The Archdiocese of Cotabato holds Pre – APA 6

More than two hundred lay leaders, priests and pastoral council officers from the different parishes of the Archdiocese of Cotabato gathered on February 25 – 27, 2008 at the OND Convention Center, Tamontaka, Shariff Kabungsuan, Maguindanao for the Pre-Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly VI (Pre – APA 6). The group from Bukal ng Tipan led by Mr. Epi Casuncad together with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Team facilitated the entire Pre – APA 6.

According to the APA 6 Secretariat, the gathering concluded the fourth phase of the APA – 6 process. This phase led to the drafting of the Archdiocesan Identity Statement using the collated Parish Identity Statements thus following the Neighborhood-to-Parish-to-Archdiocese Process which allowed a maximum participation of every Catholic from the grassroots to the archdiocesan level. The APA 6 Director, Fr. Mario Combong, DCC, said that the process of the APA 6 is an apt response to the present call of becoming a renewed church, [and] "the future of the church in Cotabato really depends on how much she allows the lay faithful in participating in the whole process of the on-going APA 6."

At present, the growth that the Secretariat observed is the exceptional participation of the lay leaders starting from the BEC consultations, drafting of the Chapel and Parish Identity Statements up to the formulation of the Archdiocesan Identity Statement at Pre – APA 6. It must be remembered that in the beginning the challenge of doing consultations in more or less 400 BEC's in every parish seemed very impossible but the on-going APA – 6 process proved that it can be done quite successfully. This is most true when lay leaders together with their parish priests already gave of themselves in the seminars and trainings given before the actual consultations. The draft statement of the Vision Mission of the Archdiocese of Cotabato formulated at APA 6 was a testimony that the lay leaders truly did their part together with their pastors in bringing about renewal in the church in Cotabato.

While the whole APA 6 process is not over yet, there are already a lot of renewal experiences and growths that can be noticed in every lay leader. According to the Secretariat group reflections showed that awareness as an archdiocese was deepened in the lay leaders creating in them a sense of belonging to an archdiocese that they can call their own. Lay Empowerment was also actualized through the process – it became a reality which gave the lay leaders a sense of responsibility for the archdiocese.

In May 2008 the Vision Mission of the Archdiocese will be finalized during the actual APA 6. With the enthusiastic response of the Lay Leaders at the Pre-APA 6, the next phases is hoped to bring newness in the local church of Cotabato. The first six phases of the APA 6 already made a difference in the lives of the lay leaders, the remaining phases in the APA 6 process will surely continue to make a difference in the lives of every faithful in the Archdiocese of Cotabato.