Mons. Rolando Joven Tria Tirona Missionary Formation - Best Practices

CACERES MISSION AID PROGRAM

Ongoing Formation in Missio Ad Gentes in the Experience of the Archdiocese of Caceres, Philippines

Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona

Archdiocese of Caceres, Philippines

I am going to share with you a program for the ongoing formation of priests in Archdiocese of Caceres in the Philippines.

The Nature and Background of the Program

Ecclesia in Asia (n.44) refers to mission to peoples outside of one’s own country, cultural milieu and language group as Missio Ad Exteros. The Archdiocese of Caceres has an ongoing program of sending priests to other dioceses in the different parts of the world.

Since 1992, the Archdiocese of Caceres started to send priests to some dioceses in the Philippines that needed priests, but it was in 1997 that my predecessor and 79 priests voted to formalize the missionary program for the ongoing priestly formation as Caceres Mission Aid Program. The first wave of priests was sent to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, and Solomon Islands. During my term, we started sending priests to American Samoa, New Zealand and the United States of America. Thus, from 1992 to January 2024, twenty-four  priests have been sent to different dioceses in the Philippines and eighty-seven priests to different dioceses in other countries outside the Philippines.

To date, we have thirty-four priests under the program. The program, however, is not a way out for problematic priests or priests in crisis.

The Twofold Purpose of the Program: Sharing the Gift of Faith and Ongoing Formation

The Archdiocese Caceres as a missionary local Church in the Philippines—created on August 14, 1595, as suffragan of Manila and elevated as an Archdiocese on June 29, 1951—shares the gift of faith by sending diocesan missionary priests locally and overseas. This program is the local church’s participation in the mission cooperation of the Universal Church.

Caceres Mission Aid Program contributes to the ongoing priestly formation.  It provides opportunity for growth and maturity in priestly life and ministry.  Renewal and Updating are the two essential dimensions of this program. “Updating refers to acquisition of new knowledge and skills. Renewal aims at the integral priestly formation particularly in the human, spiritual and socio-cultural aspects of priestly life.”

Diocesan Priest-Missionaries learn a new language in order to communicate and to share the Word of God and the teachings of the Church to the people of the mission territory. They learn from the people and relate with them according to their cultures. They acquire better intercultural skills and competencies.  

Some overseas mission territories are isolated. Despite the isolation and distance, many of our priest missionaries experienced communion with nature helping them to become more reflective and prayerful thus avoid loneliness and desolation. Some of our missionaries became involved in the campaign against illegal logging of forests and gambling and found themselves on the side of the poor and less privileged. Some of our priests have become involved in community activities that promote livelihood and education. Thus, our priest missionaries have experienced a personal growth in spirituality and social responsibility by being with God’s people in mission territories.

After their mission, our priests come home to our local Church renewed and enriched by their missionary experience helping them to become more committed to their priestly life and ministry in our local Church. The overseas mission experience has helped them to become a good priest and a better person.

Components of the Program

Remote Preparation

The formation for mission starts in the seminary where the future priests are given the opportunity to do mission outreach to parish communities of the local church.  In collaboration with priests, seminarians experience local mission immersion. The seminarians are given pre-fielding seminars before  sending  them  to parishes. For one month the seminarians stay in villages to learn and work with the people. Some of them learn life skills like cooking, swimming, and they also acquire pastoral skills like facilitating programs for children and youth.

The seminary offers missiology courses to theology students with some conferences on Intercultural Communication and Inter-religious dialogue.

Immediate Preparation

“Priests who volunteer or who are recommended for the program with my approval participate in this phase of preparation. They are not given a pastoral assignment so that they can have the time to prepare for the necessary documents and to undergo short course on mission.”

The short course has two parts. The first part includes an orientation on the program, with sharing of former priest missionaries from the Archdiocese. During the orientation, the Memorandum of Agreement between the Archdiocese and host diocese is presented to and discussed with the missionary. The second part of the preparation includes sessions on Missionary Spirituality, Basic Concepts in Missiology,  Intercultural Communication and Mission Trends and Issues.  As the Archbishop, I do the official mission send-off  which completes the immediate preparation. The send-off is done within the mass with the faithful present to witness the event and to pray for missionaries.  

Mission Experience

Our priest missionaries who have already completed their 15 years in the priesthood are usually sent to North America and some selected countries for a period of five years. Priests who have already completed their 5^th year in the priesthood are usually sent to countries in the Caribbean for a period of three years. The actual mission is the best formation phase of the missionary. His experience in the mission territory provides him many opportunities for personal deepening and growth in ministry. Also, the Archdiocese sees to it that the missionaries are constantly updated about  their home diocese. 

“Welcoming Returning” Missionary (Re-Entry)

The re-entry program includes vacation, recollection, physical check-up and updates on issues and events in the Archdiocese. A tool for evaluation and reflection is given to the returning priest missionaries for their learning, insights and recommendations to improve the program. The missionaries can help the local church assess whether the program is still beneficial to both the sending and receiving dioceses.

Conclusion

Caceres Mission Aid Program has been an effective means in enhancing the  competencies of our priests for a meaningful priestly life and ministry. In the light of Vatican II, our ongoing priestly formation is the continuing integration of priestly identity and functions or service for the sake of mission and communion with Christ and the Church.