Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate

PAUL VI REGIONAL BIBLICAL CENTER

for Mindanao

Silver Jubilee Celebration

Mergrande  Ocean Resort, Bago Aplaya

Talomo, Davao City

August 27-28, 2010

THE BEGINNING OF PAUL VI BIBLICAL CENTER FOR MINDANAO

The first regional biblicalcenter was established in Northern Philippines; coincidentally the secondregional biblical center was established in Southern Philippines, here in theCity of Davao.And this is the reason for our present celebration.

Twenty-five years ago on August29, 1985, PAUL VI BIBLICAL CENTER (PVIBC) FOR MINDANAO officially started whenBishop Cirilo Almario, then Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on theBiblical Apostolate of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (ECBA-CBCP), blessed the temporaryoffice of PVIBC situated at the Formation House of the Sacred Heart Brothers inCatalunan Grande, Davao City. I had the honor ofbeing the first Director of this center, and I received my appointment for thistask directly from he Chairman of ECBA himself.

Paul VI Biblical Center is thesecond regional biblical center in the Philippinesfounded to serve a large geographic region of our country, which is Mindanao.  JohnPaul I Biblical Center, based in ViganCity, Ilocos Sur, was the firstbiblical center established to serve a region, Northern Luzon. In fact the success of this regional center, which had beenofficially recognized as such by ECBA-CBCP, was the inspiration for thefoundation of Paul VI Biblical Center and all other ensuing regional biblicalcenters under the aegis of ECBA.

It was in early 1985 when theSuperior General of the Society of the Divine Word, Very Rev. Fr. HenryHeekeren, SVD, assigned me to Davao City for two reasons: to join the teachingstaff of the Regional Major Seminary (REMASE), then administered by the SVD,and to found a regional biblical center in this city of southern Philippines,“similar to the one co-founded by an SVD confrere, Fr. Ludger Feldkaemper, inVigan, northern Philippines”. Fr. General Heekeren, an exegete by profession,was a great lover of God’s Word.

Following the mandate of Fr.Superior General I left Surigao for Davaoin June 1985 to teach at REMASE and to establish a biblical regional center.The Brothers of the Sacred Heart, whose house is situated near the seminary,were kind enough to accommodate the center temporarily in their community. Withthe help of the Benedictine Sisters of the Eucharistic King in Davao, I was able toorganize the first members of the biblical center staff. What name should thecenter be given? After some days of reflection, we agreed to call it after PopePaul VI mainly because of his great encyclical “EVANGELII NUNTIANDI”, whichgives great importance to the proclamation of the Word of God inre-evangelizing the modern world. He was also the first Vicar of Christ tovisit the Philippines.

Having no experience of how torun a regional biblical center, we five staff members were privileged to enjoya working tour in Vigan (soon after the blessing of PVIBC) to observe how JPIBCwas being managed on daily basis and how it served the biblical apostolate ofall the dioceses of Northern Luzon.

It took us staff members severalmonths to prepare ourselves for our mission: to form diocesan core groups forthe biblical apostolate in all the dioceses of Mindanao.To introduce the biblical pastoral ministry to the church leaders of this hugeisland, our staff decided to hold the first Basic Bible Seminar for the Regionof Mindanao, attended by priests, religious men (including a Benedictine Abbot)and women, lay leaders from various dioceses of the island in the first week ofFebruary 1986, during the critical period of Philippine history shortly beforethe EDSA Revolution. It was held at St. Benedict Priory, Ulas, Davao, of the BenedictineSisters of the Eucharistic King.

Bishop Almario, taking cognizanceof the emerging regional biblical center for Mindanao,invited all PVIBC staff members to participate at the First National BiblicalWorkshop held in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. We from Mindanao were lucky toget the last plane from Davao to Manila before the outbreakof the EDSA revolution in the night of February 22, 1986. Despite the criticalevents in Manilathe workshop went on. While we biblical apostles were praying, studying,reflecting on the Word of God, the power of God’s Word dwelling in the heartsof the people, was triumphant at EDSA, effecting a peaceful deliverance of theFilipinos from political oppression. That EDSA experience inspired us toproclaim God’s Word more resolutely in our region.

