Responding the Postmodern Challenges

          We cannot deny the fact that we are facing today the realm of the postmodern world. This is the world described by the ancient sophist, Protagoras wherein each person claims to be the ‘mensura omnium’ or the gauge of everything to exist. 

Lack of respect for others and violence are on the rise; deterioration of ethics becomes increasingly evident; relativism sets forth; rejection of the transcendent and even proliferation of new religious movements which propose a spirituality without God become inevitable. We are indeed apparently moving into a new cultural epoch when people are ignoring the call of the Church. As Christians present in the ‘here and now’, we are encouraged to face the challenge ardently. 
Nonetheless, thanks to the recent Pontiff, Pope Francis who is known for his simplicity and humility who keeps on encouraging the Christian faithful to embrace a new chapter of evangelization guided by the joy of the Gospel while undertaking a new path for the Church continuous journey. He urges us to immerse in the world with eyes open to its joys and sufferings and with hands calloused from sharing the everyday struggles of those around us. By so doing, sharing the three-fold mission of Christ and being eager to respond to the call to become a servant leader in the future, I am absolutely encouraged to be in communion with the very sentiments and behaviour of Christ, the Good Shepherd through a collaborative work with Christ’s Faithful in responding the postmodern challenges.

On searching God

            Inevitably, every human person has the inner dynamism to crave for the Absolute Truth. Indeed, the quest which has started since time immemorial continues even until now in order to ultimately quench the thirst for such Being. Yet humans as we are wherein finitude becomes an act of property, as it is embedded in our nature as a non-essential perfection which necessarily flows from our being, the capacity to commit mistake conclusion in relation to this search is inescapable. Be that as it may however, with the help of intellectual studies and conventions which deal about the topic, I may have a notion about this Being.

            Neo-scholasticism has in fact one of the best approaches in this study. This is because of its line of thinking as having a cognitive propositional approach in dealing the reality of God (i.e The Supreme Being, that which nothing Greater can be thought of). Cognitive Proportionalists have clearly defined that the reality of God is knowable with certainty through human expression and language although presumably they have conceived supernatural revelation as a practical necessity for the communication of doctrine.

            As for me although apparently revelation is intellectualized and reduced to a quantifiable set of propositional statements according to critiques, I still firmly believe that this should not be absolutely adjudicated to be in this way. This is because as presumed, God reveals Himself where such revelation is developing through the signs of the times. Although the concept of God ‘per se’ is beyond any human expression at least, Neo-Scholasticism gives us the conviction that God is truly real. It might be that the model is platonic-scholastic and pre-Freudan in character being ignorant to the role of human emotions and instincts; epistemologically no account of the diversity of people as regards to their capacity for comprehending truth; and linguistically unaware of the limitations of language with regards to encapsulating truth, however, the approach remains one of the best means in the search of God’s existence. Certainly, Neo-scholastics’ utilization of the cognitive propositional approach promotes unity in the church, fosters a lively sense of mission and responds to the human need for answers. So therefore, the model notwithstanding its weaknesses remains reliable to give us certain truth especially about God.

To form is to be formed.

“Pastoral formation is not only about the acquisition of skills but also about the formation of the heart of a true pastor” (PPPF no. 172). Fully aware of the nature of the Church as a ‘communion’, the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos endeavours to implement a type of formation not only to ensure intellectual isometrics, pastoral competence and practical skills but also and especially ‘a way of being’ in communion with the very sentiments and behaviour of Christ as the Good Shepherd through seminarians’ exposure in pastoral areas specifically in a parish. In accordance with the post-synodal apostolic exhortation, ‘Pastores Dabo Vobis # 58’, being the living cell of local and specialized pastoral work, the parish serves as the ideal context for the seminarians pastoral formation.

In San Pedro Calungsod Parish, Pulangbato, Cebu City, four seminarians are being assigned to immerse themselves in the life situations of the lay faithful. The pastoral team is led by Sem. Neil J. Cortes together with the members Sem. Jaime Oscar Aspril and Sem. Jose Zeno Vincent O. Gucor and a pre-deaconate program applicant Sem. Josie Mar E. Gudes. Sharing the three-fold mission of Christ (e.g. prophetic, kingly and priestly ministries), they are indulged into working side by side with the faithful in the mission of renewed integral evangelization. The pastoral team in the persons of Sems. Neil, J.o and Zeno, is involved in bible sharing groups specifically in Dita and Binaliw 3 whereas, Sem. Joguds is immersed in the parochial religious activities. Nonetheless, guided by the shepherding skills and enriching charisma of the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Benjie Herrera, these seminarians become competent to respond with zeal and fervour the emerging spiritual needs of the community. Indeed, the San Pedro Calungsod Parish as a Christian community where the four of us seminarians collaborate has educated us the human virtues needed to become effective ministers in the future.