Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Socrates C. Mesiona, MSP as the new bishop of Puerto Princesa in Palawan province. Mesiona replaces Bishop Pedro Arigo, 77, whose resignation has been accepted by the Pope after serving the diocese for 20 years. The announcement was made at 12 noon on 28 October 2016, Friday from the Vatican (6pm, Manila time). Mesiona, will be the seventh bishop of the vicariate since its establishment in 1910. The 53-year old bishop-elect is currently the executive secretary of the CBCP’s Commission on Mission and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the Philippines.
Mesiona was born in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on September 17, 1963. After his elementary school, he studied high school and Philosophy at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran and Theology at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City. He was ordained a priest on April 14, 1989 as a member of the Mission Society of the Philippines, where he also served as its former Father Moderator. In 1996, the bishop-elect also obtained a Licentiate in Missiology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Mesiona had also served as Rector of the Mission Society of the Philippines in Tagaytay City and parish priest of the Our Lady of the Abandoned in Mandaluyong City. In 2014, he was also appointed by His Holiness Pope Francis as member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples for a period of five years. Presently, he is also a member of the International Association of Catholic Missiologists (IACM).
PONTIFICAL MISSION SOCIETY
National Directors through the years...
------------------------- A Brief Philippine History (1932-2007) -------------------------
Siguión Period (1932-1950)
Father José Ma. Siguión, SJ (1881-1960) was appointed in 1932 by Manila Archbishop Michael J. O’Doherty as the first national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines (PMS). Various pontifical works had been organized in some dioceses as early as 1929.
Father José Ma. Siguión, SJ (1881-1960) was appointed in 1932 by Manila Archbishop Michael J. O’Doherty as the first national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines (PMS). Various pontifical works had been organized in some dioceses as early as 1929.
In addition to his fervent mission commitment, Father Siguión had been appointed in 1921 the editor of the scholarly magazine Cultura Social (founded in 1913). For an entire decade (1932-1941) Father Siguión was concomitantly both PMS National Director and editor of Cultura Social; this proved to be a great boon for mission.
The first General Assembly of the Directors of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith was held in 1938. An extant photograph can be found in the CS; it accompanied a four-page report of the “Primera Asamblea Misional de Filipinas” held on February 9-11, 1938 (CS, March 1938: 118-121).
The 1938 assembly made some important decisions: the PMS diocesan director has the task of animating parish priests for mission; the missionary union of the clergy is to be established in all dioceses; financial support for the missions is to be encouraged; the diocesan director should frequently visit the parishes; mission education is important.
The PMS activities that had begun so well and saw considerable progress under the capable leadership of Father Siguión came to an abrupt end when the tragedy of war erupted in the Philippines in late 1941. On February 15, 1945, even as the war continued, the Apostolic Delegate, Bishop Guglielmo Piani created the Catholic Welfare Organization (CWO) [forerunner of the CBCP].
Bustos Period (1950-1959)
Father Bustos set about his tasks. He rented an office on the fourth floor of a building in Estrada Street near Taft Avenue in Manila. For nine years, he carefully laid the foundations of a mission animation program, including the revival of the national mission assemblies, the establishment of a small publication entitled Catholic Missions, and the use of mission promotion posters.
Father Anselmo G. Bustos, SVD (1911-1983) served as the second national director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies. Father Bustos was the first in a long line of SVD personnel (Society of the Divine Word) who directed the PMS; the SVD generous service extended from 1950-1975 and 1983-1993, a total of thirty-five years.
Father Bustos set about his tasks. He rented an office on the fourth floor of a building in Estrada Street near Taft Avenue in Manila. For nine years, he carefully laid the foundations of a mission animation program, including the revival of the national mission assemblies, the establishment of a small publication entitled Catholic Missions, and the use of mission promotion posters.
