PREX Class 48

9 October 2011 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, held the 48th PREX Class weekend seminar last 7-9 October 2011 at the Parish Center.

Pictures courtesy of Sis. Ma. Rowena A. Nicer.

PREX Class 47 held in PSF

4 September 2011 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The 47th PREX or Parish Renewal Experience weekend seminar was held in the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr from 2-4 September 2011. PREX Class 46 sponsored this weekend seminar.

(All photos courtesy of Sis. Ma. Rowena A. Nicer)

PREX Class 46

San Fabian, Pangasinan – 31 July 2011.  The Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, recently held PREX Class 46 last 29-31 July at the Parish Center. PREX or Parish Renewal Experience is the adult formation program of the parish. It has been held regularly since 2004.

Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest, who has been giving the PREX seminars, has  been very enthusiastic about PREX. “So many have better understood who they are as Catholics; so many have been blessed to have been renewed while undergoing the PREX weekend seminars", Fr. Mendoza said.

 “There have been remarkable increase in the attendance in the celebration of the Eucharist. There are now more who take active part in the parish apostolate, ministries,  programs and projects.” Fr. Mendoza observed.

The PREX seminars in the Parish of St. Fabian have undergone several revision with regard to its focus and emphasis. Lately, the seminar has focused on Stewardship Spirituality. The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan has embarked on an intensive catechesis on the Spirituality of Stewardship. “PREX has provided the parish with a venue in communicating the meaning and life of Stewardship to our parishioners”, Father Mendoza further remarked as he noted the continuing program of the parish in forming good Catholic stewards among the parishioners.

Sis. Cleofe Nabua has been chosen as the PREX Class 46 coordinator with Bro. Art Gagute as the assistant coordinator.
 

Faith Families, PREX Class 46

All photos courtesy of Sis. Weng A. Nicer.

PREX sa Barrio Class 2: Brgy. Longos Central

25 July 2010 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. The Parish Renewal Experience (PREX) Weekend Seminar was held in Brgy. Longos Central. The Parish has brought the PREX seminar to the barangay as part of her bringing the adult formation program to the grassroots. Brgy. Longos Central is the second barrio to hold the seminar. The first was Brgy. Palapad. The seminar was held last 23-24 July 2010. It was held at the Longos Proper Chapel (Boquig).

Sis. Violeta Omiles, the Brgy. Longos Central coordinator, facilitated the weekend seminar in coordination with the Parish PREX Secretariat.

Fr.  Oliver E. Mendoza, the Parish Priest, with Bro. Dexter Carino gave the talks for the two-day seminar. The “PREX sa Barrio” has been modified for the needs and circumstances of the barangay.

PREX Class 42

Pictures of Parish Renewal Experience (PREX) Class 42. The weekend seminar was held last 5-7 March 2010, Friday to Sunday at the Parish Center, Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr.

 

 

Circular Letter: Reception of Christians into the Church

APPENDIX TO CIRCULAR PROT 2010/4

Excerpts from Canon Law Digest of the Philippine Catholic Church by Florencio I. Testera, O.P., pp. 31-37

RECEPTION OF BAPTIZED CHRISTIANS INTO THE CHURCH

The brethren born and baptized outside the visible communion of the Catholic Church…,have no need to be absolved from excommunication, but after making profession of their faith according to the regulations set down by the local ordinary, they should be admitted to the full communion of the Catholic Church.

COMMENTARY:

The Director on Ecumenism makes a clear distinction between those “born and baptized outside the visible communion of the Catholic Church, are those “who thought baptized in the Catholic Church, have publicly and knowingly abjured their faith,” like heretics and apostates.

What should be done, then, when baptized non-Catholics, say, an eastern Christian, a Lutheran, an Episcopalian, etc., seek full communion with the Catholic Church? The following procedures should be adopted:

1) The pastor is to establish, first of all, the validity of baptism. If the baptism of the candidate is found to be valid, then, it should be recognized as such and may not be repeated. A conditional baptism is not permitted unless there is a reasonable doubt about the fact of baptism or its validity (c.869,2). There can be no doubt cast upon the validity of baptism as conferred among separated Christians. It is enough, therefore, to establish the fact that baptism was administered.

The same is true of Churches operating in the Philippines whose baptism has been recognized by the Catholic Church as valid. The official baptismal certificates should be enough proof of its validity. As
for other Churches or religious groups in the Philippines each case is to be examined individually.

2) The profession of Faith is to be made before one can be admitted to full communion with the Catholic Church. No abjuration of heresy or absolution from excommunication is needed, unlike in cases of heretics and apostates. However, a thorough doctrinal and spiritual preparation of the candidate must precede the rite of admission.

