THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL: SHIFTS, REALIZATIONS AND DIRECTIONS FOR CATECHESIS AND CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

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1 THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL: SHIFTS, REALIZATIONS AND DIRECTIONS FOR CATECHESIS AND CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES MSGR. GERARDO O. SANTOS, Ed.D. (A Paper delivered to UST Theology Week 2013, 7 April 2013) Vatican II has an enduring legacy. The text of Council s message to the world says it well: Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we intend in this meeting to seek the most effective ways of renewing ourselves and of becoming increasingly more faithful witnesses of the gospel of Christ. (October 20, 1962) 1 Pertinent to our discussion are these words from John XXIII. From the renewed, serene and tranquil adherence to all the teaching of the church in its entirety and preciseness, as it still shines forth in the acts of the Council of Trent and First Vatican Council, the Christian, Catholic and apostolic spirit of the whole world expects a step forward toward a doctrinal penetration and a formation of consciences in faithful and perfect conformity to the authentic doctrine which, however, should be studied and expounded through methods of research and through the literary forms of modern thought. The substance of the ancient doctrine of the Deposit of faith is one thing and the way in which it is presented is another. And it is the latter that must be taken into great consideration with patience if necessary, everything being measured in the forms and proportions of a magisterium which is predominantly pastoral in character. 2 Paul VI builds on the directions of John XXIII. He identifies the four objectives of the council: the awareness of the church, the renewal of the church, the ecumenical agenda and building bridges with world. (Vatican II, Opening of the Second Session, 29 September 1963) 3 1 Anderson, Floyd Ed., Council Daybook: Vatican II Volume I: Text of Council s Message to the World, Washington NCWC, 1965, p Anderson, Floyd Ed., Council Daybook: Vatican II Volume I: Pope John Opening of First Session (October 11, 1962), Washington NCWC, p Anderson, Floyd Ed., Council Daybook: Vatican II Volume I: Pope Paul VI, Opening of 2 nd Session September 29, 1963, Washington NCWC, pp Vatican II did not fall from the sky. Divine initiative coupled with human cooperation brought about movements in the church. Biblical, liturgical and catechetical movements contextualized in specific cultural epochs and particular scholarly research brought about changes that contributed to the build up to Vatican II. The paper is divided into three major sections: 1. A General Situationer: Catechesis and Catholic Education. 2. Realizations: Shifts and Changes 3. Directions: Proposed Agenda for Catechesis and Catholic Education Some documents to consider: Catechesis: Vatican II does not have a full document on catechesis. But there are provisions in: Christus Dominus (1966), Ad Gentes (1966), Gravissimum Educationis (1966), Inter Mirifica (1963) and the Code of Canon Law (1983) Catechesi Tradendae, John Paul II (1979) General Directory for Catechesis (1997) Catechism of the Catholic Church (1993) National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines (2007) Catechism for the Filipino Catholics (1997) Catholic Education: Gravissimum Educationis (1965) The Catholic School, Congregation for Catholic Education (1977) Ex Corde Ecclesiae, John Paul II (1990) Pastoral Letter on the Occasion of the 400 years of Catholic Education in the Philippines, CBCP, I. A GENERAL SITUATIONER CATECHESIS Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP, the architect of contemporary Philippine catechesis introduced the growth of catechetical ministry in the Philippines in a relation of the CBCP in preparation for the Extraordinary Synod of November 25, s1985 (20 years after Vatican II). In the field of catechesis the Church in the Philippines has made considerable progress in the years after Vatican II. The formation of catechists, the preparation of materials for catechesis, and the actual imparting of catechetical formation are primary concerns of the Philippine hierarchy. The directives of the Council contained especially in the decree Christus Dominus and in the declaration Gravissimum Educationis, as well as other documents later issued by Rome for the

2 implementation of the Council s prescriptions, e.g., the General Catechetical Directory, and the 1977 Synod of Bishops, have been heartily received. Serious efforts have also been exerted for their implementation. In particular, several centers have been established for the formation of catechists in various parts of the archipelago. The Episcopal Commission on Education and Religious Instruction (ECERI) has been particularly active. It has prepared the National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines (NCDP), recently approved by the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, and is engaged in the preparation of the National Catechism. In a great number of dioceses, a special catechetical organization as well as specific funding for catechesis has been established although, regrettably, this fund is not always sufficient to meet the many needs the dioceses must attend to. The catechetical teams established in dioceses, as well as catechists in the parishes, impart Catholic doctrine and education in a most selfless way, often at the cost of great personal sacrifice. 