Faith and violence, somehow comes hand-in-
hand
■ They use violence for their faith to be
spread
■ They use violence in order to convert
people
● E.g. Spanish Conquistadors
● E.g. Islam vs Catholicism
● Class Economic Prejudices
○ E.g. Low-class, middle-class, high-class
Religious Pluralism vs Religious Relativism
● “In today’s world, the religious others are in our midst,
studying, living and working among us and with us.”
○ E.g. We have friends who are non-catholics
(islam, hinduism, etc.)
■ Reality of our society that cannot be
denied in our society bc it’s already
happening
■ Our approach must be an approach that
promotes dialogue, not an approach
that shows superiority
■ Not an approach to show superiority
Religious Pluralism
● A philosophical perspective on the world that emphasizes
diversity rather than homogeneity, multiplicity rather than
unity, difference rather than sameness
● Shows the uniqueness of every religion
○ Including its beauty
○ E.g. Islam has good conviction to prayer
○ E.g. Catholic has holy week
● Every religion is unique that has pros and cons
● Pluralism encourages harmony, while still acknowledging
the uniqueness
● Religious plurality is therefore present not only in Asia but
all over the world.
● Proselytism
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ○ Aims to convert
○ People of other faiths must be respected and in
no way must Christians be fixated on converting
them in their relationship with them
■ Sometime we forget that conversion
isn’t the only choice
■ Do not convert them, be with them.
○ We must acknowledge the uniqueness of
religions, but it should not be used to bring them
down. Instead, we should help others religions,
while staying faithful with our own religion
Religious Relativism
● Destroys all the differences
● Destroys the uniqueness of everyone
● “Lahat ng religions pare-pareho.”
○ It is very dangerous
■ “Pare-pareho lang naman tayo na
naniniwala sa panginoon, wala naman
pinagkaiba yan”
■ By saying”pare-pareho”, you destroy
their uniqueness and beauty of their
culture and religion that they protect.
■ In reality every religion is unique
● E.g. Being a theologian
○ Loyal to one teaching but is open to other
religions esp in MIndanao
● E.g. Catholic teachers were invited by Taiwanese Monks
● When we seek other religion, we forget about the essence
of our religion
● If every religion is unique, can we achieve harmony?
Scriptures and Church’s Teaching on Interreligious
Dialogue
● Jesus commanded his apostles not to go to the
Samaritans but instead go to the lost sheep of Israel (Mt.
105-6). However, there are instances that Jesus was
friendly to non-Jews.
○ Jesus Christ is an emblem of truth and
Christianity, he still acknowledged other
religions
○ He admired the faith of the centurion (Mt 8:10)
and commended the faith of a Canaanite woman
(Mt. 15: 28).
■ Centurion is not even a believer of
Christ yet Christ was good to him and
helped him
○ The Good Samaritan’s act differs from that of the
priest and the levite (Lk. 10:29 - 37).
○ A Samaritan returned and gave thanks from the
ten lepers who were healed (Lk. 17:11 - 19). The
Acts of the Apostles tells us the story of the
followers of The Way.
■ If you are a non-Jew/Samaritan →
unclean
■ Jew→ do not talk samaritan
■ Christ is a jew
● Since he knows the truth, He
acts differently.
● Opened his arms to Jews and
gave them a chance
○ The Apostles are to witness for Christ from
Jerusalem, Samaria until they reach the ends of
the earth (Acts 1:8).
■ “Go to the world and preach.” Jesus
Christ said.
■ Not “Got to the world, only to the
Christians”
■ Jesus Christ knows that every religion is
unique and has seeds of truth
■ Religion could be an avenue for
building bridges that were destroyed
by violence
● Religion could be used for
good of the society, for a
harmonious society
● In St Paul’s speech to Athens (Acts 17:22- 23) he
announces the Unknown God whom they worship without
knowing and in the following verses he states that God is
near to every person and they are called God’s offspring
(Acts 26-28).
○ Even though they do not acknowledge God, they
know an unknown God.
○ Even if you don’t believe in Him, there are seeds
that reflect His truth.
● Not only in Asia that we will find different religions, but
also in Western countries and that “Christians, Muslims,
Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhist rub shoulders on every
street.”
○ Can live in harmony and respect each other
■ E.g. Mindanao
● Diverse religions in the same
street
● During ramadan and fiestas,
we share food with each other
○ Religion can be used for harmony
■ E.g. Catholics
● Challenged when they are said
to be with other people
regardless of their differences
● The Catholic Church rejects nothing which is true and holy
in these religions. She looks with sincere respect upon
those ways of conduct and of life, those rules and teaching
which, though differing in many particulars from what she
holds and sets forth, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that
Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims and
must ever proclaim Christ, "the way, the truth, and the life"
(Jn 14:6), in whom men find the fullness of religious life,
and in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself.
Vatican II, Nostra Aetate, no. 2.
○ The catholic church acknowledges the rays of
truth
■ E.g. Closeness of Islam and Catholicism
● Believed in abraham (Father of
Faith)
● Acknowledges the importance
of Mary and Jesus
○ There is no point in destroying other people.
○ As christians we are challenged to reach out to
other religions
Dialogue and Proclamation, 9.
● Written by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue
● In the context of religious plurality, dialogue means "all
positive and constructive interreligious relations with
individuals and communities of other faiths which are
directed at mutual understanding and enrichment", in
obedience to truth and respect for freedom.
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
● It includes both witness and the exploration of respective
religious convictions. It is in this third sense that the
present document uses the term dialogue for one of the
integral elements of the Church's evangelizing mission.
Divine Providence
● Divine Providence does not deny the help necessary for
salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have
not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God. Whatever
good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by
the Church as preparation for the Gospel.
○ There is always a seed of truth and a ray of truth
■ Could lead to gospel message
○ When talks about other religion, it doesn’t mean
that they are already wrong
● Some there are who, living and dying in this world without
God, are exposed to final despair. To promote the glory
of God and procure the salvation of all of these, the
Church, mindful of the command of the Lord: “Preach the
Gospel to every creature,” fosters the missions with care
and attention. (LG 16)
○ We can't say the only Catholics will go to heaven
○ Some practice religions faithfully has a chance to
go to heaven in Catholic context
● The Church must be present in these groups through her
children, who dwell among them or who are sent to them.
For all Christians, wherever they live, are bound to show
forth, by the example of their lives and by the witness of
the word, that new man put on at baptism and that power
of the Holy Spirit by which they have been strengthened
at Confirmation. Thus other men, observing their good
works, can glorify the Father (cf. Matt. ES:16) and can
perceive more fully the real meaning of human life and the
universal bond of the community of mankind.
○ Ray of truth in Catholicism: “Even through good
works”
○ E.g. Pope Francis
■ Unites with other church leaders
■ While others are inflicting violence,
religious leaders try to unite. They tried
to have a dialogue.
● In order that they may be able to bear more fruitful witness
to Christ, let them be joined to those men by esteem and
love; let them acknowledge themselves to be members of
the group of men among whom they live; let them share
in cultural and social life by the various. undertakings and
enterprises of human living; let them be familiar with their
national and religious traditions; let them gladly and
reverently lay bare the seeds of the Word which lie hidden
among their fellows.
○ Interreligious dialogue benefits Christians and
Christianity itself
■ Deepens meaning of Christianity for the
Chirstians to follow
■ Means to find commonality with other
religions
Different Forms of Dialogue
● According to Dialogue and Proclamation, there are
42 forms
The Dialogue of Life
● People strive to live their life in harmony and peace with
their neighbors of other faiths sharing with each other as
friends their joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams.
● It talks about the level of experiences with common goals,
aims
● Sorrows: about jobs, etc.
The Dialogue of Action
● When people of different faiths work together to act and
collaborate for integral development and liberation of
people
○ For societal development
● Challenges everyone to work hand in hand to promote
peace
● E.g. Shokon was kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf
○ People work in all levels of every faith (Islam, INC,
Christians)
○ Collaborated to find the kidnapped priest
○ In some aspects of our societies, especially in
promoting peace and harmony, the dialogue of
action is indeed important
● E.g. Taal Volcano Eruption
○ Not only Catholics, Muslims and Christians are
affected
■ But still, all Filipino in all walks of life
work hand in hand to have donation
drives
The Dialogue of Theological Exchange
● Those who are specialists deepen each other’s religious
heritages, and appreciate each other’s religious values
○ Includes practices
● E.g Theologians, specialists, religion teachers
○ Talking with other religious leaders (theological
exchange)
● A deeper discussion about the practices and traditions in
Theology
The Dialogue of Religious Experience
● Persons rooted in their own religious traditions, share
their spiritual riches such as prayer and contemplation,
faith and ways of searching for God.
● We all have different experiences in praying and
contemplation
○ Experience can be shared with other ppl
● Same commonality in spiritual experiences
● When we share religious experiences
● E.g. Praying to saints
Conclusion
● At every level, you can start a dialogue. There’s no
excuse for us not to have it.
