Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan

17 July 2009. The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan Social Action Apostolate held a series of formation sessions with the different lay Social Action ministers of the parishes of the archdiocese as part of its continuing formation program. The two-day formation program was dubbed as “ANTABAY: BECOMING NEIGHBOR”.

 The Formation Program: Antabay: Becoming Neighbor

“And who is my neighbor? (Luke 10, 29) This was the question of the lawyer to Jesus who wanted to justify himself, for failing to show love to his “neighbor”. “How can I love my neighbor when I do not know who my neighbor is?” The Lawyer does not show humility by saying something like, “How can I do this, since I am an imperfect and sinful man?” Instead, he seeks to justify himself. This is often the case with experts in laws; they think they have their own lives covered pretty well because they look at their actions, not their hearts. The expected reply would be something like, “Your relative and your friend.” Then the lawyer would be able to say that he has done this and thereby enjoy honor among the people there listening. But Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan.

Being a neighbor to someone is not limited to family relations or proximity. It is showing the love of God to all who are in need, whoever they may be, where ever they may be. This story will not be complete without the parable of sheep and goats, and the question: ‘When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ (Mt. 25, 38-39).

Antabay is a Pilipino word deriving its roots from the words, ANTAY and ABAY. Antay is an act of actively and consciously anticipating the need of the other. To wait for the other is to make oneself available to the other, giving up our time and whole self for the other. Abay is a colloquial word used for someone who is a very close companion, someone who sticks to a friend, someone who follows his friend all the way, even if it means giving one’s life for that friend.

To  “antabay” in Pangasinan means to “guide” and by doing so “nurtures and supports” the other. And one cannot guide unless one walks with the other, feels for the others. Jesus is our Antabay. He became one with us, emptied himself for us, died for us. He not only guides us, he nurtures us. Antabay is our calling: to become a neighbor to the other.
Becoming a neighbor is to take an active role. Being a neighbor is to be the recipient of the Good Samaritan. One recognizes who his neighbor; but Jesus, our Antabay, urges us to become a neighbor. Why? “This is how all will know you for my disciples, your love for your neighbor” (Jn. 13,35).

Formation by Vicariates

The core team members of the parishes received the two-day formation program. The parishes of Vicariates II and IV held their “Antabay” formation on  21-22 June 2009 at the Mary Help of Christians High School Seminary, Binmaley, Pangasinan. The parishes of Vicariates I and III held theirs on 27-28 June 2009, at the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary, Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City. All in all, there were about two hundred twenty participants.

The talks were given by Most Rev. Oscar V. Cruz, DD, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, (The DEcalogue: Our Call to Love), Msgr. Renato P. Mayugba, DD, the Auxiliary of Lingayen-Dagupan (The Catholic Social Doctrine) and Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the Social Action Director (The ALD Social Action Apostolate Rationale and Foundation). TheVicariate Directors were also on hand during the seminar: Rev. Fr. Allen Romero (Vic. I), Rev. Fr. Rolando Salogsagcol (Vic. II) and Rev. Fr. Jovino Batecan (Vic. IV).

The Archdiocesan Secretariate led by Ms. Janice R. Hebron facillitated the different workshops and sharings during the seminar. At the end of the seminar, all the participants were formally commissioned by Msgr. Renato P. Mayugba, DD.

ASAP, the Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate

The Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate (ASAP) was formalized and institutionalized in a circular letter (CL 24, S. 2007) written by Msgr. Oscar V. Cruz, DD addressed to the clergy and the religious of the Archdiocese. In that letter, the Archbishop mentioned that although the church has involved herself in “many and continuous sacramental and other cultic ministries”… it is about time (that) we also devote ourselves in the pursuit of justice and truth …”

ASAP then is a response not only to the directive of the Archbishop as a pastoral response but being faithful to the mission and calling of the Church in her proclamation of the Gospel, and in obedience to the command of Jesus, viz., to love God and to love our neighbor. The ASAP of Lingayen-Dagupan is the actualization of this mission, calling, life and ministry of the Church.

Without the ASAP, how can we be faithful to the mission of the Church? Without ASAP, how can the Archdiocese remain one with the universal Church in her mission and life? Without ASAP, how can we sincerely ask the questions without being ashamed of our answer: ‘When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ (Mt. 25, 38-39).

