MANILA, August 25 – The National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA-JP), the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP), will hold a National Consultation to assess the 2002 "Alay Kapwa" (AK) Lenten campaign and to prepare for next year's campaign. The consultation is scheduled on September 10 to 13
at the Paradise Hotel in Malolos, Bulacan.The 2003 Lenten campaign will focus on the theme "The Christian Family: Good News for the Third Millennium,"
which echoes the theme for the Fourth World Meeting of Families to be held in Manila in January next year.
The objectives of the National Consultation are the following:
1. Assess the 2002 Alay Kapwa campaign - identify gains and limitations of the campaign in terms of materials, participation, collection, evangelization, organizational, etc; factors
that hindered implementation; and factors that facilitated implementation; and areas of improvement.
2. Design and develop the 2003 Alay Kapwa Campaign - formulate the national theme for
the approval of the ECSA-JP Board and develop the materials, in terms of contents and form for the campaign.
3. Identify other potential areas of collaboration among social action
directors and diocesan AK coordinators in the areas of planning and implementing of activities, strategies, and tactics during the pre-campaign, campaign period and post campaign period of the national
program.
4. Identify dioceses with concrete AK program for case studies.
5. Discuss other concerns and issues regarding the AK program, especially in the light of the
Social Action Apostolate of the Catholic Church.
The Consultation begins in the afternoon of September 10, when participants will be welcomed by Sr. Rosanne Mallillin, SPC, NASSA-JP executive secretary. This will be followed by a
presenation of the national report and a discussion on the national situation.
The first workshop will consist of sharing and discussions of diocesan experiences on the Alay Kapwa 2002
implementation. A Eucharistic Celebration will be held after, followed by dinner and group reporting and synthesis of the regional report.
The second session on the following day will tackle
the Consecrated Life of the Family and its application to social change and charity. Following immediately will be Workshop 2, which will seek to identify position and goals for AK in the light of the
National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR) priority on family issues.
In the afternoon, participants will be brought for exposure to an AK supported program in the
diocese. The Eucharistic Celebration will be held in the exposure area.
Workshop 3 will be held after dinner and will discuss the Workshop 2 report and focus on Theme Formulation and
Goal Setting for the 2003 AK campaign.
After a briefing of the previous day's activities, the group moves into Session 4: Identifying Strategies, Tactics, Activities and Materials Essential
for an Effective 2003 campaign. Workshop 4 follows, featuring Outline formation for National AK Materials.
Regional Presentation of Outlines and Topics for Inclusion in the AK
Evangelization materials will be the Activity for Workshop 5. Session 5 deals with the Finalization and Consolidation of Goals, Plans and Strategies for the 2003 event.
Session 6 will identify dioceses to be included in the case study book "Testimonies of Hope Vol. II."
A Eucharistic Celebration, fellowship dinner and Solidarity Night caps the National
Consultation.
Alay Kapwa this year aims to ensure that the forthcoming Universal Church's celebration of the Fourth World Meeting of Families, to be hosted by the Philippines, will be given
importance in the light of the aspirations of the AK. In January 2003, families from around the world will gather in Manila to renew their commitment to the Church as the Good News for the third
millennium.
It will be the right time for the Lenten program of the Philippine Church to take the jubilation of the world meeting of families to challenge Filipinos to stand for the renewal
of their faith and com-mitment. AK will also take cognizance of the three pastoral priorities adopted by the Social Action Network (SAN) as the focal point of its apostolate. To include the
family for this year will not defeat the stand of the SAN but rather expand its reach for evangelization. It is the hope of AK to build a civilization of love in the Community of Disciples, which is
opting to be a Church of the Poor, and embarking on a renewed integral evangelization.
