WHO ARE FILIPINO CATHOLICS ?

disrespect for power and office and a capacity to

suvive.
-These were Filipinos who are following Christ and
his teachings. B. WEAKNESSES OF THE FILIPINO
CHARACTER:
FILIPINO IDENTITY:
 Extreme personalism
A.STRENGTHS OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER:  Extreme family-centeredness
 Lack of discipline
1. PAKIKIPAGKAPWA-TAO ( regards for others)  Positivity and lack of initiative
 Colonial mentality
- open and feel one with others, sense of justice  Kanya-kanya syndrome
and fairness, concern for others, results  Lack of self-analysis and self-reflection
camaraderie and feeling of closeness one to
another. C. ROOTS OF THE FILIPINO CHARACTER

2. FAMILY ORIENTATION  The home environment

 Culture and language
- manifested in the honor and respect given to  The social environment
parents and elders, in the care given to children the  History
generosity towards kin in need, and in the great
 The educational system
sacrifices are endures for the welfare of the family
 Religion
results in a feeling of belonging or rootedness and
in a basic sense of security.  The economic environment
 The political environment
3. FLEXBILITY, ADAPTABILITY AND  Mass media
CREATIVITY  Leadership and role models

- great capacity to adjust and to adapt to CHRISTIANS

circumstances, ability to adapt to life in any part of
the word in the ability to make new things out of -Are human ( man/ woman) who are baptized in the
scrap and to keep old machines running, ability to faith that Jesus Christ is the son of God who
change: result is productivity, innovation, became man to be savior of all.
entrepreneurship, equanimity and survival.
-life in Christ is a life lived according to the Gospel
4. HARDWORK AND INDUSTRY or Goodnews.

- capacity for hardwork, given proper conditions; OUR FILIPINO FAITH

result is productivity and entrepreneurship for
some, and survival despite poverty for others. -Experiences have somehow defined and clarified
our unique identity as persons, as Christians, as
5. FAITH AND RELIGIOSITY Filipinos and s a nation.

- deep faith in God; comprehend and genuinely CHRISTIAN FAITH

accept reality in the context of God’s will and plans;
bahala na, pampalakas ng loob; results of the WHAT IS FAITH?
Filipino’s faith are courage, daring, optimism, inner
peace, as well as capacity to genuinely accept  Comes from Greek word “ PISTIK “ and Latin “
tragedy and death.. FIDES “ which means steadfast, trustful, attitude
towards God.
6. JOY AND HUMOR
CHRISTOCENTRIC
- pleasant disposition, a sense of humor and a
prospensity for happiness ; result is a certain  Christ centered faith
emotional balance and optimism, a healthy
PORECATHOLICISM CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH

 Practice of rights on popular piety  TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE – faith in God calls for
a total and absolute adherence to him
SOURCES OF FAITH  TRINITARIAN – it is our friendship with christ and
through Christ with the father and the holy spirit.
PRIMARY SOURCES:  LOVING, NURTURING AND MISSIONARY-
Christian faith is life giving. It matures only
a) SACRED TRADITION through love.
 INFORMED AND CMMUNITARIAN – catholic
- history of the church must be informed that is believing Jesus words.
 INCULTURATED – our faith in God and Jesus
b) SACRED SCRIPTURE Christ is never separated from the typical Filipino
faith in faith in family and friends.
- preaches through human language
PARADOXICAL CHARACERISTICSS OF FAITH
SECONDARY SOURCES:
 Certain yet obscure
a) HUMAN EXPERIENCE  Free yet morally obliging
 Reasonable yet beyond natural reason
PILLARS OF FAITH:  An act yet a process
 A gift yet our doing
 CREED- summary of our beliefs  Personal yet ecclesial
 SACRAMENTS- gives us sample of God’s love
 COMMANDMENTS- guided by this post PARADOX
(BEATITUDES)
 CHRISTIAN PRAYER- communicate with God -something made up yet opposite

