7 QUESTIONS for Bishop Marlo M. Peralta, D.D.
Appeared on vol. 12 No.7 of the CBCP Monitor (March 31 - April 13, 2008)

How does the diocese implement its social concern programs to help alleviate the situation of less privileged in your area?

As it is true in most dioceses in the Philippines, the Diocese of Alaminos implements her social concern programs through the Social Action Commission (SAC) in the diocese. The implementation is carried out from the diocesan to the parish level and down to the BEC’s and families. Hand in hand with our partners like the Diocese of Limburg, the parishes of St. Mauritius, St. Johannes and Schmitten in Germany as well as the different socially-oriented organizations and agencies, the Diocese of Alaminos through the Social Action Commission is able to reach out to people especially the least and the poor in our midst. The programs of the SAC vary from Medical to Food and Nutrition Assistance, Scholarship Assistance to poor and deserving students, Livelihood Projects in some pilot barangays and BEC’s, Community-Managed Health Program, Sustainable Agriculture, and Reforestration Project in some select areas, Rice Loan Project in some parishes and BEC’s, a parished-based ministry for OFW’s, advocacy and mobilization efforts for the environment, children’s welfare and development, good governance and responsible citizenship, to name some of them. There were also concrete efforts by the SAC to help victims of calamities. In the recent past, the SAC had been actively coordinating efforts in housing projects for families in a few flooded areas affected by typhoons. I am very thankful for all the people, both lay and clergy, who have generously worked and committed themselves in building and implementing the programs of the Social Action Commission for the last twenty two years. Their tireless dedication to love Jesus in the poor had surely been the driving force that kept the programs running.

How are the local level consultations on the 2nd National Rural Congress going on in the diocese?

Listening to the reports during our recent clergy meeting and recollection, we are almost finished with the consultations in the barangay and parish level. Almost all of the parishes have already submitted their written reports to be collated in the diocesan level. We have scheduled the Diocesan Rural Congress on March 29, 2008 with selected representatives from each parish.

How active are the basic ecclesial communities in the diocese?

Building BEC’s and strengthening the communion within and among them had always been an integral part of the mission and vision of this diocese from the very beginning. The three Pastoral Assemblies celebrated in the diocese during the time of my predecessor, Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera, have all affirmed that indeed the BEC’s are the concrete expression of our vision to become a community of Christ’s disciples and the vehicle for greater lay participation and empowerment. In general, parishes vary as to the stages in the formation and growth of BEC’s. Many parishes have already made significant progress in building up BEC cells in the barangay. Others are trying to revive and rebuild BEC’s in the barangays. I believe, what seems to be given further attention is the sustenance and orientation of the BEC’s in the diocese. It’s rather easy to survey whether or not there are existing BEC’s, how much they are growing in number, whether they are meeting regularly or doing something, and how well they are integrating to the diocesan and parish vision and mission. But how well they are becoming a community in the evangelical sense and as articulated in our Pastoral Assemblies is yet another story. Nevertheless, such intangible reality is not hard to feel and recognize. I believe, in the area of growing as a community of Christ’s disciples and bearers of his peace, we still have a long way to go. But I am also consoled by this because after all, as one bishop has said, becoming a community is an event we constantly try to keep alive and real in our midst. And so, some BEC’s may be active now, but they also face the possibility of slumbering later. Some BEC’s may be slumbering and even dying now, but they’re going to rise again. I am optimistic that what God has begun in our journey as a diocese and even as a BEC to grow as a community, He will nourish, sustain and put into completion in His own time.

How does the laity’s greater participation in the life of the Church as envisioned by PCP II being realized in your diocese?