The formula for the Profession of Faith is as follows:

“I _________ with firm faith, believe and profess everything that is contained in the Symbol of Faith, that is:

I believe in God……..and the life everlasting. Amen. I further believe and confess everything the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches and proclaims as divinely revealed.

3) The reception of the candidate is to be arranged without any great burden or inconvenience to him, in accordance with the proper rite and preferably within the Mass and with Holy Communion.

The local bishops have accepted for this purpose the ICEL edition of the Ritual used in USA.

CATECHUMENATE FOR BAPTISM AND MARRIAGE

Our bishops agreed to ask their priests to introduce gradually some catechesis at the occasion of baptism and marriage.

MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF BAPTISM BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church in the Philippines expressed their mutual recognition and the validity of the Christian baptism administered according to the rites of the respective Churches. Therefore, the baptism is not to be repeated under any circumstances, not even conditionally. The agreement is retroactive.

AGREED STATEMENT BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINE EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Bishops’ Conference approved the proposed Agreement on Baptism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Philippine Episcopal Church together with the notation appended to it. By virtue of the Agreement, the Rite of Baptism performed by the two Churches is valid and therefore is not to be repeated even conditionally.

The Agreement does not mean that ministers of either Church are, or even can be, authorized to perform the ceremony of baptism for the other, nor can the said Agreement used as a pretext of proselytism.

The appended notation to the Agreement makes it clear that the concord of full communion between the Philippine Episcopal Church (PEC) and the Philippine Independent Church (PIC) “neither implies nor affects the union of the PEC and PIC, nor are the two Churches in anyway merged.” Therefore, the present Agreement covers exclusively the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines and the Philippine Episcopal Church.

In view of the varying pastoral conditions in the country, even after the signing of the Agreement, a bishop may still decide not to implement it in his diocese.

VALIDITY OF BAPTISM OF OTHER CHURCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES

The following Churches in the Philippines administer a valid baptism:
Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP)
Philipine Episcopal Church (PEC)
United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP)
Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Filipinas (IEMELIF)
United Methodist Church in the Philippines (UMCP)
Convention of the Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC)
Presbyterian Church
Seventh-Day Adventist Church

The baptism administered by these Churches is to be considered valid and is not to be repeated even conditionally. The official baptismal certificate should be enough proof of its validity.

As of other Churches or religious groups in the Philippines, each case is to be examined individually.

BAPTISMS ADMINISTERED BY THE VARIOUS AGLIPAYAN GROUPS

The problem of the validity of the baptism administered by the various Aglipayan groups is a particularly difficult one. The main group the Philippine Independent Church (PIC), is juridically and officially the “Iglesia Filipina Independiente”. The official Rite of Baptism of “Iglesia Filipina Independiente” is in itself valid. However, the practical implementation of its official baptismal liturgy is not universally certain. Hence, the validity of the baptism administered by all Aglipayan groups, including the Philippine Independent Church, is still to be examined individually.

BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATES AND AFFIDAVITS

The baptismal certificates, issued within six months, for the purpose of marriage, shall always be required from parties, if they are not baptized in the parish where the investigation is conducted or where the marriage is solemnized.

Whenever the baptismal certificate cannot be obtained, a sworn statement according to c.876 will suffice.

COMMENTARY:

The ordinary proof of baptism is the one established by the baptismal certificate (c.877) as transcribed from the baptismal register signed by the pastor in charge of the records and, if possible, duly authenticated through the parish seal. A baptismal certificate drawn in this way meets all the requirements of a public ecclesiastical  document (c. 1540) and as such affords complete proof of the items directly recorded therein (c. 1541).

This, however, is not the only legitimate way of establishing the fact of baptism as evinced from c.876. The law admits the sufficiency of an affidavit whenever the proof of baptism cannot be ascertained through official records:

“If  it is not prejudicial to anyone, to prove the conferral of baptism, the declaration of a single witness  who is above suspicion suffices or the oath of the baptized person, if the baptism was received at an adult age.”

It is obvious that, under ordinary circumstances, the admission of a person to the sacrament of matrimony is prejudicial to no one and, therefore, the affidavit prescribed  by law could be accepted as a substitute for the baptismal certificate. On the contrary, a sworn statement cannot be considered  sufficient proof of baptism in a case of declaration of nullity. In this instance someone will be prejudiced thereby.
Who are the persons that may be considered trustworthy in bearing witness in such cases? Of course, the minister himself, the sponsors, the parents and close relatives should come first in line. If still none of these persons is available to bear testimony, the pastor himself can draw an affidavit on the basis of these or similar data: the person, whose baptismal certificate cannot be reproduced through the parish records, was born in a place where everyone is baptized Catholic educated in the Catholic religion; he knows the Catholic doctrine and has lived as a Catholic; he still remembers the names of the deceased Catholic sponsors, the church where he was baptized…Whatever the findings, the pastor ought to attest in the affidavit the evidence gathered and the sources thereof.

