the colecta
Last week, our BEC Team I, composed of volunteer parishioners and catechists, went to Tubungan for a “field trip”. First we went to the parish center where the Parish Pastoral Council of Tubungan gave us a brief but comprehensive background on how they run the parish. They shared with us their experiences and methods, their insights and discoveries as they go about establishing Basic Ecclesial Communities in their barangays. Knowing Msgr. Oso and his life-long obsession (if I may be permitted to call it as such) in alleviating the plight of the poorest of the poor in the Archdiocese being the head of its Social Action Office (JASAC), we were curious especially on how he managed their social apostolate. Well I can say, I was overwhelmed and in the weeks and months to come we can also come up with something similar or something inspired by that enriching interaction with the parish pastoral council of Tubungan.
They had, for example, surveyed their parish and have identified the poorest of the poor among them using the indicators of poverty provided by JASAC. These poorest of the poor members of the parish were given identification cards which they can use for a number of privileges. One is, during these lean months (from March to July), card-carrying parishioners can buy 5 kilos of rice each week at a much cheaper price. At 18 pesos per kilo at the regular price, they can buy it for 10 pesos with the parish paying the 8-peso difference. Where does the parish get the money for this subsidy? From the Sunday Colecta. The same card-carrying parishioners, indentified as the poorest of the poor are given priority in the Medical Mission conducted by the parish availing themselves of a free medical and dental check-up, and should this be available, free medicines. Again, how do they fund this endeavor? And again, from the Sunday Colecta.
This is what the colecta is all about in the early Christian communities when parish life was not yet so complicated (with so many salaried parish workers, electric bills, beautification programs, etc). The colecta was originally meant to help the less fortunate members of the community, which they consider a natural off-shoot and logical consequence of the Eucharist which they celebrated. If Jesus was willing to share himself to them in the Eucharist, then they are also challenged to give part of what they have for those who have less. The self-giving of Jesus in the Sacrifice of the Mass urged them strongly to be generous and concerned for those who are poor among them. That is why St. Cyprian (3rd century) upon spying a richly clad woman not lining up for the colecta (they all bring their gifts to the altar), said in a loud and angry voice, pointing at the woman, “you rich woman, you eat the bread of the poor.” Well that must be super embarrassing but the early Christian communities can be so “rude” and even tactless in demanding the colecta and they can be so lavish in giving because they know where their money is going. They know that what they give will benefit the poor, the hungry, the widows, the orphans, etc. But alas, we could not say that now in all parishes – that the colecta or at the very least, part of it, goes to the really poor and not just to the “poor” parish priest!
Another “method” shared to us by the Parish Council of Tubungan is their scholarship program. If I remember right, Msgr. Oso told us something to this effect: “do not canonize the poor because like us they are also sinners!” What he meant was, in all his years as director of the social action office he had been “fooled” so many times by the poor in his erstwhile desire to help them – so many failed cooperatives, so many livelihood programs which ended up a failure, because as he said, there were even pigs in their piglet dispersal program which committed “suicide” – pigs which were reported to have died because of disease but have been actually sold secretly!
To this effect he said the best way to alleviate poverty is to establish a scholarship program. An educated child or dependent equipped with a college diploma can be the surest way out of poverty. I believe this is so.
In Tubungan they have many parishioners pledging support for their scholarship program, some pledging 5 pesos others as high as 500 hundred to 1,000 pesos a month. Applicants for the program apply to the parish and are given tests to measure their intellectual capacity. Then a Scholarship board would select those with the highest average whom they visit to verify if indeed they are really poor and in need of assistance. I believe this is really something that Jaro, our parish can surely emulate. Well, let us see what we can do in the weeks to come. Hopefully we can come up with a comprehensive poverty alleviation program. And I believe that with your help we can do something for our poor brothers and sisters.
________________
Last Friday, on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus we made a penitential procession for our priests in the parish and in the archdiocese. This is not just a prayer for priests but a procession for reparation, a penitential procession. As I have so often said in encouraging people to pray the prayer of reparation for the sins of priests, priests, when they commit sin, because of their position in the Christian community, can do more damage for the same sin which when committed by a lay person may not be as destructive. Why? Because when a priest does something awful the faith of the lay may be disturbed, the lay may be scandalized weakening their already weak faith, they may leave the church, and they may even lose faith in God. Thus, as my professors in the seminary told us when we were in high school, a priest who commits mortal sin do so twice – the sins committed by a priest are always multiplied by 2. That is why I would jokingly say (which is my way of saying something very serious) that should a priest go to hell, its deepest part is reserved for him!