● Dialogue through theological discussions, religious
experiences, sharing what we have for the good of
the people, and educating people (such as educating
people for the upcoming elections)
Dialogue in a Multi-Religious World
● “Religious pluralism is an undeniable phenomenon of the
twenty-first century.”
○ “It is first of all a search for and recognition of the
presence and activities of the Holy Spirit to be
evangelized, and in this humble and attentive
process of listening, the evangelizers become
evangelized, and the evangelized become
evangelizer.”
■ Dialogue with other people
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 ● A symbol of our religion when
we dialogue to other people
■ E.g. Class
● Evangelizer: Sir
● Evangelized: Students
○ Challenged to
dialogue with other
religions
○ Be an evangelizer to
other people
■ The aim is not conversion. Evangelizing
means to educate and enrich
Christianity to other religions.
● “Asians have many and diverse ways of life that have
nurtured and sustained them for many millennia in the
past and for many ages to come. Asians have their own
system of meaning, including religion, the core of their
way of life.” Javier, Dialogue: Our Mission Today, 27.
○ Be open to other religions
○ Culture and religion goes hand in hand
■ At the heart of culture, we find religion.
○ If we want a good relationship with other
cultures. we must never forget to dialogue with
their religion
■ We will be a helping and learning from
each other
DIALOGUE WITH THE POOR
Introduction
● Poverty remains the crucial challenge facing the region.
According to the World Bank, 783 million extremely poor
who live below the poverty line of US$1.9 (HK$15) a day,
about 33% live in South Asia and 9% live in East Asia and
the Pacific.
○ We must do something about it
○ We must not only acknowledge that we are poor
● Poverty also includes the growing number of urban poor
brought about by globalization, urbanization, materialism
and secularism to mention a few.
● “Life for those living in poverty is characterized by ill
health, limited access to clean water and hygienic
sanitation, poor quality housing, hunger, illiteracy and
premature death. Such material deprivation in
developing countries has been the impetus for
international efforts to eradicate poverty throughout the
second half of the last century.”
● “Mission will mean a dialogue with Asia’s poor, with its
local cultures, and with religious traditions.
○ Our faith in Christ, who became poor and was
always close to the poor and the outcast, is the
basis of our concern for the integral
development of society’s most neglected
members.” Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no.
186.
■ The poor are dialogue partners in
mission for they are, like people of other
faith and culture, instruments of
evangelization.
■ If we have so many things, we forget to
be happy, thankful and humble for what
we have bc we know that we can have
more
● “Neighborhoods function when people are neither too
close nor too far, not overly involved in each other’s lives
but not indifferent from each other.” Further, this
neighborliness, “involves face to face relationships that go
beyond the faceless world of the political, on the one
hand, and the intimate and private world of family and
friends, on the other hand. In other words we are not
condemned to relating only either as friends or enemies.
We can also be neighbors.”
● The Church must move outside where the people need
them the most and become, “a church bruised, hurting
and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather
than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and
from clinging to its own security.” Pope Francis, Evangelii
Gaudium, no. 49.
Staggering Statistics (2017)
● 1 in every 5 children are underweight.
● 2 in every 5 households have no electricity.
● 1 in every 10 households have no toilet.
● 2 in every 5 households have no access to safe water.
● 1 in every 8 children are out of school.
● 1 in every 20 children are child laborers.
● 1 in every 10 adults are unemployed.
The Poor as Object of Evangelization to being Subject of
Evangelization
● The poor are recipients of evangelization
○ They can be a doer of the evangelization
○ From a recipient to the doer of evangelization
Church Teaching on Poverty
● The poor are not only recipients of the Good News but
they are also bearers of the Gospel” (CFC no. 1188)
○ The poor are recipients of evangelization
■ They can be a doer of the
evangelization
■ From a recipient to the doer of
evangelization
○ E.g. Talking with the poor
■ Act of evangelization
■ When you have evangelized the poor,
you also have been evangelized by
them through realizations
■ Through realization- bc not everyone
has the same privilege as you
● “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has
anointed me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and
recovery of sight to the blind, to set the prisoners free, to
proclaim the year Lord’s favor.” Further, Jesus mentions
that “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of
God to the other town also because that is why I was
sent.”Lk 14:43
○ Recipients are the poor
○ Even if Jesus was for the poor and had so many
missions for them, He also taught the apostles
that you can learn something from the situation
of the poor (fisherman, tax collectors)
■ All of them are sinners, but because of
the teachings of God to the poor, the
evangelization of Jesus Christ, the
apostles changed, their faith was
strengthened.