ESSENTIAL DIMENSIONS OF FAITH PREDOMINANT CHARACTERISTICS

 BELIEVING- sacred scriptures and traditions

 DOING- commitment to follow God
 WORSHIPPING/ ENTRUSTING- beyond
believing or doing

SAYING TRUTHS/RELIEVIG TRUTHS

 DOCTRINE (act of paniniwala)

 MORALS (act of pagtalima)
 WORSHIP ( act of pagtitiwala or entrusting)

FACULTIES OF CHRISTIAN FAITH

a) MIND b) BODY c) HEART

- knowing - doing - entrusting

CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH

 Faith as our connection with God

 Faith in human relations
 Faith is part of our daily life
 Faith involves faculties of a person
CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH Christian Faith is a reality difficult to grasp. That is
why we are presented a number of paradoxes to better
1. TOTAL AND ABSOLUTE grasp its complexity.
Faith in God calls for a total and absolute PARADOXICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FAITH
adherence to him. This total and absolute adherence
implies our 100 % commitment to The God who A. CERTAIN YET OBSCURE
revealed Himself to us and who had loved us from the
start. Christ himself provides, especially in his passion, The first is that Faith is both most certain yet obscure
death and resurrection, the best example of this total and (cf. CCC 157-58, 164). In common usage we speak of
absolute commitment to God. (CFC 123) “taking things on faith” when we are not sure.

2. TRINITARIAN We live in a secular age where “to be sure” means being

able to prove it by experiment and “scientific” means.
For us Christians, our total and absolute adherence is to But this is a rationalistic illusion. We have been
the Triune God who revealed Himself through Christ our “brainwashed” by our own creation of today’s scientific
Lord. It is our friendship with Christ and through Chist technology. CFC 142
with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
- “proven” by scientific experiment. Our family, our
3. LOVING, MATURING AND MISSIONARY friends, our community, our vocation in life __ all
depend on the vision, inspiration and strength we call
Christian Faith is life giving. It matures only through “faith”. It is the most “certain” of all we know because it
love, for “the man without love has known nothing of is the foundation upon which we build our lives.
God, for God is love (Jn.4:8). This love must be
inseparably love of God and love of neighbour like B. FREE, YET MORALLY OBLIGING
Christ’s. If our faith had already matured through love,
we do not keep it to ourselves but we share it with Faith’s second paradox is that it is both free and
others. morally obliging (cf. CCC 160). Our Christian Faith is
a free response. No one, not even God, forces us to
4. INFORMED AND COMMUNITARIAN believe.

According to PCP II, Catholic Faith must be informed, God calls men to serve Him in Spirit and in truth.
that is believing Jesus’ words, and accepting his Consequently, they are bound to Him in conscience but
teachings, trusting that he has the words of eternal life.” not coerced. God has regard for the dignity of the human
There must first be knowledge of the teachings we person which He himself created: the human person is to
believe in. The truths that we know, should not only be be guided by his own judgment and to enjoy freedom
in the mind but in the heart. This faith is communitarian (DH 11).
since it is the Church that transmits to us Christ’s
revelation through the Scriptures and tradition. It is also We Filipinos experience this paradoxical combination of
through the Church that our adequate faith response is freedom and obligation in our family relationships and
made possible. (CFC 126) friendships.

5. INCULTURATED C. REASONABLE, YET BEYOND NATURAL

REASON
Our faith in God and Jesus Christ is never separated
from the typical Filipino faith in family and friends. On A third paradox is that Christian Faith is both
one hand we live out our faith in God precisely in our reasonable, yet more than natural reason (cf. CCC
daily relationships with family, friends, fellow workers, 155-56). Christian Faith is in no conflict with our reason.
etc. On the other hand, each of these is radically affected On the contrary, only rational creatures can believe. Yet
by our faith in God our Father, in Jesus Christ His only faith itself is a grace that enlightens our minds. “Unless
begotten Son, our Savior and in the Holy Spirit dwelling you believe, you will not understand” (Augustine’s
within us in grace. quote of Is 7:9).