As this period was drawing to a close, the Catholic Hierarchy of the Philippines issued a statement declaring 1959 to be a “Mission Year.” In their statement the bishops emphasized “how noble is the vocation of the missionary and how necessary is the work of the missions.”
Noting that the Philippine Church was ready “to undertake mission work of our own” and “to send out our own Filipino missionaries,” the bishops concluded their message: “Let the observance of this Mission Year make us all mission-minded, and let it be said of the Filipino nation in after-years that they gave freely what they freely received….”
Valerio Period (1959-1964)
Father Simeon O. Valerio, SVD (1918-2003) was named National Director of the Propagation of the Faith on July 14, 1959 by the Congregation of Propaganda Fide. As Father Valerio (bishop in 1974) began his service the country was in the midst of the celebration of the Mission Year of 1959.
Father Simeon O. Valerio, SVD (1918-2003) was named National Director of the Propagation of the Faith on July 14, 1959 by the Congregation of Propaganda Fide. As Father Valerio (bishop in 1974) began his service the country was in the midst of the celebration of the Mission Year of 1959.
For the first time in 1960, the Philippines sent the PMS National Director, Father Valerio, then only forty-two years old, to Rome for the annual meeting held by Propaganda Fide. Since the Philippines now had its first cardinal in the person of Rufino J. Santos (elevated as cardinal on March 28, 1960), the country enjoyed a new prominence in Church affairs.
It was in December 1960 that the Catholic Mission Crusade of the Philippines (CMCP) was organized with the purpose of attracting youth to the imperative of sharing their Christian faith; the movement built upon the vision of the successful Catholic Students Mission Crusade in the United States.
The annual Mission Assembly of the Diocesan Directors in 1963 made the important decision to always have the basic text of the Mission Sunday materials which is in English translated into six local dialects by regional representatives; materials would appear in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilongo, Waray, Ilocano, and Bicolano for greater effectivity.
One highlight of the 1964 Mission Assembly was the presentation by Bishop Epifanio B. Surban of Dumaguete regarding the Philippines’ desire to share the precious gift of faith with its Asian neighbors; the bishop spoke about the “establishment, maintenance, and expansion of the Philippine Foreign Mission Society”; the proposal raised many questions, but more importantly, stirred much enthusiasm. One year later in 1965 the proposal became reality.
Mission consciousness in the Philippines continued to grow. The Philippine bishops promulgated two joint pastoral letters on evangelization in 1964. In February they issued “On the Fourth Centenary of the Evangelization of the Philippines,” and in December they penned “The Philippines for Christ: Time to Launch a New Evangelization.”
Limon Period (1964-1970)
Father Federico G. Limon, SVD (1915-1996) became the PMS National Director in September 1964. Father (bishop in 1972) Limon also began some innovations in the PMS. The PMS publication, The Catholic Missions, was reformatted and renamed The Missions, with a bi-monthly printing of 60,000 copies.
Father Federico G. Limon, SVD (1915-1996) became the PMS National Director in September 1964. Father (bishop in 1972) Limon also began some innovations in the PMS. The PMS publication, The Catholic Missions, was reformatted and renamed The Missions, with a bi-monthly printing of 60,000 copies.
A convoluted saga of the PMS offices began in early 1966 when the PMS acquired a private residence situated at 824 Don Quijote, Sampaloc, Manila. Renovations of the old family house began on August 17, 1966; 80,000 pesos later, it had become the new PMS home.
The PMS national offices transferred to the facility on December 15, 1966. No longer did visitors have to climb the stairs to the rented fourth floor office on Estrada Street. The solemn blessing of the edifice by Rufino J. Cardinal Santos, with numerous dignitaries as guests, took place on February 22, 1967.
Less than six months later, on July 28, 1967, a fire which started from a nearby residence gutted the area; the building was a total loss; all records were burned and the editorial offices of The Missions and Holy Child were reduced to ashes. With great determination and generosity, Father Limon dedicated himself to the reconstruction project.
