Work With the Poor
An integral part of CFCFFL Social Ministry
Restoring ... Hope ... Dignity ... Faith.
WWP - Caring for Souls
The care of souls is the soul of caring for the poor. This best describes the CFC-FFL Work with the Poor (WWP) efforts in preparing God’s people for His Kingdom. While addressing the material aspect of the teachings of the Church, WWP prioritizes evangelization in its restoration villages to affirm the human soul.
This article is a testament to this WWP effort.
The Setting : Apo Iraya Restoration Village (AIRV)
Parish of San Rafael
Sitio Atipan, Abra De Ilog, Occidental Mindoro
The Event : Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion and Marriage
The Date : 20 December 2009
Christmas is a season of love – for it is here we remember that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Perhaps this is the reason why God chose to set this date for this milestone WWP event, five days before Christmas Day – to remind us to continue sharing His love, living out the spirit of the first Christian community and evangelizing those who need to hear His Word. (Note: This event has been postponed several times in the past several months due to inclement weather and a reassignment of parish priests.)
For the CFC-FFL group on mission, led by our brothers Danny Bagon (Occidental Mindoro Provincial Area Head), Cesar Ramirez (Batangas District Servant and Provincial Area Head) and Jett Reyes (WWP South Luzon Region Coordinator), the day started with the transport of various goods donated by CFC-FFL brothers and sisters from Batangas, and Los Angeles and Illinois in the USA – addressing material needs in the form of gifts for this important event. A full jeep-load of boxes of donations were brought to AIRV, and later distributed to the men, women and children beneficiaries.
As standard CFC-FFL and WWP practice, the day’s program began with praising and worship of God amidst joyful music and songs. It was truly a touching experience to see the Mangyan beneficiaries join their CFC-FFL brethren praying, clapping and raising their hands, and dancing for the Lord. This set the stage for what would be a long Sunday program celebrating the Catholic sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, 1st Holy Communion and Matrimony.
At 10:00 a.m. Fr. Ronald Panganiban, parish priest of the Parish of San Rafael, began the Baptism rites for fifty-eight (58) Mangyan adult men and women. Immediately after, he conferred the sacrament of Confirmation to these newly baptized Mangyans.
A celebration of the Holy Mass followed the baptism and confirmation. Within this Mass, thirty-two (32) couples simultaneously recited their marriage vows and were blessed to continue their union as husbands and wives. Fr. Ronald likewise allowed the new Christians to receive their 1st Holy Communion.
It was then almost 1:00 p.m. that everyone was able to share a sumptuous lunch of tinolang manok, adobong baboy, seafood, rice and buko, after the Mass.
After the late lunch, the day-long program culminated with the Baptism of thirty (30) Mangyan infants and children. How wonderful and fulfilling it is for WWP to also begin caring for these younger souls.
Significantly, in all these celebrations of the sacraments, CFC-FFL brothers and sisters became “ninongs” and “ninangs” of the beneficiaries – further strengthening the evangelistic and pastoral roles of our community towards this Mangyan tribe.
Though our work is far from done, we offer all of these to our Lord God who will continue to work and care for these souls towards spiritual growth – using all of us as His instruments.
“What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the Lord gave us. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters work as one, but each will receive his reward according to his work. We are coworkers belonging to God. You are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Cor 3:5-9)
Contributed by JR
12-29-09
“The Almighty!
Just and righteous is He.”