4 Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP spearheaded the writing of the following important documents in catechesis: the National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines (1984), the Catechism for the Filipino Catholics (1997) and finalized the revision National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines (2007). It is for this reason that he is considered the architect of contemporary Philippine Catechesis. Catechetical life continues to develop with the Philippine Constitution incorporating Optional Religious Instruction in Public Schools : Article 14, section 3, paragraph 3. At the option expressed in writing by the parents or guardians, religion shall be allowed to be taught to their children or wards in public elementary and high schools within the regular class hours by instructors designated or approved by the religious authorities of the religion to which the children or wards belong, without additional cost to the government. Every year since 1987, catechists enter the public schools at regular school hours, teaching and transmitting the faith. With the cooperation of good principals and teachers, the faith is nourished through liturgical celebrations, first Friday masses and first confession and first communion in the public schools. One cannot overlook the contribution of Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, a 4 Position Paper of the CBCP for the Questionnaire of the General Secretariat of the 1985 Extraordinary Synod. p.27. member of the Philippine Constitutional Commission in the advancement of this provision in the constitution. Upon the assumption as chair of the ECCCE and honorary member of the CEAP National Board, Archbishop Socrates Villegas mobilized the various programs in the spirit of communion and mission. On the national level, catechetical programs are strengthened through the following annual conferences: a. The annual summer catechetical institute for priests held at the Siena Retreat House in Baguio. Catechetical directors undergo on going training supervised by the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education; b. Annual Meeting of Catechetical Ministers and Coordinators. Diocesan Catechetical directors and coordinators (lay and religious) hold a conference on relevant issues and programs on catechesis; c. The establishment of the Association of Catechetical Centers and Colleges of Religious Education (ACCCRE). Through the inspiration of Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, catechetical centers and colleges offering religious education degree programs come together and review and re engineer catechetical formation curriculum relevant to the times. Among the programs of ACCCRE is the certification program of catechetical centers under the diocesan bishop and the religious education program under the catholic college or university; d. Annual Summit of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education Advisory Council and the CEAP Commission on Christian Formation. A step forward to building communion among dioceses and Catholic schools, this annual meeting strengthens linkages between diocesan catechetical formation leaders and Catholic school Christian formation leaders. These gatherings produced strategic plans that help provide continuous programs in dioceses and schools all over the country. CATHOLIC EDUCATION The Pastoral Letter of the CBCP on the occasion of the 400 years of Catholic Education in the Philippines provides a good overview of the lights and shadows of Catholic Education in the Philippines. Of special interest is the survey of Catholic education these past 400 years, with a strong yet humble question how will the local church be without the Catholic school? What will the country be without Catholic schools? 5 5 Palma, DD, Jose, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines A Pastoral Letter of the CBCP on the Occasion of the 400 Years of Catholic Education

3 The establishment of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines a communion of Catholic schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines is instrumental in the continuous development of Catholic education in the Philippines. Since the Second Vatican Council, a number of developments are to be noted: a. The growth of the accreditation program among Catholic schools that ensure excellence in the various programs of the schools. Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) is borne of CEAP s commitment to quality assurance. b. The Self Assessment Instrument of Assumption Antipolo on How Catholic is your School? (HCIYS): a deep appreciation of the Catholic tradition particularly in the programs and activities of basic education schools c. The review and revision of the syllabus of the religious education of Catholic schools in view of the K 12 program and the Department of Education values education. d. The Certificate in Catholic School Leadership Program aimed at strengthening the catholic character in the management and leadership of Catholic schools. e. The Galilee program for catechists in catholic schools aimed at bringing together in communion in prayer and reflection the educators in the faith. f. The Bidahan program for students in Catholic schools aimed to bring together Catholic students in circles of discernment imbued with the Church s catholic social teachings. II. REALIZATIONS: SHIFTS AND CHANGES Catechesis and catholic education need to re focus on the following: content, learner, teacher, process. CONTENT Christianity is not about ideas or statements. It is the revelation of God becoming a human being a fleshed God who died and rose again from the dead. And this God man opens us to the door of faith that opens us to the community of believers