Fourteen months later, after having conducted its operations at the SVD Christ the King Seminary, the PMS once again moved to the same street and same address. The solemn blessing of the new, better designed and protected structure took place on Saturday, January 25, 1969.
A significant new initiative was launched in October 1969 when a group of sisters from different congregations met at Maryknoll College and decided to form the Mission Education Committee (MEC). This inter-congregational effort, endorsed by the PMS National Director and Rufino Cardinal Santos of Manila, proved to be a very effective vehicle for mission animation—for many decades.
Second Pizarro Period (1983-1993)
“Youth, Vocation, and Mission” captures much of the PMS emphasis in 1971. The PMS published two booklets on the various congregations for women and men in the Philippines: What You Have Always Wanted to Know about Sisters and Here I Am (about men’s groups). The Mission Education Committee completed a series of lesson plans for religion classes in the schools.
Father Gregorio I. Pizarro, SVD (1923-2005) became national director in 1970, continuing the long and much appreciated tradition of SVD service of the PMS.
“Youth, Vocation, and Mission” captures much of the PMS emphasis in 1971. The PMS published two booklets on the various congregations for women and men in the Philippines: What You Have Always Wanted to Know about Sisters and Here I Am (about men’s groups). The Mission Education Committee completed a series of lesson plans for religion classes in the schools.
The year 1972 was a time of three special commemorations: the 350th anniversary of the establishment of Propaganda Fide in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV (now CEP), the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in 1822, and the 50th anniversary of the Pontifical Mission Societies (the four societies received the official title of “pontifical” works in 1922).
In 1972 the PMS National Office gathered statistical data on the number of Filipino missionaries serving abroad. Succinctly expressed, there were a total of 419 missionaries, of which 392 were women religious from 21 congregations and 27 priests from 5 groups (The Missions 10:4 [1973], 12-13).
Martial Law was declared in the Philippines on September 21, 1972. Mission animation efforts by the PMS continued in the subsequent years, but much of the attention of the Church’s pastoral agents became focused on social-political-economic-religious issues in the context of Church and Society vis-à-vis Martial Law.
Rosales Period (1975-1982)
Bishop Gaudencio B. Rosales (1932), Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, became PMS National Director on September 18, 1975. Mission promotion activities during 1975, a Holy Year, continued in their usual patterns, especially with the dynamic Mission Education Committee composed of 30-40 religious sisters.
Bishop Gaudencio B. Rosales (1932- ), Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, became PMS National Director on September 18, 1975. Mission promotion activities during 1975, a Holy Year, continued in their usual patterns, especially with the dynamic Mission Education Committee composed of 30-40 religious sisters.
Perhaps the most far-reaching decision made in 1975 was the action to change from a regular magazine publication to a newsletter format. The chosen format would consist of one printed sheet that would be folded twice across its width to make it resemble a giant book mark; The Missions Newsletter was born.
Bishop Rosales capitalized on his travels to visit Filipino missionaries in Southeast Asia. Returning from the PMS meeting in Rome in May 1979, he visited members of the Philippine Mission Society (MSP) in Northern Thailand and in Indonesia [at this juncture Bishop Rosales was serving as the MSP Director].
Undoubtedly, the highlight of the seven-year Rosales period at the PMS was the International Mission Congress (IMC) held in Manila on December 2-7, 1979 to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Manila. The congress was jointly sponsored by the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Mission Aid Societies; its theme was: “The Good News of God’s Kingdom to the Peoples of Asia.”
The stated purpose of the IMC was: to discuss contemporary orientations in the Church’s Theology of Mission and to clarify and deepen the theological foundations of the work of the PMS; to renew the motivation for the Church’s primary task of evangelization; and, to provide renewed guidelines for policies and planning for the Church’s missionary effort.