After attending the FirstNational Biblical Workshop with our hearts euphoric and on fire with the EDSAexperience, our team started to go around the big island of Mindanao to formdiocesan core groups for the biblical apostolate by giving the Basic BibleSeminar (BBS) and the Basic Facilitators’ Seminar (BFS), following the famoushandbooks prepared by JPIBC of Vigan. Our work was greatly facilitated when wefinally acquired a home of our own not far from the seminary, at Monte Maria Village, CatalunanGrande. In this house we did office work during weekdays and prepared ourselvesfor the big task during week-ends (Friday through Sunday), when the wholestaff, riding in an old but serviceable Volkswagen Combi, filled with bibles andseminar paraphernalia, would travel to a designated place to give BBS and BFSto prospective diocesan biblical animators. It was both work and fun, travelingfrom Davao to practically all the dioceses ofMindanao from the east to the west, from the north to the south as far asZamboanga and Basilan Island.

Our team had an outreach in Cebu Citywhen Cardinal Vidal invited us in 1987 to give the Basic Bible Seminar to theChurch leaders of the Visayas for the purpose of starting the biblical pastoralministry in this region. The participants were awe-inspiring: the Cardinalhimself, all the Auxiliary Bishops of Cebu, Monsignori, Vicars General andEpiscopal Vicars of various Visayan dioceses and other priests with high ranks,some of whom became bishops later on. But despite their dignity and rank in theChurch these men were very attentive to the basic lectures on the bible justlike ordinary people as though they knew nothing of Sacred Scripture. Abeautiful scene happened in Cebu when CardinalVidal humbly knelt before a simple priest to get his copy of the Holy Bible atthe “graduation” rite of the BBS. Luckily someone took a picture of thatmoment, which I still exhibit in my private room, being an unforgettableexperience of mine as PVIBC director. The result of the seminar was theestablishment of Saint Jerome Regional Biblical Center in Cebu Cityfor the Visayas, the third regional biblical center recognized by ECBA.

To deepen the biblical knowledgeof the lay facilitators, we organized a “Summer Biblical Institute” during thelong vacation, which offered serious biblical studies. I gave exegeticalcourses on the Epistles of Paul, the Infancy Narratives and the Pentateuch invarious venues in Mindanao. For the youth andmusic lovers, we organized two Gospel Song Workshops which inspired theparticipants to compose original songs based on the bible passage which hadbeen explained in the workshop. We published a monthly news letter on theactivities of the center. Having heard the same recurring questions on biblicalmatters and passages during the open forum held after a Basic FacilitatorSeminar, I wrote a booklet in Cebuano entitled “MGA KASAGARANG PANGUTANA” (THEUSUAL QUESTIONS) which is a collection of these common questions and theiranswers. We translated the “Basic Bible Seminar” (BBS) handbook of JPIBC intoCebuano, the language most commonly spoken in Mindanao,and published a limited number of copies for our own use and for the use of theBBS facilitators trained by our team.

Our travels from one diocese toanother were physically tiring but were spiritually uplifting because peoplenever got tired of listening to us on account of their deep hunger for God’sWord. Our seminars were holistic, which included singing, “biblical aerobics”,personal reflection, group bible sharing and the celebration of the Sacramentsof Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Visible “conversions” of people, moved bythe power of the Word of God were not a rarity. After each seminar when theyreceived copy of the Holy Bible in a solemn rite, it was inspiring to see howthe participants resolved to treasure the Word of God like a pearl of greatprice.

We are grateful to God for makingthe people of Mindanao very appreciative ofHis Word. The seed that we planted twenty five years has grown into a big treebecause PVIBC keeps on animating and forming more biblical apostles of thelocal churches of Mindanao   through the years. As ECBA Chairman manyyears later, I feel so elated to see our old friends in the biblical apostolateremaining active and inspiring younger people to continue what they started.The fact that the delegation of PVIBC is always the biggest in every NationalBiblical Workshop is proof that the Word of God is very alive in Mindanao.

