Indigenous Peoples’ Lives: Blessed in the Midst of Challenges

In 1974, during the second assembly of the Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference, the Church responded to the challenge of the plight of the indigenous peoples in the Philippines. After a long history, the Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples was finally approved as the official name of the commission.

This commission shall 1) work for and with Indigenous Peoples to preserve their cultural heritage; 2) foster among the Christian majority a greater awareness of and appreciation for the Indigenous Peoples in order to help in lessening, if not totally eradicating, prejudices against them; and 3) undertake specific programs for the realization of the above functions.

In his Apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis finds it essential to recognize the suffering Christ in the poor and the vulnerable, especially in the indigenous peoples who are abandoned by many. The theme of this year’s Indigenous Peoples’ Sunday calls us to respect their way of life, views and possessions, include them in our community gatherings and activities, and treat them with full dignity.