75th Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Davao Launched

When the followers of Christ gather together in one place, confess their sins, and listen to the word of God, they can be called Church, a community of believers in search of salvation.

The launching of the 75th Diamond Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Davao last February 22, 2024 signals the journey of thanksgiving, enthusiasm and confidence as a Church. Through its culmination on November 30 this year, the Church of Davao hopes to be strengthened and renewed. It highlights its theme, “Journeying Together as a Synodal Church living out the Spirituality of Stewardship in our Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) / Gagmay’ng Kristohanong Katilingban (GKKs).”

In his homily during the Holy Mass, the Most Rev. Charles John Brown, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines reminded the faithful to live a prayerful life guided by the word of God and head the Apostolic Tradition. He said that God revealed Himself to His Church in truths one could never discover on its own. This is why the Son became flesh and lived with His people.

“This year is the Year of Prayer [in the universal Church], which will lead up to the Jubilee Year in 2025,” Most Rev. Fr. Charles John Brown, D.D. added this during his homily at the launching of the Diamond Jubilee which was also the culmination of the 25th National Bible Workshop hosted by the Archdiocese of Davao.

He continued that as a Christian community, we find the revelation of God, His bestowing truth, by reading the word of God and heeding the Apostolic Tradition. He also added that the holy link between Scriptures and prayer has been demonstrated in the process of Lectio Divina, which is translated to Holy reading. Guigo II, a Holy Monk, has written simple treaties on Lectio Divina which is called the “Ladder of Monks”. It provids steps on how to connect this word of God to our lives of prayer: Read, Meditate, Pray, and Contemplate.

In our journey together, human as we are, we face distractions, yet, if we go back to the steps, we’ll be able to allow the word of God to be our guiding force in becoming the people He wants us to be. “All of these things come together today, our anticipation of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, our Thanksgiving for the National Bible Workshop, and the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. All come together in a glorious and harmonious celebration,” he concluded. (Jason Roi O. Bayla and Prenciss Jane S. Pandeling| HCDC Interns)