The Basic Ecclesial Communities or BEC are local Christian communities in neighborhoods within parishes described by the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) as “small communities of Christians, usually of families who gather around the Word of God and the Eucharist. These communities are united to their pastors
As the liturgical calendar goes in its annual cycle, the Church associates “the return of dates and seasons with the remembrance of past events.” (Dies Domini 76) Remembrance of these decisive events is then celebrated by people in a festive manner which gives vibrance and disrupts the monotone atmosphere of
Fifty days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost. On this feast day that concludes the Easter season, Catholics celebrate the beginning of the Church. The word Pentecost is derived from the Greek word “pentecoste” which means fiftieth. In Christian tradition, the faithful celebrate at
In 1955, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker in response to workers’ observance of the “May Day” Holiday. This led to the annual celebration of the said feast coinciding with the historic day of honor for workers worldwide. Joseph, the Lord’s foster father, was a
Chrism Mass is the Holy Mass celebrated by the bishop at the diocese’s cathedral church on Holy Thursday morning. Joined by the priests in the diocese, the celebration manifests the priests’ unity with their bishop. In the celebration, the bishop blesses three oils, namely the oil of catechumens, the oil
The final Sunday of Lent, which also serves as the beginning of Holy Week is called Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. On this day, the Catholic Church celebrates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, days before his passion and death on the cross. In the Gospels,
Six months after the annunciation of John’s birth to Zechariah, the angel of God, Archangel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in Galilee. There, he was sent to announce to the Virgin Mary the birth of the Son of the Most High – Jesus. Early Christians first celebrated the feast of
Other than the third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), priests also don rose-colored vestments on the fourth Sunday of Lent which the church calls Laetare Sunday. Similar to the meaning of Gaudete, the Latin word Laetare as well means “rejoice”. On Laetare Sunday, the Catholic Church which observes fasting and
During Lenten Season, Catholics go the extra mile in their practice of penitence. The faithful visit churches to pray the Via Crucis or Stations of the Cross. Walking through seven churches, devoted pilgrims pray two stations in each church they visit. Here is a route to seven churches in Manila
