Chester Rommel C.

Canonicato ERI#1

Configuration 3 Pastoral Field

Education

EVALUATION

This weekend’s Pastoral Field Education focused on assessing Real Property Values and
Taxation. Although this is not directly related to Pastoral Ministry, the topic is nonetheless
important for proper management of the properties of the Church. Thus, it is commendable that
we are taught the basics of the topic so that when we relate and work with professional real estate
assessors, we have a basic understanding of the subject matter. This topic is also essential for
those who will be assigned to the Commission on Temporal Goods, MBRC, and other ministries
that directly involve the Real Properties of the Church.

Architect Rodello C. Robles, a registered Real Estate Assessor is well versed and well
experienced in his field. Working with Fr. Fer Cenon and the MBRC, he knows the basics of
taxable Church properties and estates. He delivered the topic in a simplistic manner, appropriate
for our level of knowledge of the matter, but at the same time, he taught us the essentials that
will greatly help us in our future ministry.

Although the time allotted for the workshop was not used as of the writing of this ERI
because of inclement weather, I believe that the workshop we will do is very much helpful in
knowing the material/financial worth of the properties of the Church. Hopefully, knowing their
value in the financial sphere will also lead us to their appreciation in the cultural and spiritual
aspects.

The time allotted for the seminar was somehow short. It would be better if there would be
a follow up session for taxation and management of the taxable properties of the Church.

REFLECTION

Two Gospel passages came to my mind while the speaker discussed about the topic. The
first is “give unto Cesar what belongs to Cesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mk. 12:17)
and the second is the parable of the treasure buried in the field (Matt. 13:45-46).
 Give unto Cesar what belongs to Cesar…, in common interpretation designates the
Christian faithful’s duty to be responsible citizens, which includes proper accounting and
taxation of non-worship, non-evangelization related, and income generating Church properties. It
is part of our duty as a Church to be responsible members of the larger society through our
contribution to the people’s fund through taxes. But again, the verse continues in saying “to give
God what belongs to God”. Everything that the Church owns really belong to God, and not what
only the Church owns, but basically, everything belongs to God as the Creator and Source of
Life. “To give God what belongs to God” means that everything in the Church, even its taxable
properties and other real properties, should redound to the glory of God. Even if there are Church
properties that are not directly related to worship and are income generating, these properties,
nonetheless, should serve the glory of God. It would be a shame for the Church, inconsistent for
Her identity as one who trusts in the providential care of God, to be irresponsible and greedy in
managing Church properties.

The parable of the treasure buried in the field was about the man who bought the land
where the treasure was. This came up to me because land is a type of a real property. Buying a
land and the immovable properties in it are related to the subject topic. The parable of the
treasure buried in the field teaches me that we are buying lands because of the treasure buried in
the field that is, the Kingdom of God in the Person of Jesus Christ, and not only for the sake of
the land itself. The Church has real properties because of her only treasure, Jesus Christ, and not
just for business or security’s sake. Thus, if the real properties of the Church do not contain
treasure, it would be futile, useless, and can even distract and lead us away from the real treasure
of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ. All the properties of the Church should then be at the
service of the deepening of our relationship with God.

INTEGRATION

This weekend’s Pastoral Field Education then is remembering that the properties of the
Church are not an end in themselves but as means. We can integrate the thoughts of the Church
as relying on the providence of God, but at the same time, acquiring a handful of properties if we
see that these real properties are but means to further the Kingdom of God on earth. It would be
against the mission and identity of the Church if she would focus on acquiring and profiting from
Her properties. All of the real properties of the Church, then, should be at the service of the
Kingdom of God.