An affidavit drawn up by the pastor in this manner and under such circumstances should, by all means, be regarded as a sufficient proof of baptism. The parish priest should not content himself by merely reporting the loss of official records in the parish. He must make it a point to research and gather all possible evidence on the case.

BAPTISMAL ENTRY OF AN ADOPTED CHILD

Taking into account c.877,3, regarding the baptismal entry of an adopted child, the following norms are to be observed:

a) If the adoption takes place after the baptism of the child, the full name of the adopting parents shall be added to the baptismal entry mentioning at the same time the number and date of the decree of adoption issued by the civil court;

b) If the adoption in the baptismal before the baptism of the child, and the adopting parents request that the name of the natural parents be  kept confidential, in accordance with civil laws, the following norms are to be observed:

1) The full name of the natural parents shall not be entered in the baptismal records of the parish, but shall be forwarded to the secret archives of the chancery, to be released only upon approval of the local ordinary and for a serious reason.

2) It shall be annotated in the baptismal register with the following remarks: “for marriage purposes, consult the secret records of the diocesan archives.’

Commentary:

The pastor of the place where the baptism is celebrated must carefully and promptly enter in the baptismal book the names of the baptized, the minister, the parents, the sponsors, witnesses, if any, the place and date of baptism and of birth (c. 877,1).

The recording of baptisms of illegitimate and adopted children presents a special problem when it comes to the insertion of the natural parents’ names. Even in such cases, the recording  should be as complete as possible but protecting the reputation of the parents. In case of an adopted child, the names of the natural parents may be recorded or kept confidential in accordance with civil law and the norms issued by the local Bishop.

PREX Class 41

7 February 2010 San Fabian. After almost two months since the last Parish Renewal Experience (PREX) weekend seminar, the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, held PREX Class 41. It was held on 5-7 February 2010.

PREX Class 41 Faith Families

Barangay Cayanga welcomes the Image of the Divine Mercy and the Blessed Virgin Mary

San Fabian – 14 November 2009. It is the turn of Barangay Cayanga to welcome the image of the Divine Mercy and the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary as part of the Barangay Visitation Program of the parish. Barangay Cayanga hosted the Visitation from 7 – 14 November 2009. The images were received by them from Brgy. Longos Central.

The images were carried in a procession on the first day of the visitation around the barangay. Nightly vigils were scheduled, and different groups were on hand to keep vigil.

The Adult Formation seminar was held on 13 November 2009. The Farewell Mass was held on 14 November, Saturday with Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza as the celebrant. It was held at the yard of Sis. Aurea Ballesta.

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To see more pictures of the Visitation in Brgy. Cayanga, please click HERE.

Barangay Longos Central holds Visitation

San Fabian – 7 November 2009. The waters had receded and the mud had dried, weeks after the flood of 9 October 2009 submerged Barangay Longos Central. In an expression of gratitude and hope-filled trust in God’s Mercy, the residents of Longos Central welcomed the sacred images of the Divine Mercy and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Adult Formation Seminar was held last 6 November from 5 pm to 9 pm; while the Youth Encounter was held from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon of the same week.

The sacred images stayed in the barangay for a week from 31 October to 7 November. The Farewell Liturgy was held after a week on 7 November 2009, Saturday. The mass was celebrated by Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest. A lone child received the sacrament of baptism. The participants of the Youth Encounter had their confession with Fr. Oliver.

The residents held a procession to bring the sacred images from Longos Central to Barangay Cayanga, the next host of the barangay visitation.

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To see more pictures of the Barangay Visitation in Longos Central, please click HERE.

Tempra-Gulig holds Barangay Visitation

5 October 2009 – San Fabian. Barangay Tempra-Guilig welcomed the sacred images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Divine  Mercy from Brgy. Sobol last 26 September. The Visitation was to last until 3 October, Saturday. But the Typhoon Pepeng lashed out Northern Luzon, including Pangasinan last Saturday. The farewell liturgy and the transfer of the images from Bgr. Tempra-Guilig to Brgy. Lekep-Butao was thus cancelled because of the bad weather conditions.

The visitation in Brgy. Lekep-Butao was extended for another two days. The transfer of the sacred images was held on 5 October, Monday at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest, presided over the liturgy. The sacrament of Baptism was received by 12 children after the Holy Mass.

A procession bringing the sacred images to Brgy. Lekep-Butao was held in spite of the rains.

A Youth Encounter seminar and the Adult Formation Program were held during the week-long visitation.

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To see more pictures of the Visitation in Brgy. Tempra-Guilig, please click HERE.

