As Year of Parish ends, Church urged to reflect on ‘new challenges’

BOHOL – At a Mass on Nov. 27, Monday, to mark the culmination of the Year of the Parish, Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy, emphasized that the event is a crucial opportunity to reflect on issues that challenge the Church’s commitment to the Gospel.

“You are expected to make a reflection as to how to respond as a church to the BECs, to the challenges of the times, specifically [how] the millennial are expressing themselves, the trend of drug use, the painful reality of EJKs and other moral issues,” he said, addressing participants of the national gathering for Basic Ecclesial Community directors and coordinators.

The prelate stressed the need for new ways to address what the Church encounters as “new minds and contents with evolving context.”

“The Church needs to recognize that new approaches and strategies must be explored if we are to remain faithful to the mission of the Gospel,” added Uy.

Fundamental need for generosity

The Tagbilaran bishop emphasized the “fundamental need” for generosity in doing mission in today’s world.

“A fundamental need in this mission is to possess a generous heart, I pray that this may be an event of the spirit; that this gathering triggers in all of us a profound commitment to be generous in evangelization,” he said.

Uy further warned that “without generosity, plans will remain papers and ideas never come to life.”

More evangelizers wanted

He concluded, saying that “the Church needs evangelizers, the Church needs you, people who recognize that as they open their hands to reach out to BECs, those same hands are field with greater joy and peace.”

Coming from different parishes nationwide, BEC directors and coordinators will participate in the 3-day gathering to represent, report, and share about their BEC experiences in their respective dioceses.

The organizers held a welcome dinner for the participants, foster families, and volunteers from Bohol after the Mass. CBCPNews