Giving Flesh to Christian Service and Social Responsibility

Giving Flesh to Christian Service...

When Bp. Ambo took over as Parish Priest in May 2008, he opted to continue what Bp. Bobet
started but with shifts in nature and organizational set-up. The Desk for the Poor has, since, come to be known as the HRP-SAC. It shifted to a developmentoriented nature to give people a venue to address social concerns and issues in the context of Christian service and social responsibility. Concern for the poor is translated to action in a manner that allows the poor to help themselves and maintain their dignity. Structurally, it has been made
a part of the Parish Pastoral Council and has been given an allocation from the Parish Priest’s
Discretionary Fund through the Parish Finance Council. Other sources of funding are: First Friday and 3rd Wednesday collections as well as pledges and donations from generous groups and individuals. HRP-SAC is manned on a rotation basis by twelve part-time volunteers who hold office at the 2nd floor of the Holy Rosary Parish Hall in Sto. Rosario,
Angeles City.

Strategic Planning & Team-building

HRP-SAC went through an organizational development process (OD process) from February to
April of this year to provide a strong footing and direction for its volunteers. The OD Process
culminated in a Strategic Planning Workshop/Team-building Session on April 15 to 16, 2009.
Sessions on the first of the two-day workshop tackled the following: a) Review of the Organizational Structure; 2) Definition of Roles and Functions of the Different Committees; and
3) Tactical Planning. Volunteer Consultant Tonette M. Gomez of the Inocencio Magtoto Memorial Foundation, Inc. (IMMFI) facilitated the lecture/ workshops. On the second day of the workshop, the HRPSAC volunteers hied off to Pita, Bataan with Bp. Ambo and volunteer consultant Nina L.B. Tomen of Santungan ng Kababaihan at Kabataan sa Pampanga (SANGKAP) for the Team-building Session. Bp. Ambo led the group in a reflection on charisms and mission. HRP-SAC Report (January—June 2009) Page 3 Contextualizing the team-building session on the biblical passages on “One Body with Many Parts” (1 Corinthians 12:1-31), Bp. Ambo
emphasized that “team-building in the Christian setting means building the body of Christ”. “To
be a Christian is to respond to a calling. We are all sent to fulfill a mission. If we are attentive to
the proddings of the Holy Spirit, then we learn to recognize what our mission is. Our gifts become
charisms when we share these for the good of all,” he added. After Bp. Ambo’s talk, the volunteers exchanged stories and insights about their work at the HRP-SAC – their fears, expectations and sentiments. They returned to Angeles City with renewed zeal and love for their mission. (Pls. turn to page 8) HRP-SAC Volunteers hamming it up at the Davids’ Resthouse in Pita Contextualizing the team-building session on the biblical passages on “One Body with Many Parts” (1 Corinthians 12:1-31), Bp. Ambo emphasized that “team-building in the Christian setting means building the body of Christ”. “To be a Christian is to respond to a calling. We are all sent to fulfill a mission. If we are attentive to the proddings of the Holy Spirit, then we learn to recognize what our mission is. Our gifts become charisms when we share these for the good of all,” he added. After Bp. Ambo’s talk, the volunteers exchanged stories and insights about their work at the HRP-SAC – their fears, expectations and sentiments. They returned to Angeles City with renewed zeal and love for their mission.