These are the essential Characteristics of Christian Faith. D. AN ACT, YET A PROCESS
So as we live out our life as baptized and faithful
Christians, we are always reminded of how our faith A fourth paradox highlights Faith as both a particular
should be authentically practiced. act, yet perseverance in a life-long process that is the
beginning of eternal life (cf. CCC 162-63).
John’s Gospel declares: “Eternal life is this: to know
you, the only true God, and him whom you have sent,
Jesus Christ.” (Jn 17:3). But this faith in Christ is much FAITH in human relations is a basic existential
more than a single, personal decision for Christ. It is an experience. We believe in authorities around us because
enduring way of life within the Christian community, the they help us to become the best person we can be
Church. somehow.
SOURCES
E. A GIFT, YET OUR DOING
PRIMARY SOURCES – SACRED SCRIPTURES
Faith’s fifth paradox is that it is both a gift, a grace AND SACRED TRADITION
from God, yet something we do (cf. PCP II 68; CCC
153-55). Catechism for Filipino Catholics teaches rightly
by stating that “The Sacred Scriptures, collected in the
It is a gift because “No one can come to me,” Jesus said, Bible, are the inspired record of how God dealt with His
“unless the Father who sent me draws him” (Jn 6:44). St. people, and how they responded to, remembered, and
Paul confirms this: “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord,’ interpreted that experience. The Sacred Scriptures is the
except in the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3). Our Christian expression of the people’s experience of God and as a
Faith, then, is not merely of our own doing. It depends response to their needs.
upon God for two things: first, God’s free gift of
revealing Himself throughout salvation history; second, “Sacred Tradition is the process by which divine
for the grace of the Holy Spirit’s interior illumination revelation, coming from Jesus Christ through the
and inspiration which “gives to all joy in assenting to the apostles, communicated and unfolded in the community
truth and believing in it” (Vat. I, DS 3010; ND 120). of the Church, or as the content of the revelation so
CFC 149 communicated.

- “hearing” means not only listening to the Word of God SECONDARY SOURCE – HUMAN EXPERIENCE
in Scripture and to Church teaching. “We experience life as personal, self-aware
beings. The Bible teaches that God is a personal, self-
- involves discerning God’s presence to us through
aware person and that mankind is created in his image.
events in our lives, our companions, our inner thoughts,
yearnings and fears, etc.\ We are capable of knowledge. God is revealed in
Scripture as a person with knowledge, and mankind is
F. PERSONAL, YET ECCLESIAL created in his image.
Faith’s sixth paradox is its personal yet ecclesial We have a sense that there is an actual
nature. transcendent existence. Human beings in virtually every
society throughout the ages have had a sense that there is
It is first of all the Church who believes and thus an afterlife and that there is a God. Based on the Biblical
supports and nourishes our faith (cf. CCC 168-69). We revelation, God is understood to be a transcendent
received the grace of faith when we were baptized and person who exists in a spiritual reality outside of the
received into the Christian community, the Church. physical universe.
Within our Christian families and our parish community,
the faith implanted in Baptism grows and matures. We experience life in relationships. The
Through catechesis, through the Sacrament of structure of the human psyche and social organization is
Confirmation, through the Word of God preached and based on human relationships. Scripture teaches that
explained, and especially through the Eucharistic God desires personal interaction with mankind and has
celebration of Christ’s Paschal sacrifice, we grow in provided a means by which individuals may know him
faith. in a personal relationship. The Biblical account of
creation also indicates that mankind was created to live
FAITH is derived from the Greek word pistis, and Latin in relationship with his fellow human beings.”
word fides which is synonymously related to the
following words: steadfast, trustful attitude towards FOUR PILLARS OF FAITH
God, belief.
1. CREED
CHRISTIAN FAITH means believing that Christ 2. SACRAMENTS
reveals God to us in and through the Catholic Church, 3. COMMANDMENTS/ BEATITUDES
the Body of Christ, united in the Holy Spirit. It our 4. PRAYER
personal response to God as “disciples of Christ” of
accepting Him “as Lord and Savior.” (CFC 114).
 “Faith then, is from the heart – the loving,
Faculties Dimensions Expressions of Object of trusting and hoping in the Lord that comes from God’s
of a of Faith the Faculties of the faculties own love flooding our hearts. This trusting faith ‘lives
Person a Person of a Person and grows through prayer and worship’ – personal
and Faith heartfelt conversation with God that is opposite of
mindless, mechanical repetition of memorized formulas.
Mind Doctrine Knowing Truth
Body Morals Doing Goodness MARY IN CATHOLIC DOCTRINE
Heart Worship Entrusting/ Beauty/ Our Filipino Marian piety is also solidly grounded on the
Worshipping Love doctrinal teaching of the Church.