PREX Class 40, biggest class since 2004!

20 September 2009 – San Fabian. The Parish Renewal Experience (PREX) Class 40 has the biggest number of participants since the adult formation seminar was introduced in the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, in 2004. PREX Class 40 has fifty-two (52) graduates.

PREX Class 39 sponsored the weekend seminar which was held on 18-20 September at the Parish Center. The heavy rains on the first day did not deter the participants in attending the adult formation. The graduation was held on the last day of the seminar which was on 20 September.

Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the Parish Priest and Bro. Estephen Espinoza gave the eleven talks for the PREX Weekend seminar.

PREX Class 40

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To see more pictures of PREX Class 40, please click HERE.

Aramal holds Barangay Visitation

5 September 2009 – San Fabian. Barangay Aramal welcomed the sacred images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Divine Mercy as part of the Barangay Visitation, last 22-29 August 2009.

Adult Formation program and the Youth Encounter were held during the one-week visitation. During the last day of the visitation, the sacrament of baptism was celebrated. Sixteen children received the sacrament. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest, celebrated the mass.

The sacred images were carried in a procession from Barangay Aramal to Bolasi, the next barangay to hold the Barangay Visitation. The procession lasted about one and a half hours amidst intermittent rains.

Barangay Bolasi will have its visitation from 5-12 September 2009.

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To see more pictures of the Barangay Visitation in Aramal, please click HERE

PREX Class 39 held

23 August 2009 – San Fabian. The thirty-ninth PREX edition in the parish was held at the parish center last 21-23 August 2009. It had the biggest initial number of participants at fifty-two. Forty-six finished the three day weekend seminar. It is still the biggest class since the Parish Renewal Experience Seminar (PREX) was introduced in the parish lat 2004.

The weekend seminar was facilitated by Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest, and Bro. Estephen Espinoza.

PREX Class 39 with the sponsoring Class PREX 38.

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To see more pictures of PREX Class 39, kindly click HERE.

Cabaruan, Angio receive the Sacred Images for the Brgy. Visitation

22 August 2009 – San Fabian. The images of the Divine Mercy and the Blessed Virgin Mary visited the barangays Cabaruan and Angio for the Barangay Visitation Program of the parish. Brgy. Cabaruan welcomed the images last 15-22 August while Brgy. Angio had their visitation from 22-29 August 2009.

The Sacrament of Baptism was received during the visitations in the two barangays. The adult formation program and the Youth Encounter were also held as part of the Visitation Program.

Rev. Fr. Abraham Esquig celebrated the mass in Brgy. Cabaruan last 22 August; Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza celebrated the mass in Brgy. Angio last 29 August.

The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary arrives in Brgy. Cabaruan

The faithful of Brgy. Angio

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To see more pictures of the Brgy. Visitation in Angio, please click HERE.

Brgy. Anonang welcomes the sacred images

15 August 2009 – San Fabian. The sacred images of the Divine Mercy and the Blessed Virgin Mary visited Barangay Anonang for the  Barangay Visitation Program of the parish as part of its evangelization and formation program. The visitation lasts for a week in every barangay. During the week, an adult formation program and a youth encounter seminar are held.

The farewell liturgy was held on 15 August, Saturday on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. The mass was celebrated by Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest. One couple received the Sacrament of Matrimony. Sixteen children received the Sacrament of Baptism.

Despite the rains, the people held a procession to bring the sacred images from Brgy. Anonang to Brgy. Cabaruan.

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To see more photos about the Barangay Visitation in Anonang, click HERE.

Barangay Colisao welcomes the Sacred Images

8 August 2009 – San Fabian. The Barangay Formation Program and the Visitation of the Sacred Images of the Divine Mercy and the Blessed Virgin Mary were held in Barangay Colisao. Colisao is the fourteenth barangay that has undergone the visitation and formation. There are 34 barangays in San Fabian.

The visitation in Brgy. Colisao lasted for a week, from 1- 8 August. The images were all kept at the barangay chapel. They were brought out twice to visit two puroks during the week.

The Barangay Formation Program was held on 6 August 2009, Thursday. It was given by Bro. Leopoldo Manalo, Sis.  Fritzy Naravas, Sis. Violy Omiles, Sis. Betty Abrazaldo and Sis. Cita Chua. The Youth Encounter was held and facilitated by the team of the Parish Youth Apostolate.

The farewell mass was held on 8 August, Saturday at 2:00 in the afternoon. There were 11 children who received the Sacrament of Baptism. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest, celebrated the mass.

A Drum and Lyre Band from Brgy. Anonang accompanied the images as they were brought to Brgy. Anonang, the next barangay to hold the visitation.

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To see more pictures of the Brgy. Visitation in Colisao, please click HERE.