So please pray for your priests, pray for us. Please do not give up on us. We indeed may be priests to you but with you we are struggling, grappling Christians.
They had, for example, surveyed their parish and have identified the poorest of the poor among them using the indicators of poverty provided by JASAC. These poorest of the poor members of the parish were given identification cards which they can use for a number of privileges. One is, during these lean months (from March to July), card-carrying parishioners can buy 5 kilos of rice each week at a much cheaper price. At 18 pesos per kilo at the regular price, they can buy it for 10 pesos with the parish paying the 8-peso difference. Where does the parish get the money for this subsidy? From the Sunday Colecta. The same card-carrying parishioners, indentified as the poorest of the poor are given priority in the Medical Mission conducted by the parish availing themselves of a free medical and dental check-up, and should this be available, free medicines. Again, how do they fund this endeavor? And again, from the Sunday Colecta.
This is what the colecta is all about in the early Christian communities when parish life was not yet so complicated (with so many salaried parish workers, electric bills, beautification programs, etc). The colecta was originally meant to help the less fortunate members of the community, which they consider a natural off-shoot and logical consequence of the Eucharist which they celebrated. If Jesus was willing to share himself to them in the Eucharist, then they are also challenged to give part of what they have for those who have less. The self-giving of Jesus in the Sacrifice of the Mass urged them strongly to be generous and concerned for those who are poor among them. That is why St. Cyprian (3rd century) upon spying a richly clad woman not lining up for the colecta (they all bring their gifts to the altar), said in a loud and angry voice, pointing at the woman, “you rich woman, you eat the bread of the poor.” Well that must be super embarrassing but the early Christian communities can be so “rude” and even tactless in demanding the colecta and they can be so lavish in giving because they know where their money is going. They know that what they give will benefit the poor, the hungry, the widows, the orphans, etc. But alas, we could not say that now in all parishes – that the colecta or at the very least, part of it, goes to the really poor and not just to the “poor” parish priest!
Another “method” shared to us by the Parish Council of Tubungan is their scholarship program. If I remember right, Msgr. Oso told us something to this effect: “do not canonize the poor because like us they are also sinners!” What he meant was, in all his years as director of the social action office he had been “fooled” so many times by the poor in his erstwhile desire to help them – so many failed cooperatives, so many livelihood programs which ended up a failure, because as he said, there were even pigs in their piglet dispersal program which committed “suicide” – pigs which were reported to have died because of disease but have been actually sold secretly!
To this effect he said the best way to alleviate poverty is to establish a scholarship program. An educated child or dependent equipped with a college diploma can be the surest way out of poverty. I believe this is so.
In Tubungan they have many parishioners pledging support for their scholarship program, some pledging 5 pesos others as high as 500 hundred to 1,000 pesos a month. Applicants for the program apply to the parish and are given tests to measure their intellectual capacity. Then a Scholarship board would select those with the highest average whom they visit to verify if indeed they are really poor and in need of assistance. I believe this is really something that Jaro, our parish can surely emulate. Well, let us see what we can do in the weeks to come. Hopefully we can come up with a comprehensive poverty alleviation program. And I believe that with your help we can do something for our poor brothers and sisters.
________________
Last Friday, on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus we made a penitential procession for our priests in the parish and in the archdiocese. This is not just a prayer for priests but a procession for reparation, a penitential procession. As I have so often said in encouraging people to pray the prayer of reparation for the sins of priests, priests, when they commit sin, because of their position in the Christian community, can do more damage for the same sin which when committed by a lay person may not be as destructive. Why? Because when a priest does something awful the faith of the lay may be disturbed, the lay may be scandalized weakening their already weak faith, they may leave the church, and they may even lose faith in God. Thus, as my professors in the seminary told us when we were in high school, a priest who commits mortal sin do so twice – the sins committed by a priest are always multiplied by 2. That is why I would jokingly say (which is my way of saying something very serious) that should a priest go to hell, its deepest part is reserved for him!
So please pray for your priests, pray for us. Please do not give up on us. We indeed may be priests to you but with you we are struggling, grappling Christians.
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May you persevere and be blessed by your calling.