The Philippines Association of Catholic Missiologists (PACM) is born:

 James H. Kroeger, M.M.

             The fruits have been plentiful—some foreseen, others quite unexpected.  Indeed, the celebration by the Local Church in the Philippines of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 has produced numerous, perduring benefits.  All sectors of the Philippine Church have been graced;  the renewing action of the vivifying Spirit has become palpably present through many manifestations.

             The Philippine Bishops (CBCP) chose to make mission and evangelization central to the entire Jubilee Year experience:  they conducted a three-day workshop on Mission and Ecclesia in Asia for the CBCP itself;  they issued the inspiring document “Missions” and the Church in the Philippines:  A Pastoral Letter on the Church’s Mission in the New Millennium;  they sponsored the large National Mission Congress which they viewed as the “fitting culminating activity” of the Jubilee Year celebrations and the “first step as a Local Church into the Third Millennium.”

             In this context of a genuine “mission awakening,” several of the missiologists serving the Philippine Church, encouraged by Bishop Vicente C. Manuel, SVD, Chairman of the CBCP Commission on Missions, began to explore the feasibility and advantages of forming a professional missiological organization.  The purpose of such a group would be to foster and animate the Philippine Church being a “Church-in-Mission” (cf. Second Plenary Council of the Philippines: PCP-II, Nos. 102-115).

             Dreams and hopes became concrete realities when eleven Catholic Missiologists gathered in Cebu (August 17-19, 2001) to begin work on the National Mission Plan for the CBCP (a pivotal recommendation of the Cebu National Mission Congress);  the participants also explored the possibilities of forming a missiological society.  During this historic meeting, the assembled missiologists decided to forge ahead and initiate the Philippine Association of Catholic Missiologists (PACM).  The vision and commitment to renewal for mission had became concrete.  Cardinal Ricardo J. Vidal hosted the PACM at a luncheon, encouraging its members to pursue various activities of mission animation within the Local Church of the Philippines.  PACM had been born! 

             The momentum continued;  enthusiasm grew.  The fledgling PACM held its First Plenary Assembly at the Lorenzo Mission Institute in Manila (October 20-21, 2001).  The Association augmented and refined the proposed National Mission Plan for presentation at the January 2002 CBCP meeting.  PACM completed the tedious work of developing and ratifying its Statutes;  participants elected officers for 2001-2004;  future plans and activities were explored.  PACM had taken its first few steps.

             The PACM “exists for the purpose of fostering and animating the Philippine Church being a Church-in-Mission.”  It also “commits itself to promoting missiological research, studies and educational activities as well as encouraging collaboration among the Catholic missiologists of the Philippines.”  It members are “those persons who hold a graduate or post-graduate degree in the field of Missiology” (PACM Statutes).

             Currently the PACM counts sixteen degreed missiologists among its members.  Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao are represented.  In terms of their affiliations, the members are:  five diocesan priests, five Divine Word Missionaries (SVD), two Maryknoll priests (MM), one Dominican sister (OP), one Good Shepherd sister (RGS), one member of the Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP), and one member of the Lorenzo Ruiz Mission Society (LRMS).  Additional members will soon be added;  seven Filipinos are presently in Rome pursuing licentiates or doctorates in Missiology.

             PACM officers for 2001-2004 are the following:  President:  Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM;  Vice-President:  Msgr. Manuel G. Gabriel;  Secretary:  Sr. Ma. Jesusa G. Enginco, OP;  Treasurer:  Fr. Jose Vidamor B. Yu, LRMS.        

             The PACM recently held its Second Plenary Assembly in Tagaytay (February 21-23, 2002);  the group was graciously hosted by the seminary community of the Mission Society of the Philippines.  Updates on mission activities were given;  new members were welcomed;  proposals were presented to ascertain how the PACM could contribute to the implementation of the National Mission Plan that was unanimously approved by the Philippine Bishops (CBCP) on January 26, 2002.  Joyful enthusiasm characterized this second PACM Plenary Assembly.

             Members of PACM committed themselves to work in teams on five specific projects that emerge from the CBCP National Mission Plan:  (1) Design Missiology course(s) for use in seminaries, schools of theology, and religious formation centers;  (2) Complete a feasibility study on the establishment of a National Mission Institute;  (3) Propose a design for various regional and diocesan mission congresses, employing various approaches for different levels and audiences;  (4) Develop modules for mission animation and training of facilitators and educators;  (5) Publish a Directory of Mission Resources (courses, personnel, publications, etc.) available in the Philippine Church.

             A unique feature of the PACM Annual Plenary Assembly is a half-day Mission Conference;  this symposium is open to the public and addresses a current issue of missiological significance.  The recent Tagaytay Conference, held at the Divine Word School of Theology on February 22, 2002, explored the question:  “Is Dialogue Possible?  Muslims and Christians in Mindanao.”  Before an audience of 200 professors, students, and guests, Father Bill LaRousse, MM insightfully spoke of Muslim-Christian Dialogue in the context of southern Philippines. 

             The keynote presentation was then followed by reactions from two respondents.  Father Tony de Castro, SJ, a Church historian originating from Mindanao, and Sister Lilian Curaming, FMM, an Islamic expert engaged in Muslim-Christian dialogue, gave their perceptive reflections on the LaRousse paper.  A lively open forum completed the lengthy mission symposium.  The entire proceedings of the PACM Mission Conference 2002 will be published in a local theological journal.  It is also noteworthy that Father LaRousse, a PACM member with lengthy mission experience in Mindanao, has recently published a pivotal work:  Walking Together  Seeking Peace:  The Local Church of Mindanao-Sulu Journeying in Dialogue with the Muslim Community (1965-2000) [Claretian Publications, Manila].

 Becoming a “Church-in-Mission” is an ongoing endeavor and commitment;  yet, in fact, the realization of this dream is a hope that emerged from the Jubilee celebrations of the Church in the Philippines.  The nascent PACM desires to do its small share, to make its humble contribution, to enabling this Local Church to be a fully missionary faith community.  A professional group of missiologists like the PACM (though it is less than 20 members at this time) sees its yeast-like role within the Local Church.  From very modest origins, its mission contribution can grow and expand.  In addition, PACM realizes that it is only one of the many, praise-worthy evangelistic initiatives existing in the Philippine Church.

 PACM will gather for another mini-assembly and business meeting on August 16-17;  its main agenda will focus on the already-mentioned five mission projects it has undertaken in response to the implementation of the CBCP National Mission Plan.  The Third PACM Plenary Assembly is scheduled for Cebu in February 2003;  the topic of the Mission Conference 2003 will center on Evangelization and the Chinese Catholic Community in the Philippines.

 The PACM and its members see themselves “at the service of mission” within the Local Church;  they are profoundly aware that mission always remains “God’s Project” and that the Holy Spirit is “the principal agent of mission.”  They follow the view that the Church by her very nature is missionary, that evangelization is her proper vocation, her deepest identity.  In a word, the Church exists in order to evangelize;  likewise, for the PACM, to live is to evangelize.