Several high-quality publications were produced in this period: The Good News of God’s Kingdom to the Peoples of Asia (1980) and Toward a New Age in Mission: International Congress on Mission (1981). The PMS also published: “To Give Shining Witness” (1981) and “Mission” and the Philippines—Past, Present, Future by Francis X. Clark, SJ (1981).
Bishop Rosales and the PMS sponsored a special issue of 100,000 copies of The Missions Newsletter, featuring the life of Pope John Paul II; it was freely distributed in advance of the Pope’s visit in 1981. The year 1981 marked the first time that an RVM sister began working at the PMS. Gaudencio B. Rosales was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Malaybalay, Bukidnon on June 9, 1982. This loyal PMS servant became a cardinal on March 24, 2006.
Lat Period (1982-1983)
Bishop Leoncio L. Lat (1917-2002) assumed the office of PMS National Director when it was vacated by Bishop Gaudencio B. Rosales who took up his new responsibilities as auxiliary bishop of Malaybalay, Bukidnon.
Bishop Leoncio L. Lat (1917-2002) assumed the office of PMS National Director when it was vacated by Bishop Gaudencio B. Rosales who took up his new responsibilities as auxiliary bishop of Malaybalay, Bukidnon.
The 1982 National Mission Assembly focused on mission spirituality. Acceding to the request of the National Director, Cardinal Jaime Sin gave permission for Sister Therese J. Patrick, OCD to leave the cloister and address the Mission Assembly; her two-hour presentation emphasized that the true spirit of mission is contemplation rather than mere action.
The year 1982 also saw the release of the CBCP Pastoral Letter “A Church Sent” which recalled the missionary challenges of Pope John Paul II during his 1981 visit to the Philippines.
Second Pizarro Period (1983-1993)
Not being “new to the job,” Father Pizarro confidently set about his tasks. He confirmed plans for the National Mission Assembly in August 1983. During the actual gathering, buffeted by a strong typhoon, Bishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP presented a special, timely conference on “The Mission in the New Code” (released in 1983).
In the 75-year history of the PMS, Father Gregorio I. Pizarro, SVD (1923-2005) holds the unique distinction of being PMS National Director two times—and for two consecutive terms during his second period of service.
Not being “new to the job,” Father Pizarro confidently set about his tasks. He confirmed plans for the National Mission Assembly in August 1983. During the actual gathering, buffeted by a strong typhoon, Bishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP presented a special, timely conference on “The Mission in the New Code” (released in 1983).
Two highlights of the 1984 PMS mission assembly were: discussions on how to deepen the impact of the International Mission Congress five years after its celebration in 1979; and, the personal witnessing of two returning Filipino missionaries (Sister Digna R. Magtibay, MIC from Madagascar and Father Briccio Tamoro, SVD from Argentina).
Inspired by the Mission Sending Ceremony of the 1979 Mission Congress, Jaime Cardinal Sin continued to promote such an annual national ceremony. On February 20, 1987 at the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary 63 religious (27 men and 36 women) received their mission cross.
In 1987 the MEC membership included lay persons for the first time; this seemed fitting as 1987 had been declared the “Year of the Laity.” Father Pizarro reported that a serious difficulty he faced was that many diocesan directors were new and were frequently changed.
The eighth mission-sending ceremony was celebrated at Cardinal Sin’s residence on February 24, 1989. Calling upon the Holy Spirit, the cardinal presented the mission cross to 79 missioners (45 men from 8 congregations and 34 women from 10 congregations).
The 1991 month-long Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP-II) was a pivotal event for the local Church in the last decade of the second millennium. In his homily at the opening Eucharist, Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi spoke on the topic “The Council: A Journey towards Renewal and Unity.”
The final PCP-II document summarized its thrust: “The four week Council we are now concluding must in God’s grace be another Pentecost: Christ’s Spirit descending on us His people; and we, His people, going forth in-spirited to renew the face of the world—our little world first, the Philippines; and through this little world of ours, the wider world of Asia and beyond…” (Introduction).
