Focused on the theme, “The Augustinian Parish as a Communion of Communities,” the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu- Philippines held its first Pastoral Congress at the Santo Niño Spirituality Center in Consolacion town last July 4-6, 2017.
The activity is in line with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) nine-year plan for the New Evangelization in preparation for the Fifth Centenary of the coming of Christianity to the Philippines in 2021. Most Reverend Oscar Jaime L. Florencio, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu, celebrated the opening mass while
Most Reverend Broderick S. Pabillo, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of the Manila, formally opened the congress with a keynote address on the theme, “Year of the Parish: The Parish as Communion of Communities.”
Several parallel sessions on various topics were held during the first day of the congress.
These included the themes: “The Augustinian Priest as a Servant, Evangelizer and Leader to his Parish in the Formation and Promotions of BEC” discussed by Msgr. Francisco P. Monje to the friar participants while “The Concept of Family and Family Life in the Modern World” and “The Family as a Domestic Church: Towards the Strengthening of BEC” was elaborated by Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco, Jr. To the parish lay participants.
On the other hand, Fr. Conegundo Garganta talked about the current issues on the realities and challenges regard-ing Filipino Youth and their role in the formation and promotion of BEC. Plenary sessions on the next day were focused on St. Augustine and his spirituality which were given by Rev. Fr. Czar Emmanuel V. Alvarez, OSA and Rev. Rodel D. Magin, OSA while workshops were facilitated by Rev. Fr. Harold Ll. Rentoria, OSA for the friars, Fray Jeffrey V. Uy, OSA for the lay participants, and Mr. Eric C. Divinagracia for the youth respectively.
During the last day of the activity, Rev. Fr. Banayag, OSA gave the synthesis and later that day, participants headed to the Augustinian-run Parish, Santo Niño de Cebu in Talisay City and Archdiocese of Cebu’s Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish in El Pardo, Cebu City to be acquainted with the parishes’ respective Basic Ecclesial Communities.
The Congress was attended by 134 delegates from the different communities of the province which ended with a simple agape after the closing mass at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu.