● “Preferential options for the poor such as the migrants,
indigenous and tribal people, women and children and
the defense of human life, health care, education, peace-
making, cancellation of debts, and protection of the
environment.” John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation on
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5
 Jesus Christ the Savior and His Mission in Asia Ecclesia in
Asia (6 November 1999), no. 32-41.
○ We must also talk about the:
■ Minority and how we see and perceive
human life.
■ How we see and perceive human life
■ Financial status of the society
■ Protecting the environment
○ If not given importance, the poor will suffer
○ E.g. During calamities
■ The poor suffers the most and not the
rich
■ Manifestation of interconnected
■ Every person who is capable, not in
poverty; must do something about
poverty and must be aware that
everything that he or she does affects
the lives of poor people
○ When you support the destruction of the
environment, you are indirectly killing the poor
people.
○ The poor needs our help
● “The modern paradigm of mission understands salvation
to include, beside forgiveness of sin and reconciliation
with God, liberation from all forms of sociopolitical
oppression and promotion of economic well-being.”
Phan, In Our Tongues, 20.
○ When we evangelize, evangelize with something
concrete
■ Always evangelize with something,
bring food, clothes, objects that may
help poor people
○ Di lang puro salita, dapat may gawa. Hindi
pwedeng sabihin na “magdasal lang kayo”
■ Paano makadadasal pag gutom? O kaya
pag walang uuwian? Or walang
trabaho?
■ It is not enough for us to pray bc a
person that is hungry thinks about food
only
○ E.g. Pandemic
● “Mission must show redemption to be an option, both
historically and collectively and in the personal lives of
individuals.” Paulo Suess, “Missio Dei and the Project of
Jesus: The poor and the ‘Other” as Mediators of the
Kingdom of God and Protagonists of the Churches,”
International Review of Mission Vol. XCII no. 367 (2003),
556.
○ Mission must see to it that the ppl will be led to
God again
● Human beings are themselves considered consumer
goods to be used and then discarded. We have created a
“throw away” culture which is now spreading. It is no
longer simply about exploitation and oppression, but
something new. Exclusion ultimately has to do with what
it means to be a part of the society in which we live; those
excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes
or its disenfranchised – they are no longer even a part of
it. The excluded are not the “exploited” but the outcast,
the “leftovers”. EG #53
○ Indirect exploitation: If how we live contributes a
gap with the poor
○ When we spread the culture of throw away
culture that itself is an indirect way of slowly
excluding/killing the poor people that needs our
help/guidance/ that needs us in general
● The dignity of the human person is the very foundation of
a moral vision for society.
○ When we want to build a progressive society, we
must always include those who are oppressed
and exploited.
○ For Paul VI Evangelization is integral liberation,
“For the Church, evangelizing means bringing
the Good News into all the strata of humanity,
and through its influence transforming humanity
from within and making it new: "Now I am
making the whole of creation new." EN 18
■ E.g. Vatican
● They opened their doors to the
poor people outside
● Sponsored all the vaccinations
of the poor people in the city
Conclusion
● “Mission will mean a dialogue with Asia’s poor, with its
local cultures, and with religious traditions.
○ Our faith in Christ, who became poor and was
always close to the poor and the outcast, is the
basis of our concern for the integral
development of society’s most neglected
members.” Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no.
186.
○ The poor are dialogue partners in mission for
they are, like people of other faith and culture,
instruments of evangelization.
■ If we have so many things, we forget to
be happy, thankful and humble for what
we have bc we know that we can have
more
● “Neighborhoods function when people are neither too
close nor too far, not overly involved in each other’s lives
but not indifferent from each other.” Further, this
neighborliness, “involves face to face relationships that go
beyond the faceless world of the political, on the one
hand, and the intimate and private world of family and
friends, on the other hand. In other words we are not
condemned to relating only either as friends or enemies.
We can also be neighbors.”
○ It doesn’t mean that we cannot be neighbors with
one another
○ We need to protect and have a dialogue with
each other
○ A challenge but it is not impossible
● The Church must move outside where the people need
them the most and become, “a church bruised, hurting
and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather
than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and
from clinging to its own security.” Pope Francis, Evangelii
Gaudium, no. 49.
○ We are the Church, we are encouraged to go
outside,
■ It's not for us to share, to talk to other pe
ople, we need to volunteer safely
○ Not enough to share, to talk to other people. We
must do something (e.g. being a volunteer)
This reviewer is mostly lecture-based. Good luck, future
nurses! ⚕♡
KGHERNANDEZ · JBJURADO · AMLOPEZ · HJTLOPEZ | 2NUR5