known as the church. This is in the Philippines: Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:20), January 29, Pp 1-2. the heart of catechesis and catholic education - that every catholic school becomes the locus of the encounter with Christ. Every catholic school is a place to see Jesus, to love Jesus and to follow Jesus. Moreover, every Catholic school should be a place of encounter where young people cultivate their sense of the church. LEARNER The learner of today thinks independently, feels differently and has the will to act uniquely. They have a mind that can sour into the past, present and even the future that can analyze, compare, evaluate, synthesize, draw out, develop, or test ideas. A mind that can know the world outside They have a heart that beats; that is fully alive; that can love with all the might; that can feel different emotions emotions that sometimes we could not describe --- a conglomeration of emotions. They have a will that can move our whole being into action through joy and sadness, through pleasure and pain, through triumph and hardships. Fr. Daniel Franklin Pilario, CM in his talk during the CEAP National Convention last August of 2012 entitled: The Postmodern Mind and Christian Education described the characteristics of the youth today. Interactivity One consequence of interactivity is the leveling off of knowledge production process in our times. What pulls people to these spaces is the democratized way of information sharing where each one can contribute what one knows from distinct location where one speaks. The social media (twitter, MySpace, Flicker, Google, etc.) makes possible knowledge generation from all directions, thus, erasing the boundaries between expert knowledge and mass culture, between high and low, etc. Playfulness Gone are the days when we have to sit straight, all lined up, properly smiling when we take photos. We are now in the times of wacky shots, distorted faces and jump shots. Pastiche pastiche and bricolage most often acting as works of satire and parody. A pastiche is one work of art coming from a combination of different genres from different sources, taken out of their original contexts and hodge-podge together. In short, halo-halo. TEACHER A Vision of 21 st Century Teachers: Adapting and evolving, teachers digitally empower diverse learners to connect, communicate, collaborate and create in an interactive technology-rich environment. The 21 st century teacher with technology as a tool, students grasp the power of numbers, the impact of words, a sense of global community, the wonders of science The teacher spend 4 hours a week maintaining a class website, 20 hours carrying out interactive white board activities, 5-10 hours online researching learning resources. The students collaborate

4 to create multimedia reports, construct knowledge about novels on WIKI, blog to share analysis of literature, create digital music mixes for presentation soundtracks, use digital cameras to capture math in a real world, shot videos to express themselves in differentiated learning style, gain from face to face and online learning activities, synthesize science information into videos that they create, respond to surveys to by texting, create digital books about themselves and their world, get in touch with Shakespeare anywhere, anytime. Interact in online projects with other students across the country. Take virtual fieldtrips, blog about issues in their lives and in the world around them, interact with class materials through their student response cards. On the teachers blogs, students speak up even the shy ones. The visual learners comprehend difficult concepts through videos gathered from web. It s not just about technology itself It s about unleashing the powers that students bring with them into the classroom. About literacies, inventive thinking, and productivity, about teaching students to be comfortable with uncertainty, about nurturing global confidence about meeting difficult learning styles, about opening opportunities to commit, to communicate and create, about leadership, infrastructure, and training. It s about the other alignment alignment with real life, about kids preparing not for the past but for their future. We ve made a start but we can do more. We can do more with technology, more critical thinking, more problem solving, more working within a community of learners, more global interaction A 21 st century teacher and learner: I learn and relearn I define and redefine Encourage me, support me, challenge me, enable me, let me inspire, let me engage, let me digitally empower. Who dares to teach must never cease to learn. John Cotton Dana Note: This is a transcription of the Video from YOUTUBE produced by The Mahoning Country Educational Service Center of Ohio entitled A Vision of 21 st Century Teachers PROCESS Both catechesis and catholic education emphasize the centrality of the learner in the teaching learning process. Life long learning, contextualized process are expressive of the teaching learning process. A curriculum framework adopted by the department of Education is Understanding by Design (UBD). It focuses on standards of learning and desired outcomes that aim at students able to demonstrate communicative competence; think intelligently, critically and creatively in life situations; make informed and values-based decisions; perform their civic duties; use resources sustainably; and participate actively in artistic and cultural activities and in the promotion of wellness and lifelong fitness. 