The mission of the Vice- Province of Manila, Philippines

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The mission of the Vice- Province of Manila, Philippines

Hi.

I am Fr. Edward, a Redemptorist from the Vice Province of Manila.

Let me share with you our mission, God’s mission. But before that let me bring you to the history of the Redemptorists here in the Philippines.

The Redemptorist Missionaries came to the Philippines in 1906 in response to the challenges to the Church, the same challenge that St. Alphonsus face during his time. Now the Redemptorist is scattered in the three major islands of the Philippines, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. With two units, Province of Cebu and the Vice-Province of Manila, we continue the mission that St. Alphonsus started, to bring plentiful redemption to the poor and most abandoned.

We begin our mission from the periphery. In collaboration with the Dioceses, the Popular Mission (Rural Mission) of the Redemptorist respond to the needs of the local church, like Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) building, community organization, starting a parish, youth organization. It is anchored to the vision-mission of the local church.

Most of redemptorist communities are situated within the urban setting, hence the need for urban mission. We respond to the pastoral needs of far flung areas without overlooking what is near in our community. Urban mission adopts a community as part of the apostolate. We look after their spiritual and material concerns of the community assisting and supporting parishes towards Basic Ecclesial Community building, with its primary focus on prophetic preaching and on-going formation and evangelization of community leaders.

The Permanent Commission on Social Mission Apostolate, is the social arm of the Vice Province of Manila, responding to the immediate needs of the community we serve. We have centers for migrants, Crisis intervention, Disaster Risk management and response, Educational assistance, drop-in center for street children and counseling. PCSMA is our conscious response to the social needs of the people.

Our JPIC or Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation is our advocacy and prophetic stance in the midst of injustices and oppression of the poor, and degradation of the environment. we stand in solidarity with the peoples’ movement and struggle. We make our communities and churches as the sanctuaries of justice and peace, and a home of God’s creation.

As missionaries we are also called in building the life of the Church thru the sacraments. Our churches and shrine respond to the spiritual thirst of the people for the liturgical services. with the Help of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, we make our churches alive and active, thru their devotion and sense of mission. And part of our effort to build the life of the Church is our evangelization in a new media. That through the effort of the new media we may be able to preach the Word of God with a new dynamic and spirit.

It is in our Thrust to give due importance to the holistic formation of the youth.             The Vice Province of Manila provide an avenue for the youth, the RYM. The RYM or the Redemptorist Youth Mission is fully aware of the significance of the youth in the church and her mission. Gifted with their talents and passion they are able to respond in God’s call of being a disciple and bearer of Good News. And for us to be reminded that we are forming young missionaries because youth ministry is always missionary. And side by side with the RYM is our effort that from this ministry, vocation may grow. That among the youth, we may be able assist them in discerning their desire to become a Redemptorist or religious.

All the missionary effort of the Vice Province of Manila respond to the wounded world, is always, and in collaboration with our lay partners with which the Redemptorist are grateful. As the lay have an active role in the mission.

As Redemptorists missionaries, we are willing to go to the peripheries to participate in the mission of God and to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, with a “strong faith, rejoicing in hope, burning with charity, on fire with zeal, in humility of heart and persevering in prayer….” (Cons. 20)

May our mission, God’s mission, of words and works may be a witness of the redeeming love of Christ and a fulfillment of plentiful redemption.

Author: Edward Allan CSsR

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