PALO, Leyte, Dec. 4, 2009— Palo Archbishop Jose Palma has called on the Catholic faithful to be pro-active active in participating any Church-related activities and stop being mere “bystanders.”

The call of the highest Church official in the region was made yesterday as he led a Holy Mass coinciding on the launching of the Diamond Jubilee of the archdiocese in 2012.

By becoming more active, the faithful will not only help flourish further the Catholic religion in the region but more so spread the words of God, the archbishop said.

“As Catholics, we should not only be mere participant bystanders but be active participants,” Palma said.

As a diocese, Palo was established in 1937 thus its 75th year celebration. It was, however, made into an archdiocese on November 15, 1982 by the late Pope John Paul II.

A Mass, presided by the archbishop was held at the Palo Metropolitan Cathedral on Dec. 2 was attended by hundreds of priests belonging to the archdiocese.

Palma admitted that several Catholic faithful appear not to be active in joining activities organized or supported by the Catholic Church thus his appeal for them to be more active as the archdiocese is to celebrate its Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

And the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee celebration of the archdiocese will focus, among others, “on encouraging the lay to be more active and not to wait for the priest on what to do.”

“Majority of our lay are only waiting for the priest on what do. They are always on the receiving end. There is no “owning.” That we are all part of the Church,” Palma said.

The Church, he said, is encouraging organizations or activities which are focused on the teachings of God and on Catholic Church like the Couples for Christ and pastoral councils and the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC).

The BEC, in particular, is being pushed with intensity by Palma.

And in line with the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Archdiocese of Palo, several goals are to be undertaken, the archbishop said.

Among these goals include the intensification of the ongoing formation of the clergy and its future members or those under training in the seminary; the intensification of the pastoral program like the BEC and restructuring of the archdiocesan financial system.

And during the Holy Mass held yesterday, the revised statutes of the Parish Pastoral Council as amended and the Parish Finance Council were solemnly promulgated by Archbishop Palma.

The statutes are to take into effect all throughout the archdiocese of Palo. (LSDE/CBCPNews)