The Church is defined in PCP-II as “a communion in a state of mission” (#103). She “exists for the world”; she is “sent on mission to proclaim the good news of Christ and to be the instrument of his grace” (#104). “While it is true that the Church has a mission towards Philippine society, it has also a very definite mission to the other peoples of Asia” (#106). Indeed, the PCP-II had rekindled the missionary fire in the hearts of numerous Filipinos.
Father Pizarro frequently spoke about the fact that Christ’s mission “is still very far from completion” and that since “this mission is still only beginning,” all PMS members “must commit ourselves whole-heartedly to its service” (RM 1). Another passage frequently cited by Father Pizarro asserts that “missionary activity ad intra is a credible sign and a stimulus for missionary activity ad extra, and visa versa” (RM 34).
Galvez Period (1993-1998)
Father Galvez stated that his aims were: “forming mission consciousness, fostering spiritual and missionary cooperation, promoting vocations for the missions, and bringing about the efficient collection of funds.”
On October 4, 1993 Father Gregorio I. Pizarro, SVD officially handed over the PMS responsibilities to Father José Antonio Santos Galvez (1959- ).
Father Galvez stated that his aims were: “forming mission consciousness, fostering spiritual and missionary cooperation, promoting vocations for the missions, and bringing about the efficient collection of funds.”
Manila was the scene of a confluence of religious and missionary activities in January of 1995. Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines (January 12-16); the Tenth World Youth Day (“The Manila Phenomenon”) was celebrated (January 10-15); the FABC held its Sixth Plenary Assembly (January 10-19), celebrating its silver jubilee of foundation in Manila (1970-1995).
Pope John Paul II used this opportunity to exhort everyone to engage in missionary evangelization. At the Welcome Ceremony on January 12, 1995, he stated: “The Church in the Philippines knows that it has a special vocation to bear witness to the Gospel in the heart of Asia.”
The Pope told the bishops (CBCP) on January 14: “Asia needs your help if it is to hear the Good News of Christ crucified and risen.” Remarkably, the Pope’s words echoed his 1981 message: “There is no doubt about it: the Philippines has a special missionary vocation to proclaim the Good News, to carry the light of Christ to the nations.”
Father Galvez, Sister Dael, RVM and Sister Cazar, CM had participated in the Holy Childhood Association Seminar-Exposure (February 12-24, 1995) held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Mission-Sending Ceremony in 1997 saw 62 missionaries joining the annual event (12 lay, 20 female and 30 male religious). Noteworthy also is that Philippine mission statistics (1997 Catholic Directory of the Philippines, 655-666) list 439 men and 1,284 women serving in foreign mission.
Father Galvez completed his term as PMS National Director in 1998; soon he was tapped to serve the PMS in Rome. On April 4, 2000 Galvez received his appointment as Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of Saint Peter the Apostle; he served in that position until 2005.
Mesiona Period (1998-2001)
Father Pedro M. Mesiona, MSP (1946), the first priest of the Mission Society of the Philippines to become PMS National Director, was serving as Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Missions prior to his appointment to the PMS office.
Father Pedro M. Mesiona, MSP (1946- ), the first priest of the Mission Society of the Philippines to become PMS National Director, was serving as Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Missions prior to his appointment to the PMS office.
A very significant change was the implementation of a decision announced in the November 20, 1997 letter of Josef Cardinal Tomko, CEP Prefect, to Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, CBCP President. The document approved the establishment of a single service of missionary cooperation in the Philippines, between the Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS) and the Episcopal Commission on Missions (ECM).
In the new structure, the PMS serves as the National Secretariat of the ECM, and the PMS National Director becomes the Executive Secretary of the ECM. The revised structure, patterned after the model in France and some South American countries, had been proposed to Cardinal Tomko in Rome by the ECM Chairman, Bishop Vicente C. Manuel, SVD.
Another major task of the PMS director in 1998 was the hosting of the Second Assembly of the School of Missionary Animators (SOMA II), held in Tagaytay City at the RVM Betania Retreat House from September 20-26, 1998. The SOMA is a formation program of missionary catechetics aimed at the children of the Holy Childhood Association.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) approved in its January 1999 Plenary Assembly the plan of the Episcopal Commission on Missions to hold a National Mission Congress (NMC) in the year 2000.
As concrete plans were formulated, it was decided the NMC would be held in Cebu, the cradle of Christianity in the Philippines on September 27 to October 1, 2000. The lead agencies of the NMC were the Episcopal Commission on Missions and the Pontifical Missionary Societies.
In January 2000 the CBCP sponsored a three-day workshop, given by Fathers L. Tagle, D. Huang, and J. Kroeger, on mission in Ecclesia in Asia. The CBCP issued a pastoral letter on mission and evangelization: “Missions” and the Church in the Philippines: A Pastoral Letter on the Church’s Mission in the New Millennium (July 5, 2000).
The five-day mission congress, with its 2,300 delegates, proved to be a truly unique event for Asia’s largest local Church. Several dignitaries graced the occasion; present were: Hong Kong John Baptist Cardinal Wu, and Philippine Cardinals, Ricardo J. Vidal of Cebu and Jaime L. Sin of Manila.
Mallari Period (2001-2002)
Father Cipriano B. Mallari (1946) was appointed National PMS Director on April 6, 2001. He had studied missiology in Rome; he had been missioned in 1996 as a MSP associate priest in the Solomon Islands; and, he had served as diocesan PMS director in the Archdiocese of Caceres (Naga City) from 1998-2001.
Father Cipriano B. Mallari (1946- ) was appointed National PMS Director on April 6, 2001. He had studied missiology in Rome; he had been missioned in 1996 as a MSP associate priest in the Solomon Islands; and, he had served as diocesan PMS director in the Archdiocese of Caceres (Naga City) from 1998-2001.
Working closely with Sister M. Nicetas P. Dael, RVM, Father Mallari and the PMS Office were able to produce the handsome and informative volume: PMS Seventieth Anniversary Commemorative Book.
One must highlight the extraordinarily effective work of the PMS Mission Education Committee (MEC) over the years, since its origin in 1969. School-based, creative mission animation was the hallmark of this dedicated group, mostly composed of mission-minded religious sisters and teachers.
The MEC coordinators and their years of service are the following: Sister Thelma Peña, DC (1969-1974); Sister Luz Jael, DC (1974-1975); Sister Priscilla Andaya, DC (1976-1978); Sister Thelma Peña, DC (1978-1981); Sister Ma. Teresita Dacio, RVM (1981-1983); Sister Ma. Concepta C. Sanchez, RVM (1983-1984); Sister Ma. Nicetas P. Dael, RVM (1984-1996); and, Sister Ma. Lupeciña Amamio, RVM (1996-1999).
Garcera Period (2003-2008)
Monsignor Garcera was for some years the CBCP Assistant Secretary General (2001-2003), giving him a wide knowledge and experience of the entire Philippine local Church—and a good working relationship with members of the national hierarchy.
Monsignor Gilbert A. Garcera (1959- ), member of the diocesan clergy of the Archdiocese of Caceres, received his official five-year appointment as the PMS National Director on October 1, 2003.
Monsignor Garcera was for some years the CBCP Assistant Secretary General (2001-2003), giving him a wide knowledge and experience of the entire Philippine local Church—and a good working relationship with members of the national hierarchy.
Monsignor Garcera (bishop on June 29, 2007) began by widely consulting with pivotal persons in Church leadership (e.g. Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, CBCP President, Bishops Vicente C. Manuel, SVD and Edwin A. de la Peña, MSP, outgoing and incoming chairmen of the Episcopal Commission on Missions).
