The Mindanao-Sulu Bishops and Their Concerns

Geography

From the world map it can readily be noticed that the Philippines is at the southeastern part of Asia surrounded by the countries where the greatest concentration of non-Christians are found: to the north Japan and China, to the south Indonesia and Malaysia and to the west the countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma. Hence its strategic importance for missionary activities.

Mindanao is at the southern part of the Philippines and one immediately notices that it is a self-contained island. Together with Sulu archipelago its twenty-one ecclesiastical jurisdictions have grouped themselves into a paracanonical unit which is called the Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference or MSPC. The MSPC is a forum where the local churches of Mindanao exchange ideas on pastoral experiences, are enriched by these and free to implement in their respective local communities what they have learned.

The southwestern area of Mindanao, together with the Sulu archipelago form the top part of a Muslim crescent which extends through Borneo and Indonesia to Malaysia and Singapore, and indeed to the Arab Muslim States and Lands all the way to Bosnia. This provides for two opportunities: dialogue of faith and life with the Muslims and mutual cooperation in the development of the area.

These opportunities were provided for hopefully by the creation of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development or SPCPD which effectively ended the state of armed conflict between the Muslim Moro National Liberation Front (or MNLF) and the Government.

In terms of land area the largest belongs to the Vicariate of Jolo with 14,000 square kilometers, then Butuan with 11,555, then Marbel with 10,000 and so on down to Isabela, the smallest, with 1,359 square kilometers. Ozamiz has 1,939sq. kilometers.

The People

In terms of population Cotabato leads with 1,545,291, followed by Tagum with 1,300,087, and Marbel with 1,237,040. At the bottom we see Isabela with 268,500.

In terms of absolute number of Catholics we have Marbel at the top with 989,632, followed by Tagum with 937,813, and Malaybalay with 869,448. At the bottom we have Jolo with 20,945, Marawi with 30,000, and Isabela with 83,400.

In terms of the percentage of Catholics of the total population, we have Davao with 88%, followed by Malaybalay with 87%, then Mati with 86%, and surprisingly Zamboanga with also 86%. That explains the hostility of her people to the SPCPD. At the bottom we have Jolo with 3%, Marawi with 5% and Isabela with 31%, then Cotabato with 52%.

Economy

The fastest growing areas in terms of economic development are the Southern part, of Davao, Marbel and Digos and the Northern part, of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. The former form part of the ZOPAD or Zone of Peace and Development trumpeted by the Ramos Administration as their priority project to be able to establish peace and attract investments both local and foreign into the area. The latter form the so-called Cagayan-Iligan industrial corridor, another centerpiece project of the past administration.

The people in the other ecclesiastical jurisdictions are mostly engaged in agricultural industry to provide for local and foreign consumption.

Culture

Most of the people in the Mindanao are descendants of large groups of settlers from Bohol and Cebu first, then from Iloilo and Ilocos. Others trickled in from the other parts of the Philippine Islands. These people brought with them their culture and religious folk practices.

Naturally the lowland Christians and the highland indigenous peoples are different from one another, and both differ from the different Muslim tribes. In some Muslim areas like Marawi, it is not wise to show Christian symbols like pectoral cross, cassock, or rosaries.

History

Historically speaking when the Spanish explorers arrived in the latter part of the 16th century, there were Muslim outposts in Butuan, Zamboanga, Marawi, and Cotabato, all allied with the Sultan of Sulu who had his seat in Jolo. There were constant conflicts between the Christian government and the Muslims, and very early on the Muslim outpost in Butuan was completely converted by the Jesuits in 1597 so that they were able to solemnly bless the church of the first Christian community there on September 8 of that year.

On April 6, 1635, a squadron of Spanish soldiers together with two Jesuits landed in Zamboanga and on June 23, 1635, the first stone of Fort Pilar was laid. From that time on Zamboanga has always been a Christian outpost. All the other settlements which now form seats of ecclesiastical jurisdictions like Cagayan de Oro, Surigao, Tandag, Iligan, Ozamiz, and Dipolog from the beginning have been Christian converts, through the work of the Augustinian Recollects since 1622, from animistic indigenous people and joined by Christian convert settlers from Bohol and were never Muslim.

Language

The language commonly used throughout the island is Cebuano. Zamboanga uses a combination of Spanish-Cebuano called Chabacano which is also used in Isabela. The predominantly Muslim provinces use their own vernacular like Maranao, Tausug, Yakan, and so on. The indigenous peoples of the mountain areas also have their own dialect like Subanen, Tiruray, and so on.

Transportation

Cemented or asphalted roads are mostly found in the industrialized areas, such as from Iligan to Cotabato passing through Cagayan, Butuan, Davao, Digos, Marbel and Kidapawan. Aside from this artery, the other roads range from good to passable to impossible.

All the ecclesiastical seats are situated beside the sea except Malaybalay, Kidapawan and Marawi. Hence people can easily travel to other places and islands by sea. There are airports in the principal cities which connect them to Manila through Cebu. Hence for the people of Mindanao, it is easier to have a meeting in Cebu than in any of the ecclesiastical seats.

