Refelction on the Talk, "The Spirituality of Stewardship" by Cardinal Vidal

NOTE:

This reflection paper is the fruit of our class discussion  on the talk of Cardinal Vidal in the gathering of clergy in the Diocese of Malolos. The title of his talk is "The Spirituality of Stewardship." Our teacher in Pastoral Management, Fr. Rannielle Pineda, extended the good cardinal's talk to our class. Thank you Fr. Rannielle. 

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               I have been in the religious life for at least three years already since my first profession in 2010. According to our Plan of Augustinian Formation, the time of temporary religious profession is a vital process. It is in this period that we are expected to take a more intimate part in the community that shares faith, life and work, and in all that Augustinian life implies.  As we are being prepared for our solemn profession, we are being exposed to the kind of life that we are expected to do particularly our responsibilities as servants of Christ. Hand-in-hand with our responsibilities, the dark side of religious life plays also a salient role in our formation.

            The talk on the Spirituality of Stewardship shares a lot of positive insights regarding the role of priests in stewardship. But, as seen in real life, a number of bad experiences were given as examples. Even in the introduction of the copy of the talk its first example is really negative. It is like out of a bad experience we are trying to learn something good. I felt depressed, every time I hear mischievous practices of priests. I am worried of the future that I might do the same.  Knowing my weaknesses, it is really disturbing that I might do the same. Despite all the things I’ve heard, I have to flip the other side of the coin. I should not be worried of the uncertain future but rather to the certain present. The talk of Cardinal Vidal showed me that aspect. He was not simply talking about stewardship, but “good stewardship”.

            It is good that once in a while, talks like this remind us of our role as consecrated religious. The three important points, Entrustment, Empowerment and Espousal, regarding good stewardship shares also the same sentiment in my level of formation at present. The three points seems to be directed to the three objects of love namely, towards the self, towards others and towards God, respectively. I want to share this in relation to my level of formation.

Reflection on the Fathers of the Church: Ignatius of Antioch

IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH

At the beginning of my formation in Theology, I only knew a few names of the Fathers of the Church.  I did not appreciate their lives and works in the Church because they had long been existing for more than one thousand years ago. I did not find them relevant in the modern world. They are antique and should remain in the attic in a small box. This was my negative prejudice against the Fathers of the Church. That biased gradually changed into a fruitful gathering of knowledge. I have come to realize their significance. Maybe there are at least three salient points to consider. First, the Fathers of the Church are our witnesses of our link with the Apostles of Jesus and the Apostolic Fathers. Second, the Fathers of the Church are the builders of the foundation of our theology, which until now is still being used. Third, the Fathers of the Church are still relevant to the issues of the contemporary world.

St. Ignatius of Antioch is among the Fathers of the Church, who belonged categorically in the ante-Nicene and Nicene Fathers. He was the third bishop of the primacy of Antioch (Turkey) since St. Peter founded it according to the traditions. He is a link to our Lord Jesus Christ, who was incarnated, suffered, died and was resurrected. He is a proof that the foundation of the Church was not a mere wimp of thought of a human being. It was founded through Peter, to whom Jesus commanded to build His Church upon a rock. I cannot now fathom how come a 1914 founded church claim that they are the link to Jesus. They claim that to whom the Scriptures refer to as the Church was theirs. It is like a person is trying to jump from a cliff a kilometer empty space in order to reach the other side. It is a bluff.

St. Ignatius of Antioch is called as the “Doctor of Unity”.  According to the catechesis of Benedict XVI on the Fathers of the Church, Ignatius was the first person in Christian literature to attribute to the Church the adjective "catholic" or "universal": "Wherever Jesus Christ is", he said, "there is the Catholic Church" (Smyrnaeans, 8: 2). And precisely in the service of unity to the Catholic Church, the Christian community of Rome exercised a sort of primacy of love: "The Church which presides in the place of the region of the Romans, and which is worthy of God, worthy of honour, worthy of the highest happiness... and which presides over love, is named from Christ, and from the Father..." (Romans, Prologue). Ignatius witnessing is a reminder to us, particularly of the greater Middle East turmoil at present. There is a constant call for unity among human beings to stop violence. As Ignatius was hoping for the unity in Christian faith, we also hope for the same goal. In our context,we can never be united in our faith, but at least we can be united in peace and love. Love is the ultimate law and peace could be achieved if we are true to our goal. But as Christians we are called to participate greater because Jesus has taught us well how to love.

St. Ignatius of Antioch shows us also the role and significance of a bishop. His theology on the importance of the bishop in the church is still being applied to the present theologies. He says, "Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the Bishop", he confides to Polycarp: "I offer my life for those who are submissive to the Bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons, and may I along with them obtain my portion in God!” (Polycarp, 6: 1-2). The authority of the bishop towards his flock is being emphasized by St. Ignatius. Even the priests and deacons are subject under the bishop.

