Circular 2018 - 12

 
 
May 31, 2018
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
Circular 2018-12
RE: Post Synod Commissions
 
My dear people of God:
 
After months of consultation and coordination meetings resulting from the promulgation of the Acts and Decrees of the Second Synod of Lingayen Dagupan, we are now ready to make another step forward in constituting the archdiocesan membership of the three Post Synodal Commissions that will become the implementing agents of the spirit and vision of the Synod. 
 
The three Post Synodal Commissions are WORSHIP, EVANGELIZATION and SOCIAL SERVICES.
 
By now, it is imperative and necessary that every parish must have these three commissions constituted in the parish level. 
 
THE COMMISSION GENERAL ASSEMBLIES
 
On  July 14, Saturday, from  8:30 am until 11:30am at the Lay Formation Center in Bonuan Gueset, we shall have the General Assembly of the parish leaders for the  Commission on Worship. Every parish must send  TWO LEADERSwho are the Worship Minister who heads the lay liturgical ministries and the Liturgical Music Minister who coordinates the parish choirs. I will facilitate the flow of the General Assembly assisted by Father Eric Galivo, the Commission Chairman. We will start promptly so please advise your parish leaders to come on time. 
 
On the same day  July 14, Saturday, from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pmin the same venue LFC, we shall have the General Assembly of the  Commission for Social Services. Every parish must send  THREE LEADERSwho are involved in the Ministry of Social Action, Ministry with the Poor, Ministry of Mercy, Ministry for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Prison Apostolate, Health Care Apostolate and Aid to the Church in Need. Like the morning assembly, I will facilitate the flow of the meeting assisted by Father Estephen Espinosa. These three parish leaders must be distinct and separate from the parish leaders for the Commission on Worship held earlier in the day. Parish Worship Ministers will not be allowed to join the afternoon assembly. 
 
 
On August 4, Saturday from 8:30 am until 3:00 pmat the Lay Formation Center, the General Assembly of the  Commission on Evangelizationwill be convoked. Every parish must send  FIVE LEADERSwho are engaged in the various evangelization programs indicated by the Synod namely, Ministry on the Clergy, Biblical Ministry, Family and Life Ministry, Catechesis, Ministry on the Youth, Ministry on  Pananabangan, Social Communications, Ministry on Community Apostolate, Ministry on Vocations, Ecumenical and Inter-religious Dialogue, and Cultural Heritage of the Church. These five parish evangelization ministers must not be directly engaged in the Commission on Worship or the Commission on Social Services. Like the two past General Assemblies, I will facilitate the flow of the meeting assisted by Msgr. Manuel Bravo, the Commission Chairman. 
 
GOAL and DYNAMICS OF THE ASSEMBLY
 
In every General Assembly of each of the three Post Synodal Commissions, we will present briefly the Synod background and the event itself; followed by a presentation of the Commission pastoral plan. As a plenary assembly, we will review all the Synodal articles that pertain to the Commission, draft implementing rules and policies and propose the needed parish pastoral action including the timetable, budget, personnel, etc.
 
THE PARISH COMMISSION MEMBERS
 
The Parish Commission members, i.e. two for Worship, three for Social Services and five for Evangelization, must be diligently selected  avoiding duplication of Commission membershipalthough they can be in two ministries under the same Commission. A Commission is composed of various ministries. 
 
While it is meritorious to tap the old reliable parish leaders to insure pastoral efficiency, please prudently consider other  unnoticed parish leadersparticularly from the young and the young adults so that we can give birth to a  new generation of Christian leaders. As the slogan says, please “ Think outside the box”.
 
WHERE DOES IT LEAD US?
 
Depending on the results from the three part General Assembly, we hope to convoke an Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly where all the three Commission members will be present during which we can present the consolidated pastoral plan, own the pastoral plan and commit together to pursue the same pastoral plan. 
 
God willing, we hope to see these ten parish Commission members cascade down to the parish and barangay communities the spirit of the Synod. In time, we can consider these ten parish Commission leaders as the members of the Parish Pastoral Council. We can veer away from the traditional paradigm of PPC members and make our parish lay leadership more ministry oriented rather than “ position”based. This is work in progress needing discernment and consultation. 
 
In every step we take, let prayer be our armament, the Holy Spirit be our guidepost and the pastoral welfare of the people of God be our singular purpose. I trust that you share the vision of the Synod and you appreciate the importance of these assemblies to pursue our goals. I plead for your cooperation. 
 
May the Lord help me to thank you more!
 
Sincerely yours,
 
 
 
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
  Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan