The Church here and there · Rare Periodicals · Open Access Repository @ UPD

Title

The Church here and there

Language

English

Source

Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas XLIII (487) November 1969

Year

1969

Subject

Catholic Church

Christianity

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

THE CHURCH HERE AND THERE SURVEY SHOWS HIGH RATIO OF SUNDAY MASS ATTENDANCE More than 45 per cent of the “obliged” (obligati) faithful in the Archdiocese of Manila attend tbs Sunday Masses. This was revealed in a survey conducted by a special committee headed by Bishop Bienvenido Lopez and composed of priests and lay leaders with the help of able statisticians. The projections and figures are a Summary-Report and an EvaluativeComparative Study on Mass attendance and communicants contained in a pamphlet issued by the Arzobispado. The term OBLIGATI used here refers to Catholics of seven years of age and above who are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and Holydays and are bound by the Easter precept. 1. The Archdiocese of Manila has: a. 106 parishes, a total population of 3,324,004 and a total Catholic population of 2,843,747 (86,24*7) of the total population with 2,266,632 as obligati. b. A total ordinary Sunday Mass-Attendance of 1,037,198 that is 45.76*7 of the total number of obligati, 36.47% of the total Catholic population and 31.21*7 of the total population. c. A total number of 196,355 ordinary-Sunday Communicants; that is 18.95% of the total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance; 8.66*7 of the total number of obligati; 6.90t>c of the total Catholic popu lation and 5.91% of the total population. 2. 7 he City of Manila has: a. 33 parishes, a total population of 1,287,176 with a total Catholic population of 1,095,280 (85.09% of the total population) with 873,098 as obligati. b. A total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance of 515,538; that is 59.05% of the total number of obligati; 47.07*7 of the total Catholic population. c. A total number of 87,272 ordinary-Sunday Communicants; that is 16.94% of the total ordinary-Sunday Mass attendance, 10.00*7 of the number of obligati; 7.97 r/c of the total population. 904 BOLETIN ECLESIASTICO DE FILIPINAS 3. Quezon City has: a. 16 parishes, a total population of 505,844 with a total Catholic population of 431,390 (85.28% of the total population) with 358,150 as obligati. b. A total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance of 188,989, that is 52.77% of the total number of obligati; 43.81% of the total Catholic population and 37.36% of the total population. c. A total number of 39,200 ordinary-Sunday Communicants; that is 20.74% of the total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendanoe; 10.95% of total number of obligati; 9.09% of the Catholic population and 7.75% of the total population. 4. Pasay City has: a. 6 parishes, with a total population of 141,442 and a total Catholic population of 122,617 (86.69% of the total population with 96,139 as obligati. b. A total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance of 40,033; that is 41.64% of the total number of obligati; 32.65% of the total Catholic popula tion and 28.30%'of the total population. c. A total number of 6,757 ordinary-Sunday Communicants; that is 16.88% of the total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance; 7.03% of the total number of obligati; 5.51% of the total Catholic population; and 4.78% of the total population. 5. Caloocan City has: a. 5 parishes with a total population of 220,631 and a total Cotholic population of 194,168 (88.01% of the total population). 154,754 are obligati. b. A total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance of 31,821; that is 20.56% of die total number of obligati; 16.39% of the total Catholic popu lation and 14.42% of the total population. c. A total number of 7,915 ordinary-Sunday Communicants; that is 24.87% of the total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance, 5.11% of the total number of obligati; 4.08% of the total Catholic population and 3.59% of the total population. 6. The Province of Rizal has: a. 46 parishes with a total population of 1,148,911 and a total Cadiolic population of 984,292 (85.67% of the total population), 784,484 are obligati. b. A total ordinary-Sunday Mass Attendance of 260,817; that is 33.25% of the total number of obligati; 26.50% of the total Catholic popula tion and 22.70% of the total population. THE CHURCH HERE AND THERE 905 c. A total number of 55,211 ordinary-Sunday Communicants; that is 21.01% the total number of obligati; 5.61% of die total catholic population and 4.81 % of the total ordinary-Sunday Mass Atten dance; 7.04% of the total population. LARGEST — EVER NUMBER OF VOCATIONS Fifty-eight have entered St. Mary’s seminary in Santa Barbara, California (USA) this year. The event, rather unique in a period like the present when religious vocations are scarce, has been celebrated by the Vincentian Fathers (Congregation of die Missions), who in their 150 years of existence in the United States, have never had such a large group of novices. Fifteen of the group came from St. Vincent High School in Montebello, near Los Angeles; the others studied in schools conducted by the Vincentians: Lemont, Illinois; Cape Girar deau in Missouri; and Beaumont in Texas. COMMUNICATIONS FOUNDATION RELEASES DOCUMENTARY FILM “How does die Catholic Church with its institutions come to the aid of American society?” In response to this question the U.S. Catholic Conference has produced, in collaboration with the Cadiolic Foundation of Communications a documentary film in colour, entitled “You are my people.” The short film, which lasts about 26 minutes, has been produced in New Orleans and shows the activities of 5,300 priests, sisters and laity working in schools, hospital, social centers, and other places. “Although produced in New Orleans,” said Bishop Joseph Bcrnardin, Secre tary General of the Catholic Conference, “the film has a significance of much wider scope and gives an idea of the action of the Church in community service in general.” The title, “You are my people,” derives from a musical theme of the documentary which is a liturgical