‘Eucharist builds the BEC’

Photo by Brenda P. Milan

During the opening mass of the 4th BEC National Assembly Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, D.D., CBCP President and Archbishop of Davao welcomed the participants from the different dioceses all over the country. He expressed his joy and gratitude for the safe arrival of the delegates and their courage to attend this assembly despite the recent earthquakes that happened in the region.

Archbishop Valles highlighted in his homily the importance of the Eucharist in building the BEC. He said, “From experience, our people know that the Eucharist builds the BEC. They may not be able to produce a masteral thesis on the truth that the Eucharist builds the Church but they know by experience that the Eucharist builds the BEC.”

He added that, “For as often as we celebrate it or for as often as BECs celebrate the Eucharist, our collective memory of faith is refreshed and kept alive, that memory that reminds us that the Lord has loved us first before we have even started loving Him, the memory that tells us that each one of us is precious to the eyes of God, the memory that keeps us gathered as a family with one mind and one heart… therefore a BEC must always be a liturgical community, a worshiping community as it must also be a teaching, a witnessing community and at the same time a truly a serving and shepherding community.”

50 years of BEC

Meanwhile, this gathering is also a celebration of the 50th year anniversary of the BEC which was started in Tagum and DaDiTaMa (Davao, Digos, Tagum, Mati) dioceses.

Bishop Jose Cabantan, D.D., bishop of Malaybalay, said in an interview, “when the BEC was established here in DaDiTaMa dioceses the biggest changes that can be seen is that the Church becomes being more a Church for the people, where there is unity and participation in the life and mission of the church.”

The Assembly ended on November 14, 2019, with a series of talks given by the different speakers who are experts on the field. (Mark Joy Guantero Basallajes, OFM)