Lay empowerment had been a recurring theme in the past three Diocesan Pastoral Assemblies (DPA) in the diocese. In fact, it was the pastoral and theological focus of the DPA II. Lay empowerment is one of the realities the diocese is slowly realizing. Many Catholic Schools are effectively handled by lay people. Church-initiated cooperatives are handled by the lay too. I believe, one of the best expressions of lay participation realized by the diocese is the establishment of the Parish Pastoral Council and the Parish Finance Council in all parishes. In addition to that is the Council of the Laity that regularly meets every month in the diocesan level. These institutions play a vital role in collaborating with the bishop and the clergy the pastoral direction of all the parishes and consequently the diocese as a whole. Considering these three alone and how well they are in place and functioning in the parishes had been grace enough from God to realize PCP II’s vision of greater participation by the lay people.

Up to what degree do you think the laity’s participation should be especially in terms of decision making in the local Church? Do you have an ongoing formation program for the laity?

Important decisions concerning the life and mission of the diocese are essentially made in consultation with the clergy and the lay people. Every month, I sit down with the Board of Consultors and the Council of the Lay to discuss some aspects in the life of our local Church. These two fundamentally serve as a consultative body. In effect, they have some certain participation in every decisions arrived at. But ultimately, the final decision in all pastoral and administrative matters in the diocese lies in the hand of the bishop of the diocese. Thus, the degree of involvement of the laity (and canonically even the clergy) in the decision making within the local Church in the diocese is fundamentally consultative in nature. This does not in any way diminish the role of the laity in the local Church but essentially puts it in its proper context. A constant balance between ecclesiastical authority and lay participation must constantly be achieved. Lay participation should always be taken within the context of the Church structure in the same way that the Church structure should be constantly resilient to the contribution of the laity. Participation becomes meaningful when it listens to God-given authority in the same way that authority fulfills and achieves its greater purpose when it is tempered by humility.

How active is the catechetical apostolate in the diocese? Does the diocese have an ongoing formation program?

All parishes here basically have their own catechists numbering to 509 last year. A few parishes send prospective catechists to St. Benedict Institute in Vigan City, a school for catechists and religion teachers, to be trained and become pastoral workers later on. Although I believe things are going on smoothly with our catechetical apostolate, I also get that strong feeling that soon we need to take a closer look at the situation of our catechists in the diocese. Since catechesis is vital in every aspect of the Church’s apostolate, we recognize in our diocese the great need to strengthen the catechetical program as well as to deepen the commitment of the catechists involved in this ministry. We have realized that we have a good catechetical program in the diocese and numerous catechists who have committed themselves to many years of service in this apostolate. However, we also saw that much is yet to be done in providing the basic necessities needed for the catechists to carry out effectively their ministry. Transportation, teaching materials, and food allowance seem to be minute details and yet in the context of our local Church here in Alaminos, such things count a lot for our catechists to remain fervent bearers of the Good News. It is good to note that most of our catechists come from very simple families of farmers, fishermen and laborers. In this regard, the diocesan thrust to empower the poor is slowly being realized. However, to become involved in the Church’s apostolate while at the same time having to think of the necessities needed in carrying it out effectively will not be very conducive for our catechists. Needless to say, they already have a lot of difficult concerns at home. It is essential for catechists to also find some fulfillment and enjoyment in order to find meaning in their ministry with the hope that, by having all the means for their catechetical apostolate, they become, in the words of Paul VI, “ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervor!”

Do you have a continuing formation program for the clergy? How would you describe your relationship with your clergy in general?

In general, there are scattered efforts both for individual priests and for the clergy in general which may not fall under the category of “ongoing formation” but which are nonetheless “formative.” We have two priests undergoing further studies in Rome right now. Priests are also encouraged to attend formation and skills training seminars called for regionally or by the different Episcopal Commissions in the Philippines. We have our annual retreat and annual Rest and Recreation. We also meet regularly for our clergy meeting and recollection. Notwithstanding these beautiful activities however is our need to devise a clear ongoing formation program for ourselves. At the moment, a continuing formation program is yet to be defined for our clergy in the diocese. We meet and gather as a clergy regularly but our agenda had been largely pastoral in nature and hardly developmental on our part. I hope that soon we can, as a clergy, take another serious look at the ad intra part without neglecting the ad extra aspect of our ministry.