Quarterly Tukod

Every year end, all Alpha volunteers gather not only for Christmas celebration but in thanksgiving to the Lord’s goodness and generosity.

 

Thru the ministry, we recognized Him  and giving Him due for allowing all of us to partake and follow up specially those nominal Catholics on the basics of their faith and give them the opportunity to sustain and grow in the BEC or parish communities.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God.” (Thes. 5:18).

 We need to be thankful because we become sons and daughters of God at the Sacrament of Baptism. As His children, He expects us to live in our own family and to His bigger family, our neighborhood at the parish. This is His will and His plan to be in His family and His kingdom.

Tukod  in its maiden issue would like to support the mission of Alpha in a Catholic Team and the Archdiocese on evangelization and community building. It will act as a voice to continuously  inspire the clergy, lay leaders, workers  and parishioners from the experiences and testimonies of the Alpha graduates, those living in the community, those parish handling their own Alpha Courses, and to those volunteers serving the Alpha  ministry.     

Tukod means brace (n.) and pillar (n) as support to the existing BEC or parish renewal and help construct (v.); establish (v.); and build (v.) BECs or communities for parishes which has not started yet. Thus, this shows the vision  and  commitment of Alpha in a  Catholic Context Team as stated:

“Renew the Person, Sustain thru BEC and  Transform the Church & Society.”

Renewing the Person on the meaning of his baptism by going back to the ”kerygma” of his faith. Unless a person is conscious to this, he will never appreciate and feel the necessity to live and involve in the parish community or BEC.  

Parish communities needs to be cared, sustain and nurtured on the simple and effective formation. The test of which is when  evangelized or renewed parishioners living in a parish community start evangelizing or sharing their community  experiences with others.

Alpha in a Catholic Context Team envisioned a renewed community of communities, a transformed Church and society.

We  are only part of the whole mission of the Archdiocese. The idea we are promoting is not new. We collectively do this from the volunteers coming from the different parishes and organizations inspired by the Holy Spirit to initiate,  help and contribute to the parish renewal  using the approach of the Alpha Course.

So far, despite the challenges of working on this, we thank the opportunity to serve and encouragement of  Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, DD and the advice of Msgr.  Boy Salvador, Jr. to go on. Needless to say, for 6 years now since we started Alpha at Nazareno,  we continued to hold on to what He inspired us and  to His promise, “I will be with you always” (Matt. 28:20) and “do not fear for I myself will help you.” (Isa. 41:10).  

Volunteer's Yearly Christmas Thanksgiving