Message of the Bishop, May 2009 Clericus

The Bishop’s Message and Report to the Clericus
May 11-12, 2009
Church of the Holy Child
Bayabas, Cagayan de Oro City

Easter greetings! I find each meeting of the clergy a valuable opportunity for the renewal of fellowship, common prayer and an appropriate avenue in discerning God’s work for His Church and faithful through the Holy Spirit. This meeting is another spiritual enterprise in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church of Christ which the Bayabas Mission will assist to accomplish. It is our joy to exclaim the people behind this Mission and pray for their sustainable ministry, especially her Rector, Fr. Tope, and the Mission Council together with all the faithful.

Bayabas Mission has reached her second year of fruitful ministry. I believe that the summit of her preparation to receive regular status will come sooner as expected.

Let us officially welcome into our fold the 3 newly graduates, Bro. Anthony Pasco, Bro. Jeffrey Culigado and Bro. Samuel Pabilona.

We start implementing what we reached in a consensus last meeting to recharge the system of the Clericus. Effective this meeting, the Clericus is divided into 4 sessions. Session 1 starts at 9:00am of the first day with the Opening Worship integrating the 1st Bible Study. Sports fellowship follows. Session 2 starts at 2:00pm with the 2nd Bible Study and followed by the Cluster meetings. Session 3 starts immediately after dinner with the 3rd Bible Study and followed by the NPO meeting. The last session maximizes the second day starting with the morning prayer integrating there at the 4th Bible Study, followed by the Clericus proper.

Activities Undertaken
After our meeting in March, the Bishop (thanks to the US multiple entry visa) went to a 3-week furlough (March 16-April 8) to be part of the 2nd People’s Forum at Bogota, Colombia and attend to the instructions of the Obispo Maximo and the SCB Chair to visit the USACADIOS. My country presentation during the Bogota Conference depicted the establishment of the IFI as the only tangible result of the people’s movement for national liberation. Through the Union Obrera Democratica, the first confederation of labor unions in the country, she was proclaimed to provide moral guidance to the continuing struggle of the workers and the Filipino people towards national independence and a sustainable life. The delegates coming from more than 40 countries were surprised but glad to learn that there is such a church as the IFI that is a product of revolution for national liberation.

In substance, my two-week stay in the USACADIOS was rewarding. I visited the two Episcopal districts of the diocese separated by five flying hours, namely the LA and Chicago districts, meeting with their respective clergy and especially the two bishops, Bishop Raul Tobias (Diocesan Bishop, LA side) and Bishop Val Lorejo (Chicago). Consistent with the instructions of the SCB and the Obispo Maximo, (as a member of the Episcopal Commission on Church Jurisdiction) I met with them separately and discussed the need to come up with a common definition of the mission and ministry of the US church in respect to its culture, aspiration and context. We discussed likewise their proposal to redistrict USACADIOS into two dioceses. We hope in the SCB that the church there will be more cohesive in responding to the vision and mission of the IFI.

The US visit was also an opportunity to meet some of our members in diaspora where we are privileged to discuss the MOBUCA 2012, the vision and mission of the diocese. It makes sense if all parishes submit a list of members who are living in the USA. During that remarkable visit a member from the Bulua Pro-Cathedral who is now residing in the US donated a Toshiba Laptop. This laptop will form part of the Diocesan inventory of properties.

DFAR Forum
On April 24-25, 2009, around 60 clergy, Diocesan Council, DCCEN and the PCCEN converged on a two-day DFAR Forum at the DCENT Center. The Rev’d Dr. Terry Revollido, rector of ACTS who recently received his doctoral degree on Sacred Theology at Sto. Tomas Pontifical University, facilitated the forum with the aim to see the DFAR through the lens of the IFI heritage. Through the plenary session, the Forum formulated several undertakings and resolutions such as the Resolution for the SCB to formulate the official commentary on the DFAR, to ask for a master list of saints to be venerated by the IFI and to come up with a theological treaties on the Birhen sa Balintawak as an icon for veneration of the IFI.

