News & Updates

We thank the Parish of Pandacan in particular and the Diocese of Greater Manila Area in general for hosting the March 20, 2023 Meeting of the ECP-IFI Concordat Advisory Council. We commend Bp Buddy Ballesteros for choosing the Parish of Pandacan as the venue to enable the members of the Advisory Council to taste its lavish brand of generosity, to behold the beauty of its newly refurbished altar and sanctuary, to touch base with its rich history as among the first IFI parish established after the Aug 3, 1902 IFI Proclamation and to draw lessons from its continuing ecumenical engagements with the neighboring RCC parish as testament to the growing and deepening of relationship with the RCC. Unknowingly all these make the parish to serve as a meaningful backdrop in the continuing dialogue and conversation of the members of the panel from both ECP and IFI to further deepen their concordat relations and pursue doing joint activities, common programs and mutual concerns in order to advance not only the agreement

1. "that Each Communion recognizes the validity and independence of the other and maintain its own;”
    
2. "that Each Communion agrees to admit members of the other Communion to participate in the Sacraments;”
    
3. "that Each Communion does not require from either Communion the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion, sacramental devotion or liturgical practices characteristic of the other, but implies the other to hold the essentials of the Christian Faith;” but more so to find ways and exert efforts;"
    
4. "that Full Communion seeks to proclaim and manifest more fully unity in the mission of God, the ministry of Christ and the witness of the Holy Spirit;"
    

in the context of continuing misery of the Filipino people with the heightening of poverty, social injustice and degradation of human dignity experienced by our people.

It is our hope therefore that the ECP-IFI Concordat, through the constant dialogue, conversation and meeting facilitated by the Advisory Council, will lead and bring the two Churches live-out, among others, the lesson in last Sunday’s gospel. We heard from John’s gospel yesterday that the Lord Jesus restored the sight of the person who was blind since birth when he passed by in his place and saw him begging along the way. We pray that this ECP-IFI Concordat shall be enabled by the Lord’s Spirit to “see” our people’s misery and work together to “restore” wholeness of our people’s lives.

MORE POWER AND BLESSING TO THE ECP-IFI CONCORDAT