ASAP is our ecclesial response to our being sent by Jesus, through the Church, to fulfill the mission of loving our neighbor and loving our God, for one cannot be separated from the other. It is our service as a Church, specifically, the local church of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan. It is our service as Christians to the poor and the marginalized in our society, for this kind of service is also directed to the cause of God for His people.

12 June 2009 - Dagupan City. The celebration of the 111th anniversary of the independence of the Philippines was celebrated in the city of Dagupan with a Prayer Rally against Con-Ass.

Msgr. Ocar V. Cruz, DD said, “House Resolution 1109 stands not only as its big and clear formal ignominy but shall also remain as its gross official disrepute in the annals of its history. Its much calculated yet obviously devious move in favor of Charter Change via its solitary call as a Constituent Assembly, only demonstrates its utter subservience to the Executive Department – apparently for the right price. With such a distinctly base and infamous resolve, the Upper House of Congress en contra thereto now appears standing way up there as it possibly can.”

In his letter announcing the holding of the Prayer Rally, Archbishop Cruz stated the reason for the Prayer Rally. “When expressedly called for by no less than CBCP itself, to register our expressed yet peaceful and prayerfully group dissent towards the morally objectionable and ethically offensive House Resolution 1109 about the anti-Constitutional holding of a CON-ASS eventually leading to the likewise anti-Constitutional term extension of the presumed President of the land – long since well known for serious graft and corrupt practices – we cannot but respond accordingly.”

The massive Prayer Rally was held at the Dagupan City Astrodome, and attended by more than5,000 people from various groups of the Archdiocese. A prayer by Rev. Fr. Julius Cuison, the Spiritual Director of the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary. The students of the Malasiqui Catholic School presented a haunting presentation depicting the various social ills and governmental corruption.

The resource speaker was Atty. Feliciano Bautista, the National President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. Atty. Feliciano Bautista is from the province of Pangasinan. He explained the implications and the unconstitutionality of the House of Representatives convening iteself into a Constitutional Assembly without the participation of the Senate in changing the Constitution. He answered several questions from the audience during the open forum.

Former Speaker Jose de Venecia spoke after the forum. De Venecia, once a staunch advocate of Charter change said he has turned against it because present efforts were meant to “perpetuate President Arroyo in power.” He urged the Pangasinenses to fight Con-Ass and said that Pangasinan shall take this lead in the North.

A Holy Mass with Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, DD as the main celebrant together Msgr. Renato P. Mayugba, DD, the Auxiliary Bishop, and the clergy of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan was celebrated. A singing of the “Bayan Ko” was led by the clergy after the mass. The whole assembly sang the “Bayan Ko” with raised hands and clenched fist. “Bayan Ko” was the song of protest during the Martial Law years. The rally was interrupted many times by shouts of “Con Ass, AGCO!” and “Con Ass ni Gloria, AGCO!”

Mr. Tony Liwag and Mr. Dong Jajardo hosted the program. The Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate coordinated the whole affair.  The Prayer Rally was dubbed as “Bayan Ko, Mahal Ko. Con-Ass, AGCO!” AGCO has been used as a by-word in the advocacies of the Archdiocese. It means “I do not like” “I am against”. AGCO is also a broad coalition of various sectors of the society which is led by the Archdiocese.

24 February. The Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate is undergoing an extensive and intensive reorganization in order for it to more positively respond and effectively work for the social action apostolate of the Archdiocese. In a circular letter addressed to all the parish priests and pastoral team moderators, Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, DD, informed those concerned of the readiness of the Archdiocese to assume an honest to goodness social action apostolate “as much demanded by the signs of the times.”

The Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate Director, Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, has been calling for a series of meetings with all the Vicariate Social Action Coordinators for the much needed reorganization and structuring of the apostolate. The Archdiocesan Social Action Apostolate or ASAp has now a full-time Archdiocesan Coordinator in the person of Ms. Janice R. Hebron. Ms. Hebron has been with the Archdiocesan Youth Apostolate until she was assigned in the ASAp.

The ASAp Secretariate, composed of the Archdiocesan Director, Coordinator and Vicariate Coordinators, has been planning and actively visiting the different parishes to meet personally with the Parish Social Action Coordinartors. A meeting of all the Parish Coordinators has been set on 28 February, Saturday, at 2:00 PM, at the Chancery. This will be the first scheduled meeting of the ASAp Secretariate with the Parish Coordinators for the proposed re-organization.