The Church’s teaching on Mary is presented in four

Faith can be summed up through the table below. sections:

WHAT  IS  BELIEVED? ( ACT  OF  BELIEVING (ACT O • the Role of the Blessed Virgin in the Plan of

CONTENT OF FAITH) F FAITH) Salvation;
Saving truths  /  revealed tr Response to God’s revelation • the Blessed Virgin and the Church;
uths
• Devotion to the Blessed Virgin in the Church; and
Objective content of Faith is always a way of life
Faith • Mary, a Sign of Sure Hope and Solace for the
Objective dimension of Subjective dimension of Faith Pilgrim People of God.
Faith
1. MOTHER OF GOD
THE CHRISTIAN MES THE DAILY GOSPEL OF
SAGE: LIFE: The most basic truth and the essential core of Mary’s
unique dignity and role in God’s salvific plan is
Doctrine:  The Creed Doctrine: act of paniniwala sharply etched:
Understanding, believing
The Virgin Mary is acknowledged and honored
Morals:     Ten Command Morals :act of pagtalima living as being truly the Mother of God and of the
ments, Beatitudes out of Faith, witnessing Redeemer. Redeemed in a more exalted fashion.
 Worship:   Prayer, Liturgy Worship: act of pagtitiwala, “Mother of God and of the Redeemer.” This
, Sacraments entrusting, praying doctrine is expressed everytime we pray the Hail
Mary