Monsignor Garcera, his competent staff, and several resource persons facilitated five national mission assemblies: 50th Assembly (Tagaytay City; June 9-11, 2003); 51st Assembly (Roxas City; June 1-3, 2004); 52nd Assembly (Baguio City; June 6-10, 2005); 53rd Assembly (Puerto Princesa; June 2-7, 2006); 54th Assembly (Manila; July 9-12, 2007). Three regional assemblies (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) are planned for 2008.
Monsignor Garcera enunciated his “directional shift” at the PMS. He said he would initiate four moves: from “solely collecting Pontifical remittances” to “spirituality of the missions through … formation and training of mission animators and cooperators”; from “the usual yearly activities” to “more dynamic and innovative missionary initiatives”; from “limited office personnel” to “more collaborative networking of resources”; and, from “October mission consciousness” to “year-round mission awareness programs.”
Several national congresses and consultations formed an essential part of the PMS program of “revitalizing mission animation works in the Philippines.” Two National Congresses on the Holy Childhood were held (2004 and 2007); the First National Assembly of Filipino Lay Missioners unfolded in Cebu City (2005); the National Mission Youth Camp was held in Antipolo City (2006).
There was a General Assembly of the Propagation of the Faith in Baguio City (2006). The First National Congress on Saint Peter the Apostle was celebrated in Naga City (2007). This simple catalogue of national gatherings does not do justice to the hundreds of hours of meeting, planning, animating, and fund-raising that went into each endeavor—by a virtual army of generous local personnel, all on fire for mission.
The Missions Newletter continued in production; yet, it also evolved from a newsprint format in 2003 to a full-color publication in 2005 and into two special issues in 2007, highlighting the Asian Mission Congress and the PMS Seventy-fifth Anniversary celebration. PMS-Philippines established its own web-site in 2005.
The ground floor of the PMS offices on Don Quijoti Street was renovated in 2007, and a colorful “historical mission mural” in etched glass was installed in the main stairwell. PMS-Philippines, in accordance with directives from the Philippine Bishops (CBCP) and authorization from Rome, began in late 2007 the process of acquiring its own juridical status independent of the CBCP.
John Paul II stated in his mission encyclical, Redemptoris Missio (67), that “All priests must have the mind and heart of missionaries—open to the needs of the Church and the world.” May the Pentecostal flame of mission burn brightly in the PMS and in the entire local Church of the Philippines—as the PMS moves on from its diamond jubilee of seventy-five years in 2007 to its first centennial celebration in 2032
Most Rev. Socrates C. Mesiona, MSP
Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Socrates C. Mesiona, MSP as the new bishop of Puerto Princesa in Palawan province. Mesiona replaces Bishop Pedro Arigo, 77, whose resignation has been accepted by the Pope after serving the diocese for 20 years.
Gratitude is the Language of the Heart
In behalf of the National Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies and all the Diocesan Mission Directors and their collaborators, as well as the Mission Education Commission (MEC), we thank very much the Most Rev. Socrates C. Mesiona, MSP, DD for his invaluable leadership in serving the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines as its National Director from March 2009 to June 2017.
As the 12th PMS National Director Bishop Mesiona has generously served the National Office by his programs/ activities for mission animation and cooperation and has established linkages with other institutions that led to the increase of Filipinos’ contribution to the worldwide mission Solidarity Fund.
We pray that his Excellency may continue his work with his usual apostolic zeal as the pastor of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa.
May God be with you, dear Bishop Soc, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Star of the New Evangelization, enfold you always with her maternal protection.
Rev. Msgr. Esteban LO, LRMS
I have the pleasure of communicating to you, Monsignor, your appointment as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines.
Dear Msgr. Lo,
I have the pleasure of communicating to you, Monsignor, your appointment as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines.
Enclosed, you will find the Decree of your appointment signed by His Eminence Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and His Excellency Savio Hon Tai-Fai, S.D.B., Secretary of the same Dicastery.
In congratulating you, Monsignor, for this most important task of missionary animation, I remain