Rural concerns

THE Philippine Church is preparing for the second Rural Congress, meant to mainstream the rural concerns in the Church. As we all know, because of rural conditions, these concerns tend to be taken for granted and neglected.

Thus, it’s a good and most welcome move. Everyone is encouraged to participate in any constructive or positively critical way he or she can. It surely will mark a step forward in the maturing process of our Church.

Thus, in a diocese where I visited recently, they held a presentation of what so far they had studied and gathered after a few months of consultation and dialoguing with several elements and players involved in this big event.

I must say that the group that undertook the study made a good, highly professional job. And to think that they did it all on purely volunteer basis! That was indeed very edifying. Let’s hope we can have more of this generosity!

Just the same, we have to say that in spite of the extensive coverage of the study that yielded many interesting findings, certain limitations and unresolved questions can still be noted.

In short, for any sociological study on certain aspects of Church life to be effective, it should have its due guidance from theology and other sciences related to faith.

This is because the social sciences are always in need of some proper moorings. By themselves, they cannot capture the intricacies of Church life that’s mainly governed by spiritual and supernatural realities.

I was immediately struck, for example, by the frequent and seemingly indiscriminate conclusion, after issues were discussed, that the “Church presence has to be felt more” in this area or in that aspect of rural life.

What is Church presence exactly? How is the concept of Church to be understood in the rural context? If Church presence is limited to presence of priests in an area, that would be wrong, since the Church is all the people of God, and not just priests.

It’s good that certain disturbing findings are brought out. Like, there’s an impression that priests seem to go to the remote rural areas only on “fiestas,” and after that, they are hardly seen. Also, that priests seem to say Mass in these places only when the “stipend is right.”

These are complex issues that need to be studied and tackled thoroughly. We should refrain from making rash judgments. For one, there’s a great lack of priests. But certainly, whatever can lead to these impressions should be removed.

But if by Church presence is meant that priests should now be more involved in social activities like organizing cooperatives and running business ventures, micro-financing outlets, etc., at the expense of their spiritual and pastoral ministry, then we have a violation of priestly identity and office.

I think what is needed here is to empower the lay faithful so they can be more active in triggering not only more economic activity and social justice in the rural areas but more importantly in infusing the proper healthy Christian spirit there.

In this regard, a lot of prudence on the part of priests and other Church leaders is needed. While problems and irregularities should be acknowledged, the abiding attitude to take should be constructive and unitive rather than divisive.

It’s a matter of coordinating with relevant parties, encouraging them to have the sense of solidarity to foster what would further authentic Christian development in these places.

It’s a matter of putting together for the good of all the rich and the poor, the city and the rural, the public and private sectors, and others. While we have to observe the distinctions, we should avoid putting them in conflict.

There are already many initiatives, NGOs and private foundations that are working for the good of the rural folks. The network of family farm schools and foundations like the Sugbuanon Foundation for the Development of Rural Resources and Effective Area Management are some examples.

They are doing a great job in rural development. Our Church officials should establish some relations with them. They should encourage these initiatives and inspire other people to do the same.

They don’t have to reinvent the wheel and stray from their proper roles in the Church and society.