2. BLESSED VIRGIN

ESSENTIAL DIMENSIONS Mary, Virgin and Mother, manifests God’s perfectly free
initiative in the Incarnation (God’s Word/Son becoming
BELIEVING – “Faith involves our basic enfleshed, Jn 1:14). Mary’s perpetual virginity is not
convictions as Christians. ‘For if you confess with your simply abstention from sexual intercourse, but the
lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God positive value of perfect personal integrity in her total
raised him from the dead; you will be saved’ (Rom gift of self to God. Mary’s virginity flowered into
10:9). Faith then, is knowing, but not mere ‘head maternity not only for Jesus, the first-born of all creation
knowledge’. (cf. Rom 8:29; Col 1:15,18),
DOING – “Besides believing, faith is also 3. The Immaculate Conception
doing. Faith is a commitment to follow (obey) God’s
will for us. It is our ‘witnessing’ through Mary, therefore, had the unique mission from God to be
Mother of His Son-made-man, the Redeemer. The
 ‘loving service’ to our neighbors. “Immaculate Conception” as God’s gift to Mary,
ENTRUSTING/WORSHIPPING – “Beyond believing therefore, is doubly Christ-centered: first, as given
and doing, faith is also entrusting oneself into God’s because she would be Mother of Christ; second, as
hands. showing that no one is saved apart from Christ, even
those who lived centuries before him.
 series of apparition to
three shepherd children in
4. The Assumption the small village of
Fatima in Portugal in
Moreover, thus “preserved free from all guilt of original
1917.
sin, the Immaculate Virgin was taken up body and soul
May 31 Visitation recalls to us the following
into heavenly glory [Assumption] upon the completion
great truths and events:
of her earthly sojourn” (LG 59; cf. ND 715; CCC 966).
The visit of the Blessed
With her Assumption to join her Son, the Risen Christ,
Virgin Mary to her cousin
in the fullness of her personality, Mary reveals the
Elizabeth shortly after the
fullness of God’s redeeming work for all of us, “a sign
Annunciation
of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim People of
June 27 Our Mother revolves around the
God” (LG 68).
of Perpetual picture of Our Lady of
Practically speaking, this meant that, sinless like Christ Help Perpetual. Succour, 
himself, Mary was not blinded or confused by pride or painted on wood, with
false self-centeredness. More fully and truly “human” background of gold.
than we are, Mary then can truly appreciate our human July 16 Our Lady of was first instituted in the
trials and failures. Mount late 14th century in
Carmel commemoration of the
5. Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocate approval of the rule of the
Carmelite Order a
Authentic Catholic doctrine teaches that Mary’s hundred years earlier.
intercession does not in any way detract from, or add to, August 15 Assumption recalls the spiritual and
the unique mediation of Christ (cf. 1 Tim 2:5-6). Two physical departure of the
analogies help us to understand this. mother
August 22 Queenship of cherished by the Popes of
- First, in God’s continuing act of Creating, the one
Mary modern times, we
goodness of God is communicated diversely to all
celebrate Mary as the
creatures.
Queen of Heaven and
- Second, the priesthood of Christ is shared in various Earth. Pope Pius IX
ways both by sacred ministers and by all the baptized. said of Mary's queenship:
"Turning her maternal
Feast Days of Mary Heart toward us and
Table 1. dealing with the affair of
Date Celebration Significance our salvation, she is
January 1 Solemnity of to honor our Blessed concerned with the whole
Mary, Mother Mother. human race.
of God September Birth of Mary birth of the Blessed
February 2 Presentation Occurs forty days after 8 Virgin Mary on its
of the Lord the birth of Jesus and is traditional fixed date of
also known as Candlemas September 8, nine months
day after the December 8
February Our Lady of recalling a series of 18 celebration of her
11 Lourdes appearances that the Immaculate Conception
Blessed Virgin Mary as the child of Saints
made to a 14-year-old Joachim and Anne.
French peasant girl, Saint September Our Lady of seven great sorrows
Bernadette Soubirous. 15 Sorrows which Mary lived in
March 25 Annunciation The Solemnity of the relation to Her Son, as
Annunciation celebrates they are recorded in the
the coming of the Angel Gospels or through
Gabriel to the Virgin Tradition.
Mary to announce to her October 7 Our Lady of “Our Lady of Victory,”
the special mission God. the Rosary the feast day takes place
May 13 Our Lady of day that the Blessed in honor of a 16th century
Fatima Virgin Mary started her naval victory which
 secured Europe against Rosary of all ages throughout the world.
Turkish invasion.
November Presentation  commemorates the "Medal of the Immaculate
21 of the Blessed presentation of the The Miraculous Conception", the Miraculous Medal
Virgin Mary Blessed Virgin as a child Medal was struck in the early 1800's after an
by her parents. apparition of our Blessed Mother to