6 On the higher educational institutions, eleven strategic challenges are identified by Donald A. Hanna. Among others are: a borderless education landscape, establishing interdisciplinary programs, emphasis on connected and lifelong learning and building strategic alliances with others. 7 Catechetical methodology is varied according to the National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines. Directives identified by the NCDP are: - The effectiveness of any methodology depends on its intelligent use. - There is no single best method of catechizing - Every adequate catechetical methodology must be grounded explicitly on 3 bases: Scripture Tradition Human Experience - Focuses on the total catechetical environment - All catechetical methods gain their efficacy ultimately only through the work of the Holy Spirit. 8 III. DIRECTIONS: PROPOSED AGENDA OF CATECHESIS AND CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN THE THIRD MILLENIUM 1. The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines identifies Religion as Core of the Curriculum. What is the hermeneutics of this PCP directive in all Catholic schools in the country? How does this challenge effect change in the transmission of the Christian faith? Since curriculum includes content, methods/ strategies and environment, strengthening religion as core of curriculum may include the following: That every teacher in a Catholic school setting is a catechist called to tell and re tell the story of Jesus That the whole school environment is Christ centered and ecclesial 6 DepEd ORDER 31 s Implementing Guidelines of Grades 1 10 to enhanced basic education curriculum. 7 Hanna, Donald E. Building a Leadership Vision Eleven Strategic Challenges for Higher Education. 8 The Catholic bishops Conference of the Philippines, National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines 2007, 3 rd Printing. Manila, #

5 That every teacher integrates the core values of the gospel in every instructional encounter That every educator (teaching and non teaching) continues to deepen his/ her spiritual life through catechesis, worship and prayer and service of others Review and Re engineering of the Catechetical Program according to the K 12 Curriculum and its alignment with the Values Education Program of the Department of Education. It is the best time to integrate catechesis and values education in the catholic school. While values education is a separate subject in a good number of schools, values education can easily be integrated or infused in the catechesis/ religious education/ Christian living subject. The guidance program of the school needs to do articulation with the religious education and values education to include their areas of concern during homeroom period. This may mean the re training of all homeroom advisers. 3. The Sexuality Education (Educational Guidance in Human Love) in accordance with cultural values and the Christian message. Whether the RH Law is to be actualized or not, it may be good for the church to begin its program on sexuality (personhood program) so as to be pro active in addressing this issue. This may mean the following: That parents undergo a systematic training in human sexuality and its attendant values (the parents are the first educators of the faith and morals). The home is the proper venue of human sexuality. That teachers do in depth formation on human sexuality and its attendant values That the enrichment modules be developmentally (age appropriate) appropriate and values laden, integrated in the whole curriculum 4. The strengthening of the organic and systems link between the Dioceses and the Catholic schools. We need to synergize, collaborate and articulate areas of assistance and service in the service of the new evangelization 6. The renewal of the role of parents as primary educators of faith and morals in the home. 7. The challenge of ecumenism and inter faith dialogue in Catholic schools and in the catechetical program. 8. The call to engaged citizenship. Through the formation of a social conscience, schools become institutions of learning and appropriating values. 9. Advocacy for optional religious instruction in the Public schools. Provide values and spiritual formation for teachers through conferences and for a in the public schools 10. The pivotal role of the pastor in the catechetical program. The clergy needs to renew their commitment to the formation of the young in formal and non formal education. Wasting time with the young is a challenge for priests today. CONCLUSIONS The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines is the response of the church to the challenges posed by Vatican II. A sense of church and her mission, renewal through the liturgy and the Word of God, ecumenism and interfaith dialogue and building bridges with the world are the agenda of Vatican II. The renewal of Christian life and the revitalization of church and society are the objectives of PCP II. While the documents of the church are clear and purposeful, the work to implement these directions rests on us. While all is offered in prayer in so far as primacy of grace is concerned, communion and cooperation are necessary are to renew the church today. Integral faith formation or catechesis in context is still the first pastoral priority of the church, a challenge that is seriously taken by all catholic schools in the country and by every catechist working in parishes and dioceses. 5. Review and Re engineering of formation programs of Catechetical Training Institutes with emphasis on family life, Basic ecclesial communities and youth animation. This should be followed by a systematic and effective program of on going formation for catechists in public and private schools in dioceses. 9 Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, #