Rather than presenting the said resolutions, the MINBISCON advised the Diocese of MOBUCA to come up with our own commentary on the DFAR and the theological treaties on the Birhen sa Balintawak and submit the same for SCB’s appropriate action.

Ordination to the Sacred Order of the Ministry
On May 1, as we celebrate the Feast of Sts. Philip and James, we ordained to the sacred order of priests, the Rev’d Jessie Jesus D. Hanginan, and to the sacred order of deacons, Deacons Gabriel Honrado and Villare Pailagao.
Two seminary entrants favorably passed the Seminary Admission Exams last April 24-25. One will be accommodated in any of the two seminaries while the other one will take postulancy at St. James, Burgos, Leyte.

I wish to express my profound gratitude to Msgr. Eddie for responsibly guarding the diocese in my absence. During his watch, the clergy held the joint Clergy Retreat at our common Retreat House in Alubijid. Although an equally important task of Evangelism Conference was foregone due to unavoidable circumstances. Evangelism and Church Growth Conference will be our primary task and we forward this concern to the Evangelism Committee for appropriate action.

Sectoral Activities
The three sectors held separate activities that redound to the welfare of their respective programs consistent with the mandate of the Diocesan Convention. The YIFI were able to hold its YIFI Work and Youth Campings in Camiguin and Libona, respectively. The two sectors attended their respective Mindanao wide congress in General Santos (WOPIC and Loreto (LIFI). The YIFI will have its own congress this month in Tandag. Regular monthly meetings were scheduled and appropriated. Our three sectoral wardens can provide us with specific reports, if necessary.

Last week, the Bishop attended the regular meeting of the SCB at the Holy Spirit Service Center in Tagaytay. I am glad to report the election of Fr. Rudy Juliada, for Libertad Diocese, and Fr. Alger Loyao, for Masbate Diocese. Within 90 days expect that the two will be consecrated to the episcopate. Msgr. Juliada will be consecrated July 5 at 3:oo pm. All is enjoined to attend.

Forthcoming Activities
Last week, the city churches, particularly located within the 2nd District, met to discuss on the proposal of the MOBUCA Advocacy Program. The meeting was called to respond to the invitation of Congressman Rufus Rodriguez to access his congressional livelihood program. The MAP calls for organizing 15 community development organizations (CDO’s) within the 2nd congressional district. On its cluster report, we hope to hear the cathedral cluster on this proposal.

The Conference on Evangelism and Church Growth which was sidelined due to unavoidable circumstance shall again be put into the fore. We must venture to hold this in Malaybalay by June.

Other activities: MINBISCON

Activity Date Host Diocese Venue

Mindanao Youth Congress May 21-24 AGUSURIS Tandag, Surigao Sur
Mindanao CSO Assembly June 11-14 MOBUCA/Libertad Mambajao, Camiguin
6th Mindanao Clergy Convocation July 6-10 PAGADIAN Pagadian City
Consultation on Property Dev’t August 20-22 SURIGAO Placer, Surigao Norte
Consultation on YSM Sept 17-19 DAVAO CITY Davao City
CCO Assembly Oct 22-25 LIBERTAD
Mindanao Plenary Assembly November 20-21 MOBUCA DCENT Center

For the hosting of the Mindanao CSO Assembly this June at Mambajao, the leadership of the CSO is anxious of the assistance of the clergy to ensure the preparations. A practice for their presentation will be held this Saturday, May 16.

In response to our proposal to hold Marriage Encounter Conference, the IRC in Cebu City designed a 4-day module that helps to enrich married life especially for the clergy. The IRC awaits our schedule. My proposal is on July 1-4.

On our financial update, we will hear shortly the report of the Treasurer. It is my desire that problems confronting our finances will be deliberated especially on prompt submission of our remittances (first 10 days), and efforts to respond to the needs of our financial projections.

Before I end, I wish to share with you an observation. This morning and the first mornings of our Clericus in the past, I observed that some clergy are no longer serious attending and participating our sports fellowship. Of course, this is not essential in the ministry but I know it has great implication in our relationship. We need to discuss how to work out a system that fits all.


RT. REV’D FELIXBERTO L. CALANG
Bishop of MOBUCA