December Immaculate the first moment of her
8 Conception conception, by a singular SOME OF MARIAN APPARITIONS
grace and privilege of
almighty God and by Table 3.
virtue of the merits of 1531. St. Juan opened his cloak
Jesus Christ, Savior of Our Lady of to the bishop, a cascade of roses
the human race, Guadalupe, fell from his tilma, revealing the
preserved immune from Mexico ornate details of the miraculous
all stain of original sin." and mysterious image of Our
December Our Lady of The day commemorates Lady of Guadalupe.
12 Guadalupe her apparition to Saint 1830.  At once, she saw a figure
Juan Diego in the hills of Our Lady of that she believed was her
Tepeyac in 1531. She the guardian angel, who then
asked him to go to the Miraculous escorted her to see Mary descend
bishop and tell him that Medal, Rue the chapel steps and sit in the
the Ever Virgin Mary, du Bac, chair reserved for the spiritual
Mother of God, sent him Paris, director.
to ask for a church to be France
built atop Tepeyac hill.
In 1846, two children named
Maximin Giraud and Mélanie
The Month of the Rosary is October. Our Lady of Calvat were returning from a
La Salette, mountain in La Salette, France,
The Feast of the Immaculate Heart is the Saturday France after tending to their cows, when
following the Second Sunday after Pentecost. they saw “a beautiful lady”
appear to them, weeping with her
The First Saturday of each Month is also dedicated to face in her hands and “clothed in
Marian Devotions. a white robe studded with pearls;
and a gold-colored apron; white
shoes and roses about her feet
SOME MARIAN DEVOTIONS and high head-dress. She wore a
Table 2. crucifix suspended by a necklace
Jesus chose to come to us through the from her neck.”
Blessed Virgin Mary, and faithful The message of Our Lady was
Devotion to the Christians can choose to go to Jesus the conversion of the entire
Immaculate through Mary. She is an exemplary world.
Heart of Mary model.
Our Lady of Likely one of the most beloved
1495. People in Crete venerated Our Lourdes, and well-known of the Marian
Lady because numerous prayer France apparitions, young Bernadette
requests had been granted to those Soubirous, who was uneducated
Our Lady of who were devoted to her. The and poor, saw a beautiful lady
Perpetual Help devotion to this Marian advocation standing near a wasteland where
revolves around the picture of Our Bernadette and her sister were
Lady of Perpetual Succour,  painted gathering firewood.  February
on wood, with background of gold. 11, 1858 was the first of several
the Rosary is a very powerful prayer apparitions at Lourdes, where
tool which contains a total of 59 Mary revealed herself to
strung beads, a crucifix and, possibly, Bernadette as “The Immaculate
The Holy a center piece. It is used by Catholics Conception,” a dogma of the
 Church that was entirely  "The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by
unfamiliar to Bernadette.  This Mary's obedience; what the virgin Eve bound
added to the credibility of the through her unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened
vision. by her faith."
Our Lady of While herding sheep near their
Fatima, village of Fatima in 1916, Lucia
Portugal Santos and her two cousins  Comparing Mary with Eve, they call her "the
Jacinta and Francisco Marto Mother of the living," and still more often they
were witnesses of an angelic say: "death through Eve, life through Mary."
vision on three occasions, who
they explained was “The Angel  This union of the Mother with the Son in the
of Peace.”  The angel prepared work of salvation is made manifest from the
them to increase their efforts at time of Christ's virginal conception up to His
mortification and prayer.  One death it.
year later, the children saw a
woman “brighter than the sun”
who wore a white mantle  This union is manifest also at the birth of Our
adorned in gold, holding a Lord, who did not diminish His mother's
rosary. virginal integrity but sanctified it, when the
Our Lady of Mary appeared to her wearing a Mother of God joyfully showed her firstborn
the Rosary blue dress, saying, “Do not be Son to the shepherds and Magi.
of San afraid.  Receive this Rosary from
Nicolas, my hands and keep it forever and  she brought about by her intercession the
Buenos ever.  You are obedient; I am beginning of miracles of Jesus the Messiah.
Aires, happy because of it.  Rejoice, for
Argentina God is with you,” and handed
Gladys a white rosary.  Our
 Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of
Lady’s messages have mainly faith
been portents of things to come if
the world does not convert, as  "Woman, behold thy son".
well as revelations of things to
come.  "persevering with one mind in prayer with the
women and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with
THE ROLE OF THE BLESSED His brethren",
MOTHER IN THE ECONOMY OF
SALVATION  Finally, the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free
from all guilt of original sin,
 Sacred Scriptures of both the Old and the New
Testament]  Queen of the universe