Concerns

Each of the ecclesiastical jurisdictions has its own particular concerns, I am sure, like seminary formation, clergy development, family life apostolates, and so on. I will just list here what I perceive to be jointly in the minds of the Bishops.

BECs through MSPC

The Bishops of Mindanao and Sulu together with their people are committed to pray, reflect, dialogue and, if possible, judge together on the different areas of their pastoral office. This has been done through the triennial Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference which they have religiously organized since 1971. The tenth MSPC was held in Dipolog last month. All the themes have revolved around the concept of the Church specially in its most basic incarnation from the grass roots. Hence the importance of the formation of the Base-Level Ecclesial Communities. Many of the ideas, programs, and projects in these Conferences have found their way into and been canonized by the recent Second Plenary Council of the Philippines.

A Study of the treatment on of BECs in PCPII is indispensable.

Identity as Church in Mindanao-Sulu

By reason of geography, culture, history, and close proximity to our Muslim Brothers and Sisters, the local Churches in Mindanao Sulu should have an identity of their own as a unit. For this is needed a realization of their joint unique place in the Philippines, not independent or separated from the other regions, but looking towards their joint destiny as a communion of local churches called to carry on the evangelizing mandate of the Lord. For this is needed a reflection of its own history and an envisioning of its future. This will be a slow process but the idea is well worth exploring in view of the coming Grand Jubilee of our Redemption.

Inter-Religious Dialogue with Muslims and Indigenous Peoples

Archbishop Capalla, Chairman of ECID has been instrumental in pointing us to the right direction.

The ECID participated in the Taoist-Confucianist-Christian Dialogue sponsored by the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue of FABC held in Taiwan on 15-19 April 1996. I had heard of this dialogue when I was on a month-long exposure with the Vincentian Fathers and was actually at the sight, a beautiful Buddhist Monastery near Kaohsiung, but did not join in.

The ECID also participated in the 6-week Silsilah Summer Course on Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Zamboanga city from 15 April to 20 May, 1996.

With Abp. Antonio Mabutas of the MISSA Coordinating Council, the Archbishop Capalla convened the Mindanao Bishops in Cebu City to plan the Mindanao Peace Congress.

The Mindanao Catholic Churches Peace Congress was held in Davao city on 24-27 June 1996, attended by 16 bishops and diocesan administrators, 22 social action directors, and 15 peace advocates. Result of Congress: a) a Regional Coordinating Body to monitor the implementation of the action plans by the dioceses; b) a Congress Statement: "Journeying Together Toward Peace."

Through Archbishop Capalla, interreligious dialogue has been held between the Mindanao Catholic Bishops, Protestant Bishops, and Ullamas. These dialogues have gone on in spite of the setbacks suffered because of the killing of Bishop Benjamin de Jesus and the kidnaping of Msgr. Des Hartford, Father Maes, and now Fr. Benedetti.

Interreligious dialogue should exist not only in the level of the hierarchy but most especially in the level of the people.

For this, a knowledge of Islamic religion and the culture of the Tribal Filipinos who adhere to it is necessary.

For the more educated ones, a knowledge of the history of the Muslim-Christian conflict is also important. Unfortunately, this conflict was not ours, as Filipinos, at the start. We inherited it from the Spaniards who extended the Reconquista to our shores.

CARE FOR THE EARTH

A true and just development must fundamentally be concerned with a passionate care of our earth and our environment. Fishing, mining, and logging contribute enormously to the national coffers but when done with inadequate safeguards for ecological integrity, moral issues are involved. Our natural resources are not to be exploited as though they were inexhaustible. Destruction can be irreparable and irreversible.

Much environmental destruction may be attributed to the survival needs of the poor, as in slash and burn upland agriculture and dynamite fishing. but the greater sin against the integrity of God's creation must be placed at the doorsteps of those who with impunity cause the pollution of rivers, seas and lakes by industrial wastes, and who for profit systematically destroy our forest covers to the point of unrenewability.

Because the integrity of God's creation is violated, our people suffer the destruction brought about by droughts and floods. Those disasters cannot be traced merely to the uncontrollable powers of nature, but also to human greed for short term economic gain. The physical limitations of our natural resources imply a moral demand, the duty of responsible dominion over nature.

In 1987 the CBCP came out with a Pastoral Letter on Care for the Earth. It was mostly authored by Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez.

Care for the earth is now passionately followed up by Bishop Jose Manguiran. Because of this, he has fulminated loudly against indiscriminate mining. For that he got into trouble.

Culture

Bp. Honesto Pacana, SJ, chairman, of the CBCP Commission on Culture is very much active in this. In 1999, the CBCP will issue a Pastoral Letter on Culture. Meanwhile it should also be a characteristic concern of the Church in Mindanao.

This area is particularly important since it will be in this arena that the minds and hearts of our people especially the youth will be won or lost to Christ. Pope John Paul II has made a strong appeal agains the lethal enemy: secularism, where God seems to be banished from public life and culture.

It is interesting to note that Gaudium et Spes dedicates a large section on Culture.

Culture of Peace

Another agendum very dear to a Mindanao Bishop is the development of a Culture of Peace. Bishop Antonio Ledesma has been going around giving seminars on the topic.