CATECHISTS STEP FORWARD!

Fr. Tim Pfeiffer praises those who help the priests in the Philippine missions. 

The Legion of Mary and ACIM Asia are the two greatest assistants of our priestly work in the Philippines.  Specifically for us in Mindanao they provide a strong and beautifulpoint of entry and contact into the apostolic field.

ACIM-Asia Opening A Front

ACIM-Asia, a pro-bono Medical group headquartered in and mostly supported by France, began its

work in General Santos with the first large Rosa Mystica Medical Mission in August 2007. Since then,

it has established medical contacts in and around General Santos which have developed into catechetical work in 7 nearby villages. These locations alone account for about 200 people currently going to church or being taught catechism in one way or another. In terms of realistic potential in these areas, if we only had the workers, we could easily double that number. While it is even more necessary to deepen the Catholic faith and spiritual life of these souls, maintaining even a basic Catholic contact with as many as possible is urgent.

The Enemy Presses

Sadly, Protestants are active everywhere and only the native indolence of the people is slowing

down their progress. Our readers can only imagine the anguish this situation causes us when it is chiefly through lack of workers, lack of time and resources that we are not able to do more to stem the tide of apostasy and restore the Reign of Christ through the Sacraments.

Legion of Mary Into Combat

Meanwhile, also working throughout Mindanao is the Legion of Mary (LOM). The first LOM

Presidium was established on the Island in 1999 in General Santos and later in 2007 in Cagayan de Oro.

Starting from these initial Presidia, the LOM in Mindanao throughout our 6 dependent Mass Centers

now has 12 Presidia with about 70 active members. Throughout our Mindanao Missions, the LOM is the back-bone of catechetical follow-up, location of and preparation of the sick, as well as home visitations. By and large, what a nurse is to a doctor, the LOM is to the Mission Priest. The priest arrives in the mission like a doctor in the operating room and goes to work based on the information and guidance provided by the nurse, who then performs the critical follow-up, based on the instructions of the priest. It’s a fairly good and efficient system, and without it, there could be no real development of the mission Mass Centers.  Although the LOM is not alone in fulfilling its critical role, it is, however, the most important and consistent of the missionary organizations. Worthy of mention is also the apostolic youth group, the Apostles of Mary, who do exactly the same thing as the Legionaries and work quite smoothly with them.

How can you help?

The biggest and best way to help is for competent teachers, craftsmen or workers to volunteer here for 8 months to a year. But be warned, it is not an easy proposition and requires a religious sort of commitment as well as sufficient personal means. Another way to help is by financially supporting the

Catechetical Centers; they need funds to provide materials and transport. While a lot of ink could be devoted to the subject of transportation, suffice it to say that it costs about 65 pesos (US$1.60) per person per Sunday and there are about 120 people to transport every week. Another way you could help us is by supporting our construction projects, both here in Davao, in Gensan and in our villages.

And finally, above all, you can help us by your prayers and sacrifices, as we too can help you. The Philippines is no more a mission country thanyour own home country. We are all missionaries today and we all must help one another.

Please be assured of our prayers