 The books of the Old Testament describe the  conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and the
history of salvation, by which the coming of conqueror of sin and death.
Christ into the world was slowly prepared.
EARLY EDUCATION.
 His son will be called Emmanuel.  Education suffered at the hands of the
revolution. More than twenty years of
 She stands out among the poor and humble of insurrection and external wars had done A heart
the might in the mysteries of His flesh free man that knew no bounds little to secure the place of
teaching and learning in the overall scheme of
 radiance of an entirely unique holiness things.
 Marcellin attended school for a very brief time.
 By age eleven, he had decided that he preferred
 "full of grace"
farm work to the world of books.
  When Marcellin set out for the seminary at age  Jean-Baptiste Montagne, lay dying. The lad
sixteen, he took with him his lack of education. was entirely ignorant of matters of faith.
This deficiency was to be a cross for him Marcellin instructed him, heard his confession,
throughout his life. and prepared him for death.

“WE MUST HAVE BROTHERS” MARCELLINE’S CALLING

 .A report on education in the Loire Department,  Jean-Baptiste had died. Marcellin’s encounter
where La Valla was located, had this to say with this adolescent boy transformed him.
about the situation:  Marcellin decided to put his plan into action: he
 “The young are living in the most profound would ask Jean-Marie Granjon to become the
ignorance and are given to the most alarming first member of his community of teaching
dissipation”. Teachers were not held in high brothers.
regard. One report described them as,
“drunkards, irreligious, immoral—the dregs of  The first recruit Jean-Marie Granjon, to be
the human race”. known later as Brother Jean-Marie, accepted the
young priest’s invitation on October 28th, 1816;
 The Ordinance of February 1816 authorized the he was eager to give himself to the work.
printing of suitable textbooks, the establishment
of model schools, and the payment of teachers.
 Marcellin had taken the first step to found his
Little Brothers of Mary. A second step followed
 It also gave a strong impetus to primary very quickly. A small house near the presbytery
education: every parish was required to provide was available for purchase. Marcellin wanted to
it. Children whose families could not pay were  Father Rebod, the pastor, opposed the promising
to receive free instruction. event came quickly: a second recruit.
 community begins to grow Jean-Baptiste
 The climate was ripe for Marcellin to realize his Audras, later Brother Louis, was only fourteen
dream. The founder, though, was not simply and a half when he asked to
concerned about providing better educational
opportunities for young people.  join the De La Salle Brothers at Saint
Chamond. Judging him to be too young,
 Marcellin was often heard to say, “I cannot see
a child without wanting to let him know how  they advised A heart that knew no bounds him
much Jesus Christ has loved him and how to continue discussing his vocation with his
much he should, in return, love the divine confessor.
Savior”.  The first two recruits took up occupancy on
 Brother Jean-Baptiste tells us, “in founding his January 2nd, 1817. Henceforth, the Bonner
Institute, Father Champagnat had more in mind house would be referred to, at least in the Marist
than providing primary instruction for the world, as the “cradle” of the Institute, and
children or even, than teaching them the truths January 2nd, 1817 as the foundation date of the
of religion. Little Brothers of Mary.
 Its members were to embrace a spirituality that
 He said, ‘We aim at A heart that knew no bounds included mindfulness of God’s presence,
something better: we want to educate the confidence in Mary and her protection, and the
children, to instruct them in their duty, to teach practice of the “little” virtues of simplicity and
them to practice it, to give them a Christian humility. Throughout the remaining winter
spirit and attitudes and to form them to religious months, Granjon and Audras lived together in
habits and the virtues possessed by a good the house. Marcellin taught his charges to read,
Christian and a good citizen.’” and gave them the tools they would need to
 twenty-two-year-old parishioner named Jean- teach children.
Marie Granjon, a former Grenadier in  He also showed them how to pray and to make
Napoleon’s Imperial Guard. nails. The latter were sold to provide an income
 Granjon refused the book initially, pointing out for the community.
that he was unable to read.  Both Granjon and Audras assisted the young
priest with many of his pastoral duties.
  They visited and helped the aged and infirm in encouragement, they elected a Director, the choice
