OUTGOING Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle told Christians to acknowledge the “true mission” of evangelization during the seventh Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE) last Jan. 28 and 29.
“[A]ng tunay na misyon ay pakikiisa at pagkilatis sa gustong itayo ng Diyos. Maaaring hindi natin agad nauunawaan pero sa takdang panahon, ang itatayo niya ay higit pa sa plano nating itayo,” he said.
(The true mission is to cooperate and seek what God wants to build. We may not understand it right away but eventually, he will build more than what we plan to build.)
Tagle added that part of the “true mission” is being open to the needs of others.
“By admitting our prejudice and injustice, let us be converted to truth. From humility and repentance, hopefully, we would be open and grateful to others who are unique gifts to us,” Tagle said in his homily during the closing Mass.
In his closing message, the Vatican-bound cardinal emphasized that PCNE is not about him but about responding to the God’s mission for mankind.
“Ito ay tungkol sa ating natanggap sa Panginoon na panawagan at misyon na ating sana isaloob at isagawa. Ito po ay hindi ko proyekto. Ito ay sa buong Archdiocese of Manila na ibinahagi sa buong bansa at sa labas ng ating bansa,” Tagle said.
(PCNE is about what we have received from the Lord and our mission that we should instill and fulfill. This is not my project. This is for the whole Archdiocese of Manila that has spread to the whole country and outside the country.)
Tagle will be serving as the head of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, one of the leading departments in the Roman Curia.
There is still no word if there will be another PCNE but the mission of evangelizing continues, according to PCNE 7 Director Fr. Jason Laguerta.
“[W]e still have to wait for the direction of the new archbishop [of Manila],” Laguerta said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
“What can be sure is that the mission to evangelize continues especially evangelizing the young people today who need the gospel to be preached to them constantly,” Laguerta added.
‘Let harmonious dialogue prevail’
Delegates were urged to fight indifference in society and to engage in harmonious dialogue during the first day of conference.
“Sa kabila ng ating mga doktrina, paniniwala, at pananaw sa buhay, may pagkakapareho pa rin tayo. Mga tao din sila na nagsusumikap magpakatao at makipagkapuwa tao,” Caloocan Bishop Virgilio David said in his talk titled, “And who is my neighbor?”
(Despite our doctrine, beliefs and views in life, we still have similarities. They are also human who strives to create harmony among other people)
David added that the goal of dialogue is to close the gap between people by accepting each other’s differences.
“Ang simula ng bawat Dialogue ay ang paggalang sa kapuwa sa kaniyang pagiging bukod-tangi. [H]indi magsisimula ang diyagulo kapag pinangunahan ito ng takot, paghihinala at haka-haka. Prejudices and biases,” he said.
(The start of every dialogue is having respect on their uniqueness. Dialogue would not start if it is grounded on fear, doubt and speculations. Prejudices and biases.)
David also called on participants to open spaces for “unity and collaborations” among religions and indigenous people.
Rachel Sanchez, assistant professor from Ateneo de Manila University, emphasized that women in the Church should not be treated as “neighbors.”
“The more they show enthusiasm in their capability, the more they were given assignment but they played minimal roles in decision making,” Sanchez said.
She added that women contributions in the Church were not only unnoticed but also being exploited.
With the theme, “At sino ang aking kapwa?” (And who is my neighbor?) this year’s PCNE celebrates the Year of Ecumenism, Interreligious Dialogue, and Indigenous Peoples as declared by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. Ma. Alena O. Castillo and Mariel Celine L. Serquiña###
