DAVAO CITY, February 11, 2009 –An expert in Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) said that the coercive polices and sanctions that are being implemented by some parishes will only negate the willingness of the lay faithful to actively participate in the activities of the BEC.
Redemptorist priest Fr. Amado Picardal said that is a wrong mentality that parish will rely on coercive policies and sanctions to evoke the active participation of the lay faithful in the BECs.
“Instead of implementing harsh sanctions the parish should work hard to develop a renewed evangelization in order to have a revitalized BEC,” he said, adding that a renewed evangelization is an essential component in the formation or revitalization of BECs.
“The BEC is the fruit of evangelization and corresponding personal conversion that the members need to undergo. An evangelization program for communities, families, men and youth should be drawn up,” he said.
Picardal also said that if there is a renewed evangelization then there is also a renewed Church which requires renewed priesthood.
“A new way of being Church requires a new way of being priest. This means transcending a cultic understanding of priesthood. Vatican II has broadened the understanding of the ordained ministry. Besides administering the sacraments and preaching the Word of God, the priest is called to form and lead a genuine Christian community,” he explained.
He added that the formation of a genuine Christian community can become more meaningful when the parishes are transformed into a network of BECs.
“Thus, the formation of BECs and overseeing them is a constitutive dimension of the pastoral ministry,” he said.
Picardal also said that there is a need for a BEC parish formation team to be formed for each parish imbibing the BEC culture, filled with missionary dynamism and adequately trained.
“If this is followed, this team can assist the parish priest in the formation of BECs. Team-work between the priest and the members of the formation team is very important. They need to regularly come together for planning, monitoring and evaluation,” he added.
Picardal also suggested that a pastoral/ strategic plan for the parish must be drawn up by the parish priest, parish formation team and selected lay leaders. “This pastoral plan includes the vision-mission, an external and internal analysis of the parish (SWOT analysis), goals, strategy selection, operational plans, monitoring and evaluation mechanism.”
THRUST OF CHURCH
Picardal said that the promotion and formation of BECs should be adopted as the thrust of the local church, the diocese and the parish.
“It has to be regarded as means of renewing the local Church in the spirit of Vatican II and PCP II. The formation of BECs is not merely optional. It is the obligation of the bishop, the clergy, religious and lay faithful in every diocese to promote and form these communities,” he said, adding:
“The diocesan commissions especially worship, education, social action and youth should be oriented in implementing the BEC thrust.”
Picardal also said that there is a need for a leveling off regarding the vision and nature of BECs. “The PCP II provides a holistic vision of BECs –community of disciples, living in communion, participating in the mission of Christ as a prophetic, priestly and kingly communities and the Church of the Poor.”
He also added that the BEC must be understood as a way of life or culture, a communitarian way of living the Christian life where there is communion among the members, where they come together regularly to reflect on the Word of God and to celebrate their faith in the liturgy and where they work together for social transformation, for total human development, peace, justice and the integrity of creation.
“The BEC should be understood as the community in a locality which may be composed of cells and family groupings that are interconnected. It has to be seen as the most local expression of the Church at the grassroots, village and neighborhood,” he said.
“LEAVEN AND SALT”
Picardal said that lay organizations, movements and associations should be given orientation on BEC and encouraged to actively participate in the formation of BECs in their village or neighborhood.
“BEC Core groups should be formed in each village or barangay. They will function as light, leaven and salt in the midst of the community. Filled with missionary dynamism they can help in the on-going evangelization and in the expansion of the BEC,” he said, adding:
“From among them will emerge the leaders of the community. A leadership formation program should be set up at the parish level. This program should promote a participatory type of servant-leadership. The commitment and competence of the leaders should be developed as well as their teamwork. They should eventually function as council of leaders.”
In large villages and barangays, he continued, “as the BECs expand and more people become active, it might be helpful to subdivide the community into cells or family groupings.
“This can facilitate close relationship among the members. The cells should have their own regular gatherings. The cells should be linked together and understood as part of the BEC,” he said.
He added that regular and sustainable activities and structures should be introduced to facilitate the growth of BECs as witnessing, worshipping and serving communities.
“This may include weekly bible-reflection in the homes for cells or family groupings, weekly bible-service or liturgy of the word in the chapel for the whole community, monthly or bi-monthly BEC mass, monthly general assembly among others,” Picardal said.
He also said that these regular activities should help deepen the bond of unity and friendship among the members and help develop the BEC culture.
“The WESTY (worship, education, service/social action, temporalities and youth) committees may be set up at the BEC/Barangay level as well as the parish level. Neighboring BECs should be linked as zones. The BEC zones should be represented in the Parish Pastoral Council,” explained Picardal.
RENEWED SOCIAL APOSTOLATE
Picardal also mentioned the need for BECs to be mobilized to engage in renewed social apostolate which means developing their social awareness and their capability to respond to the pressing social concerns.
“If necessary, the BECs should help develop livelihood projects that can help in poverty-alleviation, set-up peace zones in areas of armed conflict, resist logging and mining operations, help in reforestation projects, participate in prayer rallies in support of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) or National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) –initiated nationwide campaigns, change the political culture at the grassroots level,” he said.
“In this way the late Pope John Paul II’s vision of BECs become a reality which is they take root in less privileged and rural areas, and become a leaven of Christian life, of care for the poor, and of commitment to the transformation of society,” added Picardal.
He also said that BECs can only be sustained if they truly become a way of life for the lay-faithful and if they can truly respond to their needs.
“Responding to the needs whether material, social, spiritual. These communities can make a difference in renewing the Church and transforming Philippines society,” said Picardal. (Mark S. Ventura)