I would like to end this shortremembrance of things past with notes of thanksgiving. First, I would like toexpress my gratitude to the Society of the Divine Word, which was instrumentalin the beginning of PVIBC, not only by the mandate of the Superior General butby concrete financial help which supported our center, including theacquisition of the property and house in Davao City. Second, I have to thankthe several funding agencies in Europe like the Missio in Germany and Austria for helping us buythousands of bibles from the Philippine Bible Society, which we sold to seminarparticipants at a very low price of Php 15.00. Third, I recall with fondness myformer staff members, who labored so hard to preach the Word of God to thewhole Mindanao. PVIBC could not have startedwithout the help of the Benedictine Sisters of the Eucharistic King,particularly the late Sr. Henrietta Sebastian, OSB, the co-foundress of JPIBCin Vigan, Sr. Angelica Metilla, OSB, our first collaborator and Sr. CecileLañas, OSB, a very energetic biblical apostle, who led the seminar participantsin doing “biblical aerobics” with her gracious movements. I thank Fr. FelipeParaguya, a member of the REMASE staff, who became my assistant and eventuallysucceeded me as Director of the center. Mention must be made of the lay personswho formed part of the original PVIBC family: Ms. Josefita Matutina, Ms. MercyParaguya, Mr. Salvador Fulvadora. Mr. Fernando Palacio and Mr. Cesar Delalamon.Moreover, there were many volunteers who worked with us and for us at our PVIBChome in Monte Maria Villageduring special events, among whom were seminarians of the Regional MajorSeminary, who often came to visit us, ever ready to offer help in carrying outvarious activities of the center during their free time.

In 2005 the Bishops of Mindanaodecided to transfer PVIBC from Davaoto Ozamis, where it is now based under the leadership of Fr. Iluminado G. Rojo,the Director of the regional biblical center since April 26 of that year. Theplace is secondary, what is important is the fulfillment of the center’smission. No matter where it is, PVIBC will continue to sow the seeds of lovefor the Word of God in the hearts of the people in Mindanao, the aim for whichit was founded twenty five years ago.

Bp. Arturo M. Bastes, SVD

Bishop of Sorsogon

CHAIRMAN's MESSAGE

Congratulations!

It is with immense joy that we greet you all on the occasion of The Silver Jubilee Celebration of the active ministry of Pope Paul VI Regional Biblical Center for Mindanao.

With the establishment of PopePaul VI Biblical Center in Davao, Mindanao holds the unique distinction of having thesecond regional biblical center in the country. Rev. Fr. Arturo M. Bastes SVD,the former Chairman of the Episcopal Commission for the Biblical Apostolate(ECBA-CBCP) and now the local ordinary of the Diocese of Sorsogon founded thisimportant biblical center. The center served faithfully the entire region forthe last twenty five years (1985-2010).

The idea of having a regionalbiblical center for the Mindanao region was animportant decision of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Mindanao-Sulu.Through the dedicated service of the biblical center, the Biblical Apostolategained support and acceptance particularly in the far flung communities. Thecenter provided the on-going biblical pastoral formation through the regulargiving of Basic Bible Seminars and Summer Bible Institutes. The biblicalprograms that have been designed are geared toward the building of BasicEcclesial Communities. We can say that the Biblical Apostolate through thededicated services of the staff of Pope Paul VI Biblical Center strengthenedthe foundation and formation of the BEC programs in Mindanao.It is our hope to continue to gather small communities around the Word of Godin the small Christian communities. It is the Word of God that will continue toempower the people of God to do good in their daily lives. It is the Word ofGod that "....is useful for teaching the truth. rebuking error, correctingfaults, and giving instructions for right living so that the person who servesGod may be fully equipped to do every kind of good deed" (2 Tim 3,16f).

There is reason, therefore, tocelebrate the Silver Jubilee of Pope Paul VI Regional Biblical Center ofMindanao. It is THROUGH the Word of God that we can celebrate our thanksgiving.It is IN the Word of God that we continue to reflect our lives in prayer andaction. It is WITH the Word of God that we move on as dynamic partners in the   biblical- pastoral ministry together with ourShepherd Bishops and our dedicated lay ministers, lay coordinators, layleaders, benefactors and BEC’s. Mabuhay and Pulong sa Ginoo and the dedicatedSTAFF of Pope Paul VI Regional Biblical Center (Achdiocese of Ozamis).

Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio S.David, DD

ECBA - Chairman

Catholic Bishops’ Conference ofthe Philippines

Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando, Pampanga