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Report
on the Parish Consultative Forum
(Sunday, February 26, 2006)
Last February 26, at around 2:00pm, 148 parishioners
trooped to the Shechem Café, 2nd floor
of the Pastoral Center, to take part in a consultative
forum which will tackle the proposed reshuffle
of parish priests in the Diocese of Novaliches
come January 2007.
Rev. Fr. Charlie Aldema from
the Curia was practically awed by the unprecedented
turnout, which in other parishes merely produced
an average of 17 to 50 attendees. He then proceeded
to the task at hand – distributing the Questionnaires
which were to be answered in 15-20 minutes –
1. What do you think among the present
parish programs and activities are helpful in
building the church and the lay community? Please
write the top five(5) programs/activities.
2. What do you think, in your opinion,
are the present needs, plans, and concerns of
your parish that should be considered in appointing
your next parish priest or pastor? Please be specific.
3. Please write your other specific
concerns, recommendations or suggestions.
The parishioners were divided into 8 groups,
for a brief discussion of their individual positions
and responses.
Surprisingly, the answers given by the 148 or
so attendees (with diverse temperaments, persuasions,
and stations in life) were essentially the same
and boil down to the following points:
Answer 1 – All the 9 Ministries
with their own respective programs are equally
important, judging from the care and attention
given by Msgr. Romy.
Answer 2 – In terms of
ability, adaptability and excellence, Msgr. Romy
should be appointed, or reappointed, or retained
as the parish priest of our Cathedral.
Answer 3 – The main concern
of the parishioners is the weight and importance
that will be accorded (by the authority concerned)
to their high regard and affection for Msgr. Romy
in the resolution of this turbulent issue of reshuffle.
In the end, the parishioners asked Fr. Charlie
as to when they will be in formed of the results
of their concern. Fr. Charlie was non-committal,
as he replied: “Who knows? May be in one
year, five years, ten years... Just pray. Your
answers today will be treated as treasures.”
And so, let us wait and pray.
For the parishioners, though, one thing is sure,
they know how to treat a treasure when they see
one. In Msgr. Romy, they have found a treasure
of a parish priest in their minds and hearts and
they intend to keep him and love him in the Cathedral
– for a long while.
Prepared by:
Parish Pastoral Council Executive Committee
Kuya Brice D. Abella
Kuya Genesis Manalo
Kuya Lito Fernandez
Kuya Francis Nipal
Kuya Antonio Bicenio Jr.
Ate Florence Rana
Kuya Bill Ibañez
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