“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” 

Ecclesiastes 3:1

THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY’S RESPONSE TO POPE FRANCIS’ “JOY OF THE GOSPEL“

Captivated by the Holy Spirit, the Filipino Council of Archdiocese of Baltimore enters the 7 th year of existence with strong determination of stirring into flame the love and serve we want for the Lord.

After carefully examining and identifying what Filipino Catholic values and spirituality would better live out Pope Francis’ call as expressed in his 2013 apostolic exhortation, “Joy of the Gospel,” and Archbishop William E. Lori’s pastoral direction, “A Light Brightly Visible,” that is, lighting the path for all Catholics to be missionary disciples in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the FC of AOB determines the following values and realizations very important in giving witness to a life of missionary discipleship in the setting of US American Church:

CREATING A CULTURE OF ENCOUNTER:

We find the many events we create, wherein Filipino families or leaders come, can become opportunities of “great encounters” with God and other Filipino families. All our activities, projects, or celebrations are opportunities to bring the reign of God’s goodness and the solidarity of Fil-Am organizations to one and the same purpose: to
love and serve the Lord.

We use these encounters to bring all Filipino organizations and/or non-Filipino organizations in Archdiocese of Baltimore or outside the Archdiocese in a more consistent and organized manner, until we have achieved an atmosphere of openness and trust among one another. These encounters bring lasting friendship and total
cooperation.

These encounters lead to prayer, proclamation of and reflection on the Word, and worship of the Lord. All Archdiocesan and religious gathering are purposed to bring all Fil-Am families and others to an encounter, to unity, and to works of collaboration.

Many gatherings become “encounter with God” and “encounters with others’” whose hearts are called to join together, help one another, and embrace the one mission of our Lord Jesus Christ.

CELEBRATING IS NOT ENOUGH, BUT FORMING INTENTIONAL DISCIPLES IS CRITICAL:

The purpose of every event is ultimately to have an encounter with God, who first encounters us, so that inspired and equipped by the Holy Spirit, a person will decide to follow and serve the Lord according to His way.
The Filipino Council of Archdiocese of Baltimore aims to draw the gifts and religiosity of many Filipino-American leaders to come to the realization that we cannot simply be in a “celebration mode” or “maintenance mode” of spirituality that is evidenced only by celebrating popular religious devotions or Filipino traditions, or by just doing
what we used to do in the past. We aim to bring our people to an “event” of personal encounter with the love of Jesus, where change of heart and transformation of mind happen. It is the intention of FC (Filipino Council of AOB (Archdiocese of Baltimore) to create these opportunities for our leaders to experience an ”encounter” that will lead to
transforming of life, following Jesus, and serving the Lord.

We believe that if our people are moved by the love of Jesus in a very personal way, they will respond powerfully to His call to missionary discipleship, driven by their loving response to God’s love. Yes, if we experience that God truly loves us, our lives will move and be driven by this love to share whatever we have, and to follow and serve
the Lord.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIP AND ENRICHING CHRIST’S MISSION IN PARTNERSHIP

We are sent to make known the Good News to all peoples in all places through all the things we do and say. Our organizations, whether religious, civic, cultural or parish- based organizations exist in circumstances where God gives us opportunities to proclaim the Good News.

Filipino Council of Archdiocese of Baltimore responds to this universal call of God by harnessing the gifts and power of all groups in becoming strong proclaimers of the Gospel. We do this by facilitating structures and conditions that proclaim right relationships among our people and that involve a spirituality that emphasizes personal friendship with God who first encounters us in love. We aim to promote in all Filipino organizations the Filipino Catholic values, active participation in the life of the local Church, solidarity of all Filipino Catholic organizations, formation of Filipino leaders, as well as a fervent commitment to the continuing mission of the Church in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Mission partnership involves speaking, being, and doing always God’s mission of restoring all people to unity with God and with each other in Christ. Blessed and grateful, we accept that we are being sent in God’s Name. We are called by God to be one. We realize that this unity is rooted in divine life and its realization derives from our unity in Christ given at baptism.