DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — An official from the Vatican, who hails from the province of Bohol in Central Visayas, has lauded the Diocese of Dumaguete for coming up with its Diocesan Pastoral Assembly (DPA), which he describes as relevant to Pope Francis’ thrust towards communion among Church leaders and members.
Fr. Elias Ayuban, Jr., a Claretian missionary and a Canon lawyer from the Dicastery on the Consecrated Life at the Vatican in Rome, was the resource speaker during a fellowship among the clergy and consecrated persons of the Diocese of Dumaguete here on Monday.
Speaking to more than 100 attendees, Ayuban talked about the importance of “communion” among the diocesan bishop, the clergy, and the religious congregations of priests, nuns and consecrated persons to strengthen relations, foster camaraderie, and most importantly, reinforce mutual relations among themselves.
In line with the diocesan programs under the DPA, he said, “It is very helpful because the moment the clergy and the consecrated persons are communing with one another, it shows that we have a God of communion and everything is possible by working together for a common mission.”
“The Pope is a pope of communion and he talks about (it) not only among Christians and Catholics but among all people of different faiths and he promotes peace and reconciliation and dialogue and it is one of the main proponents of this communion,” Ayuban said in an interview Monday evening.
He noted that since the DPA is for the common good of the people and if the people are involved in the planning, they will also make an effort to realize the plans and programs “because they own these and in the first place they thought about these programs.”
The Diocese of Dumaguete, headed by Bishop Julito Cortes, crafted the DPA following two years of consultations and dialogues with the clergy, religious and lay since 2015 in review of the pastoral programs and policies of the local church.
It includes a roadmap of the diocese in the next five years.
“They have to do so much to build the church, the kingdom of God here in Dumaguete and they can be good examples and this way of working together is really a sign of communion, that everything is possible if you only collaborate and work together,” he stressed. (Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA)