folk song, composed and sung by the Damiens, a group of five seminarians from New, Orleans. NEW MEMBERS OF COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION The Pope has added 11 new Bishop-members to die Pontifical Commission for Communications Media. They are Archbishop Hannan of New Orleans, U.S.A.; Maronite-rite Archbishop Elie Farah of Cyprus; Archbishop Motolesc of Taranto. Italy; Archbishop Hyacinth Thiandoum of Dakar, Senegal; Arch bishop Cantero Cuadcrno of Zaragoza, Spain; Archbishop Fortier of Sherbrooke. Que; Archbishop Picachy of Calcutta, India; Bishop Wilhelm Kempf of Lim burg, Germany; Auxiliary Bishop Muldoon of Sydney, Australia; Bishop Jobidon of Mzuzu, Malawi; and Bishop Lucien Metzinger, SS.CC., of the independent prelature of Ayaviri, Peru. 906 BOLETIN ECLESIASTICO DE PILIPINAS POPE PRAISES Y. C. W. Pope Paul VI sent a message of good will to Rienzic Rupasinghc, presi dent of the Young Christian Workers (YCW). during the international Con vention in Beirut, Lebanon. Nothing that this meeting follows similar ones in Rome, Rio de Janeiro and Bangkok, Pope Paul praised the organization for launching the future apostolate for young workers.- “These” he said, form one masive bloc, know the same difficulties, live the same, trials and the same hopes, and are anxious and im patient to make their mark on the world. “To these youths, the YCW movement offers a free and uncomplicated gift of fraternal friendship. In the small communities a ferment of the Church that fortifies the best aspirations of one for the other and leads those young to the light of the Gospel...the best work of the YCW movement, today as yesterday.” Praising the international scope of the organization and the love of neighbor it inculcates, the Pope went on to express his thanks to “this movement which finds in every one of its groups a cell of the Church. . . vivified by divine life.” The Pope encouraged tha«delcgates to “go forward, ardently and generously, calling all young workers around the world to constitute with you the people of God in a community of love.” SURVEY OF FRENCH CATHOLICS Two-thirds of French Catholics responding to an informal survey by the bishops favoured keeping the obligation of priestly celibacy. Of the 50,000 lay persons responding to the survey on the life and ministry of priests and bishops, 40% were opposed to priests holding non-priestly jobs. Most of the ■ respondents were very cautious about political involvement on the part of priests. The survey was not scientifically conducted. It was merely a consultation initiated without a precise questionnaire by the bishops and carried on by various newspapers, organizations and Catholic movements. Almost all those responding were practising Catholics, but the social classes in France were very unequally represented. Of the respondents, 2I7.4% were professional persons — although they make up only 4.3% of the population - and 4.1% of the responses came from the working class — which is 29%'uf the population. The survey or consultation, was initiated last spring by the bishops to pre pare for the national assemblies of bishops and priests in May and October. THE CHURCH HERE AND THERE 907 The results have only now been published by the bishops’ commission for the lay apostolate. Individual responses often stressed that die priest is “the witness of eternal realities,” a consecrated man, separated from the world. Many said they regret that die priest does not pray enough, or is involved in “activism.” Responses also asked that priest be submissive to the Pope and the bishops. Despite the conservatism of most response, a sizable minority expressed the view that the structures of the Church must be entirely rethought, that priests should be able to work at non-priestly jobs and that married men should be or dained. Many respondents said that priests are too clerical and should be more concerned with cooperating with lay persons. CATHOLIC STATISTICS FOR INDIA The Catholic population of India increased from 6,515,592 in 1964 to 7,607,694 in 1968; the number of priests rose from 7,751 to 8,680; the number of foreign priests serving in India declined. In the period 1964-1968; the number of Brothers rose from 1,503 to 2,136 and the number of Sisters from 23,673 to 30,305. The number of foreign nuns working in India fell from 2,115 to 2,007. All of the 17 archdioceses in India are headed by Indian-born prelates. Of the 56 residential bishops only 14 are foreign-born. The Indian government has been encouraging tbe “Indianization” of Christ ian missions, and has repeatedly reaffirmed that foreign missionaries will be permitted into the country only in exceptional circumstances when no suitable Indian is available. CATHOLIC STATISTICS FOR JAPAN The Catholic population of Japan increased by 4.079 last year, the lowest annual increase since 1947, according to figures released by the National Catho lic Committee. As of June 30, 1969, there were 348,422 Catholics in a total population of 102 million. There was a decline of 4.516 in the number of catechumens from 13,716 in 1968 to 9,200 in 1969. For the first time since 1947, infant Baptisms — 6,792 - - exceeded those of adults - - 6.445. 908 BOLETIN ECLESIASTICO DE FILIPINAS The number of Japanese priests, Religious and diocesan, stayed about the same: 716 in 1969, compared to 713 in 1968. There was a decrease of 26 in the number of missionary priest, from 1,191 in 1968 to 1,165 in 1969. There was a decrease of 80 in die number of major seminarians to a total of 1.595. Japanese Sisters number 5,125, an increase of 141; missionary Sisters dec reased by 46 to 1,002. The statistics indicate diat Cadiolic educational institutions continue to grow, despite die extreme difficulty of maintaining private schools, and that Catholic activity in the field of social welfare also continues to expand. In 1967, for example, seven Catholic institutions cared for 602 handicapped children; in 1969, 13 Catholic institutions cared for 1,124. DE COLORES Reprints of You and Your Spiritual Director You and Your Service Sheet by FR. GUILLERMO TEJON, O.P. Now Available at: Fathers’ Residence BOLETIN ECLESIASTICO DE FILIPINAS U.S.T., MANILA D-403 P0.30 PER COPY

pages

903-908