I. Evangelization Programs The evangelization program of the parish is much anchored on the active participation of the laity. Lay people usually serve the parish on a volunteer basis. Some organizations and movements are very responsive to the call of spreading the gospel. But the membership of these groups is so minimal compared to the total number of its parishioners. The regular activities that are conducted are the following:
1. Pre-Sacramental Instruction
a. Pre-Jordan Seminar. This is a pre-sacramental instruction done every week for the parents and sponsors of children who are to be baptized. The seminar is conducted by the Parish Catechetical Apostolate.
b. Pre-Cana Seminar. The members of the Family and Life Apostolate conduct this seminar on a monthly basis on two consecutive Saturdays and Sundays. This is one of the requirements for marriage.
2. Public School Catechesis
Catechesis in the Public Schools is carried over by volunteer catechists who are members of the Parish Catechetical Apostolate. They give catechetical instruction two periods (30 minutes each period) a week for each classroom.
3. Parish Re-orientation Seminar
Selected lay persons usually members of Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) go to every chapel yearly to conduct Parish Re-orientation Seminar (PROS). This activity is done simultaneously with the patronal chapel visit in the month of June. Modules vary every year depending on the pastoral priorities and programs of the parish.
4. Other Programs
An annual recollection is also offered at the main Church. Seminars and recollections are also conducted by each respective parish based organizations.
II. The Administration of Temporal Goods
1. Remuneration for Parish Workers
The workers who are considered as regular employees of the parish are those working in the parish office and in the convent. The parish secretary, sepulcher, cook/laundry woman receive a lawful salary and social benefits. Other workers in the convent are working students. The catechists are considered as volunteers; however, they receive an allowance based on the number of hours they spent in the classroom. As of the present parish priest, the catechists receive social benefits.
2. Physical Structures
The Parish has a new grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and a new Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. The church building has undergone maintenance which was mainly financed by a private benefactor. But it has not yet permanently set up a working sacristy. The present plan as prioritized by the Parish Priest and the Parish Pastoral Council is the construction of a new Parish Convent with an estimated project cost of Eight Million Pesos.
3. Parish Sustenance
The parish is still primarily dependent on the Arancel System and other mass offerings. To carry out its projects fund raising activities are conducted such as solicitations and second collections.
4. Financial Administrators
The Parish Priest is still considered as the head administrator of the financial matters in the parish. The PPC has a treasurer and a finance committee which is the primary custodian of financial matters in close collaboration with the parish priest.
IV. Critique
IV. Critique
1. Priests, as co-workers with their bishops, have the primary duty of proclaiming the Gospel of God to all.[1] Thus, the highest priority must be given to evangelization. But sadly, the work of evangelization usually falls on the hands of the laity sometimes with little support from the pastors. Well, preaching is always given during the celebration of the Mass. But it doesn’t suffice if we have to consider the percentage of attendance during masses which would roughly be less than 10 percent of the total number of parishioners. If we have to count the efforts the pastor would say that much effort have been afforded to the work of evangelization. But if we have compare the amount of money spent for evangelizing works as against the maintenance and construction of projects, did we spent much for preaching the word of God?
2. Another aspect which the parish has not yet given attention is the works of the sacred apostolate and charity, especially the needy. This is part of the proper objectives as identified in Can. 1254 § 2. Would the parish include this matter in its plan for the administration of temporal goods? The answer only lies in the well informed Parish Administrator. That part of the Canon Law is one of the often neglected parts. Sometimes we get too engrossed with what gives us comfort and we only remember the needy during Christmas. They just become objects of our disguised charity to satisfy the fad brought by the season. And we are satisfied with giving “bundles of joy.”
3. Can. 1280 states that “every juridical person is to have its own finance committee.” The Parish of St. Paul might have satisfied this provision, but in my own opinion the existing finance committee which this parish has is just a part of the PPC not an independent one. Some other parishes have a Parish Finance Council which carries out the management of funds. I think our Parish needs such council. It is not an uncommon experience that those with financial responsibilities begin to feel that they are the ones responsible for its use. They can seek to determine how the money is spent and to whom it is given. It is the power that goes with the money that is corrupting. It can be easy to play favourites, and enhance one’s position by the way money is distributed.
4. Pursuant to Can. 1286 regarding the observance of civil laws in terms of employment, the parish at present has satisfied this provision. But to my knowledge some problems related to the security system for our volunteer catechists during the previous administrators have not yet been resolved. This is really one of the problematic areas for the newly assigned parish priests when the previous one is not diligent in giving the social benefits of our catechists.
5. As an ordinary parishioner, I have observed that it is practiced in this parish to publish or announce the financial report from the PPC treasurer regarding the outcome of fund raising activities and projects. This is a good practice and also expressed in Can. 1287 § 2. However, we would not know the accounts with regards to mass offerings and stipends as well as an annual report of financial status of the parish. Transparency is already practiced by there is a need to be more transparent as PCP II Acts and Decrees Article 119 states that “the rules of transparency should be strictly observed by priests, religious and lay Church related organizations in regard to Church assets and liabilities.”
IV. Conclusion
“Temporal goods of the Church have material value, carry commercial implications, fall within the market forces.”[2] These goods are owned and managed by the Church not for any other reason but to safeguard, sustain and promote the evangelizing mission. Thus, those who are assigned to administer these things should have an unquestionable dignity and competence to carry out the obligations most effectively. Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that these are for the welfare and integral wellbeing of the whole of the Christian faithful under the headship of Christ.
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