With these three salient points I learn to appreciate one of the Fathers of the Church. These are the things I want to remember about this person. Thus, I can say St. Ignatius of Antioch is still relevant in our times. 

Reflection on the Fathers of the Church: Clement of Alexandria

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA

            Another great Father of the Church is Clement of Alexandria. I want to remember at least three things about St. Clement of Alexandria. First, he is considered one of the pioneers of the dialogue between faith and reason. The second importance is Clement’s explanation of the sacrament of baptism. Third, it is about the importance of marriage and virginity.

            Because of globalization and secularism, the people’s perspective on faith has changed abruptly. An additional ingredient to this change is the fast technological development of the world. Science seems to be the answer to all the problems and issues of the world. According to Pope Francis’s Lumen Fidei, faith seems to be the last resort and answer if science cannot reveal the truth. If science can’t prove anything, then faith comes in to shed light to the mystery. People forget that faith is truth itself. This dialogue between faith and reason is only a continuation of what may be the saint of Alexandria has started. Clement of Alexandria is a good example of how we can appropriate faith and reason with each other in our explanation of the contemporary issues of the world. This time it is not much about doctrinal aspects but rather on the means of spreading the faith. The Fathers of the Church have already given us almost all the content of our faith. What we can do now is how in our means of evangelization we can share the importance of faith and reason in the lives of the people. True to the words of Pope Francis, we should do something to help the people enlighten their minds about the role of faith in our daily lives. A greater responsibility is shared to us consecrated persons to fulfill this calling of the Pope to help him in this new mission.

After the 1st Catholic Social Media Summit what then?

1st Catholic Social Media Summit, Renaissance Convention Center, Marikina City, April 14-15, 2012 - Before we left the venue, we were asked by the organizers to tweet or shout out in twitter and Facebook about our learnings in the 1^st Catholic Social Media Summit. As I thought over it, a one-line tweet won’t describe enough the things I’ve learned from the summit.

Me together with Fray Waway and Asp. Keith.

The three of us with one of the speakers of the summit, Fr. Stephen Cuyos, MSC.

First and foremost, I am grateful and thankful to our community (San Agustin Center of Studies – Formation house of the Order of St. Augustine – Philippines) for a allowing us to participate in the summit (1^st Catholic Social Media Summit). I, as the head servant, personally approached and proposed to our community to participate in this summit. With a positive outlook from our formators, they strongly supported us with this endeavor. (We were actually three who attended the summit representing our community and the Order of St. Augustine in general). For without them, we won’t experience the many wonderful things we encountered and nourished, particularly, the thoughts, the ideas, the information, the trends, the workshops, the variety of sharing, the stories and the people as well. Above all else, a new frontier for mission has been opened to us as young servants of God. With the gift of technology in our generation, we were able to discover our purpose not only as mere active users of the social media but as emphatically as an active Christian Catholic user.

Secondly, as a religious, I am grateful to the challenge that was given to us. For my interests and passions for social media (the safest way to saying an addict to social networking hehehe) won’t be put in vain. A new transformation of the self is called from being plainly a human vanity to a more godly and holistic vanity.

Thirdly, the means were already provided but we lack content and goal. Now, a goal has been readied or rather has been long given to us since God’s time, but what we then should act appropriately is to pass through the path that will eventually bring me, you and us, to a more meaningful and great end, which is to be with God.

So, I then adhere to the 5 points shared to us by Fr. Stephen Cuyos, MSC to be as principles to observe in the social media.

1. I will pray then before I click.

2. I will share photos to proclaim and inspire.

3. I will foster meaningful friendships.

4. I will post uplifting videos.

5. I leave a digital footprint (of God).

For I need these principles so that I could respond well to the call of Arch. Luis Antonio Tagle on the digital world not only as a means to evangelize but also as a platform, field needed to be evangelized. In this way, we may have a process of communicating people not only from P2P (Pulpit to People) way but also to the E2E way (Evangelizer to an Evangelizer).

Let us do then our mission as OMGs (Online Missionaries of God) for the service of God (ad servos Dei!) with one mind and one heart (anima una et cor unum) intent upon Him, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Let Him then be our content and end at the same time as we fulfill our mission even though we are in our own homes. 

So see then next year! More fun and more learning!

The Future of Marriage?

The Future of Marriage?

            “Technology is changing everything.” By 2200, the world seems to have shifted to a new age of thinking and living in contrast from the year of 2012. It is because of technology. Technology has defined everything that human beings wanted and needed for themselves. Almost all of the people are under the influence of technology. Through technology, basic needs like food, water, clothing and shelter are easily engineered.