MANILA, October 5, 2011—The Committee on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is organizing a national assembly of diocesan BEC directors this month.
Fr. Amado Picardal of the CBCP BEC Committee said the diocesan BEC directors will be having a simple gathering at the Bukal ng Tipan Center in Taytay, Rizal from October 11 to 13.
“The purpose of this gathering is to establish contact between the CBCP-BEC national office and the diocesan BEC directors, to come up with a general assessment of the BECs in the Philippines, to make preparation for the regional BEC assemblies starting 2012, and to prepare for the National BEC Congress in 2015 in line with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Vatican II,” Picardal said.
Since participation at the national assembly of diocesan BEC directors will be paid for by the dioceses, the CBCP-BEC Committee expects only at least one delegate for each of the 86 dioceses and archdiocese nationwide.
“We are asking each diocese to shoulder the travel expenses and the registration fee for their respective delegates. The registration fee is P1,950. This already includes the board and lodging for the duration of the assembly (air-conditioned/double occupancy per room), the use of the facilities and other material,” Picardal added.
Expected to grace the assembly is Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo and Davao Auxiliary Bishop George Rimando. Pabillo is the Chair of CBCP-NASA While Rimando is the head of the CBCP Committee on Basic Ecclesial Communities.
Earlier, Picardal attended a gathering of Asian BEC leaders to assess the state and development of BECs in their respective countries, fifty years after the BEC was conceptualized during the Second Vatican Council.
BEC practitioners from India, Sri Lanka, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and the Philippines gathered at the One World Community Service Center in Taipei from September 2 to 5 for the Asian Continental BEC Meeting to report on the state and development of BECs in their respective countries. Picardal represented the Philippines.
According to Picardal, the conference, themed “BECs in Asia 50 years after Vatican II,” was held in preparation for the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council next year, when a separate conference for BEC practitioners all over the world will be held in Germany.
The continental conferences and that which is slated in Germany next year are meant to identify the challenges to the BECs in Asia and throughout the world “in the light of the recent social, economic, and cultural developments, especially globalization and post or late modernity.” (CBCPNews)