the hamlets, gathered wood for the needy, and falling on Jean-Marie Granjon, the oldest and first
brought them food regularly. A founder educates member. A daily schedule, beginning with 5:00 AM
his brothers Marcellin engaged Claude rising followed by prayer, was agreed upon.
Maisonneuve, formerly with the De La Salle
Brothers congregation, to instruct his brothers in  Father Rebod, gave permission for the transfer,
methods of teaching. Though Maisonneuve he warned his curate that he would soon tire of
tutored Granjon and Audras in the theory and living in such poor conditions. The brothers
practice of teaching, Marcellin attended to their were delighted to have Marcellin working and
religious and intellectual formation. He was a praying with them, eating the same food, and
skilled catechist and also helped them with their organizing and helping in their teacher training.
 Jean-Claude Audras turned out to be the third Whether or not the spirit of equality and
recruit for the Little Brothers, his path to the fraternity had Marcellin Champagnat taken root
Institute an unlikely one. Charged by his parents in nineteenth century France, it had begun to
with the task of going to La Valla to fetch home weave itself into the rich tapestry that would, in
his brother Jean-Baptiste, the young man set out time, develop into the life style characteristic of
on his journey. the Little Brothers of Mary
 . A word about Father Rebod, before we move
 his parents were agreeable because Jean-Claude on. Though he was often a cross to Marcellin,
became the third member of the community in we need to adopt the curate’s compassion in
December 1817. evaluating the man. Rebod was obviously
 He later took the name Brother Laurent. Over troubled and unhappy. At the very least, he
the next six months, three more recruits abused alcohol. In another era, assistance for
appeared, among them these problems would have been more available
 Gabriel Rivat, who would take the name to him.
Brother François and some twenty years later  He might also have chosen another direction for
succeed Marcellin as Superior of the brothers. his life. We do not know how many lives he
By June 1818, six young men were living in the touched in a positive way; undoubtedly, there
former Bonner house in La Valla. were some. For Marcellin, though, he was often
a source of tension. It is to the young priest’s
The ministry begins. At this time in history, schooling in credit that he managed to respond to Rebod’s
France was limited to the winter months. Every pair of antagonism with patience and understanding.
hands was needed for work on the family farm when the
weather turned fine. So it was that in May 1818, his POSSIBLE QUESTIONS:
winter assignments in the hamlets having ended,
1. The primary source of faith are human experiences
Maisonneuve was able to come to La Valla for the
FALSE (Secondary Sources)
summer months. A school for boys and girls was started
in the brothers’ house under the direction of 2. Innate religiosity is a Filipino identity FALSE (Faith
Maisonneuve; they learned by observing him at work and Religiosity)
and by helping with the classes as they were able. A
heart that knew no bounds When Maisonneuve 3. Certain yet obscure faith rests on God TRUE
eventually departed, Marcellin continued to operate the
brothers’ school, appointing Jean-Marie Granjon, the 4. Christian Faith is subjective TRUE
first member of the Institute, as the school’s headmaster.
Jean-Marie threw himself into the task with zest as he set 5. Marcellin set out for seminary at the age of 16 TRUE
about educating the children entrusted to him, many of 6. An informed and communitarian faith FALSE
whom were abandoned and orphaned. With the passage (INCULTURATED)
of time, the success of the brothers’ efforts became
obvious. They also continued to teach in the hamlets, 7. John the beloved is the first disciple FALSE
and Father Allirot, the priest who had baptized (PETER)
Marcellin, asked him to establish a school in Marlhes.
Late in 1818, two brothers took up that challenge. 8. The dogma of Mary, Mother of God, the churches
FALSE (IMMACULATE CONCEPTION)
COMMUNITY LIFE TAKES SHAPE.
9. Dogma are lights to our path TRUE
As the brothers’ school in La Valla developed, so also
did their life in community. With Marcellin’s 10. Religion is the root of Filipino optimism TRUE
11. Truth is the object of their mind TRUE

12. Doing is the dimension of faith FALSE

(BELIEVING)

13. Jean-Marie Granjon was the first recruit of marcellin

to be the first member of his community of teaching
brothers. TRUE

14. Mary conceived without birth is a dogma of

perpetual virginity TRUE

15. Jesus identity as a Eucharist is very appealing

FALSE (MIRACLE WORKER)