The Philippine Conference on New Evangelisation (PCNE) has become one of the most significant annual events in the life of the Church in the Philippines, bringing together thousands of clergy, religious and lay people to reflect on new ways of proclaiming the Gospel in today’s world.
This year, the Missionary Society of St Paul was honoured to contribute to the conference by leading one of its prayer moments, an invitation that reflected the Society’s ongoing commitment to evangelisation and missionary formation in the Philippines.
The preparation of the Society’s participation was coordinated by Fr Mark Demanuele MSSP, who has long been actively involved in the work of the Pius XII Catholic Center for Leadership and Evangelization, together with Beng Corcolla, an MSSP Lay Associate who generously collaborates in this ministry of evangelisation.
Originally, the prayer gathering was expected to welcome around 150 participants. However, the response exceeded all expectations, with almost 700 people filling the venue to join in prayer and reflection.
The celebration was coordinated by Fr Bernard Falzon MSSP, with the participation of Fr Hector Attard MSSP, Regional Superior of the Philippines, together with the Society’s community of seminarians in formation. Their contribution reflected one of the defining characteristics of the MSSP charism: bringing together prayer, community life and missionary witness in the service of evangelisation.
A particularly moving contribution came from the José De Piro Kabataan Orkestra of Bataan, whose young musicians led the musical animation throughout the prayer experience. Their participation beautifully demonstrated how young people continue to play an active role in the Church’s mission, using their gifts to lead others into prayer and encounter with Christ.
The theme of this year’s conference was SANGKÁY – “I have called you friends” (John 15:15), inviting participants to rediscover friendship with Christ as the foundation of Christian discipleship and mission. Throughout the conference, this theme was explored through keynote addresses, workshops and moments of prayer led by prominent voices within the Church, including Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.
The Missionary Society of St Paul expresses its gratitude to Fr Mark Demanuele for his generous commitment to the work of new evangelisation and to all the members of the MSSP community in the Philippines whose dedication made this contribution possible. Their participation in the Philippine Conference on New Evangelisation reflects the Society’s continuing desire to proclaim the Gospel through prayer, formation, collaboration and a living missionary presence within the local Church.
As the Society continues its mission across different cultures and continents, opportunities such as these reaffirm the importance of working alongside the wider Church in announcing Christ with creativity, conviction and hope.