February 25, 2025, the Parish Pastoral Council of the St. Stephen the Protomartyr Parish reconvened to review the ongoing commission activities and planned for the upcoming Liturgical Year 2025. The meeting was attended by our parish priest, Fr. Paulo B. Barandon, PPC members, commission heads, and parish staff, and was held at Lanily Private Resort in Pandan, Ligao City. The meeting began with a simple prayer given by Fr. Pau, and was also then presided by him to review the agenda of the meeting. After which, our parish pastoral worker Ms. Mabel Offemaria, then presented each commission the Annual Operational Plan and perspectives to be discussed. The first-half of the meeting focused on the Parish Commissions mainly: Worship, Christian Education, Social Concerns, Temporalities, Ecclesial Communities, Family and Life, Youth, Clergy and Consecrated Life, and Media and Communications.
For a brief summary of the important points in the Annual Plan of each Commissions; the Commission on Worship (PCW) would focus and target this year to have a complete set of organized BPC Officers on the barangays, sitios and village under the care of the parish. Moreover, the commission will conduct regular Basic Bible Seminars (BBS) for liturgical ministers to remind them of the essential role of the Bible in faith formation.
With the return of the Parish Catechetical Ministry (PCM) the Commission on Christian Education (PCEC) will center their viewpoint on the On-Going Formation (OGF) of the active catechists and the Basic Faith Formation (BFF) for the new recruits. At present, with 14 active catechists from seven barangays, the commission aims to recruit aspiring catechists across the 32 barangays, sitios and village under the parish.
Along with the upcoming Elections 2025, the Commission on Social Concerns (PCSC) highlighted to recruit Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) volunteers who will serve in the said Elections. A Voter’s Assistance Desk will also be available to help voters in any concerns related to voting (eg. finding voting precincts, etc.). Also, a Voter’s Education campaign will be done with the help of the PCMC to educate the public in the proper ways to vote using the Circle of Discernment.
To equip each BPC’s with the necessary tools to function as an active and productive organization, the Commission on Temporalities (PCT) will conduct training on Simple Financial Reporting and Deeds of Donation. This concern arose due to the issues regarding Barangay Chapel land donations. In addition, the PPC ExeCom through the PCT plans to start the renovation of the Parish Sacristy and the construction of Confessional Boxes.
The Commission on Ecclesial Communities (PCEC), opted to conduct a “Dialogue of Life,” which would invite people especially the Youth to have a talk about life, how they witnessed Christ in their lives. This dialogue will be spearheaded by the Neo Catechumenal Way and visit 8 Barangays in the Poblacion area of the City mainly: Guilid, Bagumbayan, Dunao, Calzada, Binatagan, Tuburan, Tinago, and Sta. Cruz. Also, a plan to revive the Couple’s For Christ (CFC) was discussed and will be further planned this coming months.
With the efforts of the Pre-Cana Team to help couples deepen their faith and grow closer to each other, the Commission on Family and Life (PCFL) will conduct counseling for married and unmarried couples. Moreover, the commission will also be open for counseling, catering vulnerable people undergoing mental health problems, this counseling will be administered by a licensed Psychometrician to give the needed professional help.
With regards the Commission on Youth (PCY), the commission plans to conduct summer Youth Encounters in the parish and one target of it is the Senior High School students of the CEAL school St. Mary’s Academy (SMA) of Ligao. For the Commission on Clergy and Consecrated Life (PCCCL), the commission plans to come-up with a group of sponsors and benefactors that are willing to pledge any amount on a monthly basis to help the Seminarians from the parish financially.
As a newly established commission, the Commission on Media and Communications (PCMC) plans to conduct series of trainings and seminars in lieu of media to strengthen the members skills and let them synergize more to latest media trends in order for them to effectively spread the good news. The latter-half of the meeting concluded after the discussion of the Lenten activities to be conducted in the parish and after some time, everyone anticipated the scrumptious dinner prepared for the team. The executive meeting was a success and everyone enjoyed the rest of the night with fun and laughter.
(RAM QUITASOL/Parish Secretariat)
