As a developing country, the Philippines is continually confronted with myriad of problems typical to many third world nations. With its previous government enmeshed in strings of allegations of corruption, the country has even won a disgraceful title of being the most corrupt country in Asia. But corruption is only one, if not at the top of a long list of crises the country is experiencing. Added to the problem of corruption are poverty, social injustices, environmental destruction, extra-judicial killings and other moral issues.
With a new government in place, there is hope that positive changes might take place. But the public may have to rein in their hopes as it is apparent the problems have remained despite the promise of transparency and good governance.
A year prior to the 2010 national elections, the Catholic hierarchy has issued a pastoral exhortation inviting the Filipino faithful to prepare spiritually for the forthcoming event so crucial in the life of all Filipinos.
The bishops specifically singled out the laity in that pastoral letter, noting that the lay people will have to take the lead themselves if ever a “moral regeneration” will take place in the country. They pointed out that although religious leaders exercise “spiritual and moral leadership” on the faithful, there are certain spheres in society where it is only the laity who can exercise an effective leadership such as in the areas of “politics and governance, in business and economics, in the sciences and the mass media.”
Laity’s role in the Church
Vatican II documents have emphasized the role of the laity in societal transformation. The decree Apostolicam Actuositatem stresses that “renewal of the temporal order” must be taken up by the laity “as their own special obligation.”
The second Vatican Council has opened wide the doors for an active participation of the laity in the life and ministry of the Church. Council documents also acknowledged the immense contribution the laity can make in the work of evangelization especially in areas of society that only they can penetrate.
“Led by the light of the Gospel and the mind of the Church and motivated by Christian charity, they [laity] must act directly and in a definite way in the temporal sphere. As citizens they must cooperate with other citizens with their own particular skill and on their own responsibility. Everywhere and in all things they must seek the justice of God's kingdom. The temporal order must be renewed in such a way that, without detriment to its own proper laws, it may be brought into conformity with the higher principles of the Christian life and adapted to the shifting circumstances of time, place, and peoples.” (AA)
Catholic Laity in the Philippines
But long before Vatican II has given its stamp on the importance of the lay apostolate in the evangelization ministry of the Church, the Catholic Laity in the Philippines was already organized into a national federation of Church-mandated organizations.
Initially called Catholic Action of the Philippines, the name was later changed to Council of the laity of the Philippines. The Council of the Laity (Laiko) under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has under it some 70 affiliated lay groups, associations and movements nationwide that are active in various ministries of the Church. Many of these lay associations are at the vanguard fighting for their advocacies in support of life, good governance, justice and human rights.
Working for social transformation
Laiko National President Edgardo Tria Tirona thinks the Catholic laity have gone as far as it could (despite limited logistics) in working for social transformation.
“Witness the many different lay organizations working for poverty alleviation by means of housing and community building, educational programs, micro financing and other capacity building including continuing formation through Life in the Spirit Seminars, Cursillo movements, etc.,” he said.
And these initiatives, he explained, “are not only in the cities but in the countryside as well with the BECs in many areas outside of the cities.”
The Council of the Laity has also been very vocal and have made its position very clear in regard to controversial issues such as RH Bill, Population Control, Electoral Reforms, Social Injustice and lack of good governance due to corruption.
Since 2004, a team from Laiko has sat as observers in the Bids and Awards Committees of many large government agencies as part of its advocacy for good governance.
“Advocacies for social justice with legal assistance to the poor is also being undertaken by the lay faithful,” Tirona said. “These help our ‘masa’ attain a degree of social transformation in the light of Gospel values,” he added.
Pro-life issues
Despite the raging debate on the issue of the reproductive health bill Tirona said Laiko does not preclude the option for dialogue to clarify positions of both Church and government.
“Under our present leadership we opt for dialogue first and exhaust all means to clarify positions avoiding confrontation and hostilities,” he said.
Following President Benigno Aquino’s pronouncement that the government will distribute contraceptives to poor couples to stem the tide of growing population, several lay organizations led by Pro-life Philippine Foundation president Erick Manalang, have met to discuss possible steps to take in response to the government’s move.
Over a month ago, Bro. Mike Velarde, leader of Catholic lay movement El Shaddai, which boasts of millions in terms of membership, vowed to use his political influence to stop the passage of the infamous reproductive health bill in Congress.
Evangelizing politics
In the world of politics, the laity is encouraged by the church to become innovative leaders who can work and bring change in the society.
During the recent election, the voice of the laity was most prominent in calling for a “moral regeneration” in the country. In response, the Catholic hierarchy issued a statement challenging the laity to become active participants in achieving social change.
“We challenge all lay people involved in politics to renounce corruption and bond together in the task of evangelizing politics for effective governance and the pursuit of the common good.” (CBCP)
The electoral exercise last May has seen a serious involvement of lay people in educating the public to choose their leaders wisely. Heeding the call of the bishops many church and civic organizations had taken upon themselves the responsibility of ensuring a credible and honest election.
Tirona said that the laity’s intervention in politics is seen through political education where “a number of lay organizations, some in joint collaboration with the clergy have embarked on educational campaigns to encourage critical thinking for voter maturity in the light of Church teachings.”
“We have such large groups as PPCRV for Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), Lampstand, providing legal assistance, CIDE again for voter education, and more,” he said.
Witness of life
In Pope John Paul’s pastoral exhortation Christifideles Laici, the laity’s role is further defined as they are called to a more intense living of their Christian vocation through witness of life that calls for both prayer and action.
“Many activities of the lay are actually meaningful attempts to live Gospel values with contemplative action coupled with active contemplation,” said Tirona.
Tirona, who is also the president of lay association of St. Vincent de Paul, believes that social problems cannot be solved “by bread alone” and it is important that God be put in the equation or else there is the danger for one to succumb to radicalism.
Accordingly, the St. Vincent de Paul association believes in the saying that one cannot preach in an empty stomach, hence they make it a point to address first the material needs of the person before any attempt of evangelizing him/her.
“Besides, the show of kindness, love and understanding are forms of evangelizing itself as it shows that in living our faith we are actually "walking our talk" so to speak,” he said.
Take the lead
Calling on the laity to take the lead in seeking for social change in the country, the bishops further challenged the Catholic laity to head start the pursuit for the country’s moral renewal.
“We challenge our Catholic laity, in particular, to take the lead in the task of moral renewal towards a deeper and more lasting change in the Philippine society,” bishops said.
They went on to urge laypeople in various spheres of society to make a difference for the sake of the country.
“We challenge all lay people involved in politics to renounce corruption and bond together in the task of evangelizing politics for effective governance and the pursuit of the common good. We challenge the laity involved in legislation to unite themselves and consciously allow their actions to be guided by the truth of the Gospel and the Christian faith. We urge the Catholic lay people involved in legitimate business to organize themselves and consciously practice their trade with a strong sense of corporate social responsibility informed by the social teachings of the Church. We enjoin all Catholic law enforcers to form associations among themselves that consciously renounce violence, respect basic human rights, and truly work for the preservation of peace and social order. We call upon the Catholic laity involved in social communications and the modern mass media to form networks among themselves that can articulate a genuinely Christian ethics in their practice of their profession. We urge every Catholic lay person to give a concrete expression to Christian discipleship through responsible citizenship.”
The challenge is thrown not only to a specific group but to every lay person in all spheres of society. For, indeed, it takes only one willing person to make a difference. However, there is strength in numbers, and if only for this, we can put a greater responsibility to church-mandated lay organizations to take the lead to transform Philippine society.
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