PAPAL NUNCIATOR, Manila —
In giving recognition to the country’s juridical personality and in approving Church statutes, the Vatican has approved the creation of a body to promote collaboration among secular institutes in the Philippines.
This was announced recently by the Conference of Secular Institutes of the Philippines (CSIP), which currently includes 14 member institutes and associations.
The formal establishment of organization was outlined in a decree issued by the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life last year in June headed by its prefect Cardinal João Braz De Aviz.
The news, though, was only made public by the CSIP recently with Cardinal De Aviz, expressing hope that the conference would become “an effective instrument for the growth of a mentality and spirituality of communion.”
The prefect also envisioned CSIP as “a place of dialogue and hope, where secular institutes present in the Philippines can help each other.”
De Aviz explained that Secular Institutes are societies whose members strive to attain Christian perfection through the practice of poverty, chastity and obedience and to carry out the work of the Church while 'living in the world'.
While most secular institutes are composed of laypeople, they can also include clergy, or a mix of both. These institutions offer uts members a way to follow Christ through total consecration to God while maintaining their everyday lives.
Asked where these can be found, the Cardinal replied that the secular members are in various fields, including private and government offices, schools and healthcare centers.
"Members work in professions such as accounting, engineering, law, teaching, counseling, medicine and caregiving. The organization was recognized in 1947 with the Church affirming the importance of this vocation for the evangelization of modern society," De Aviz pointed out.
Included in the CSIP’s objectives are promoting and strengthening relationships among Secular Institutes in the country and developing common initiatives that supplement each other’s formation programs.
Formally made a member of the Episcopal Commission on Mutual Relations between Bishops and Consecrated Persons of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) CSIP was founded in 2015, and secular institutes were introduced to the CBCP during their plenary assembly in Cebu City in January 2018.
CSIP is currently led by the Council of Leaders with Ms. Angeline Dy of the Missionaries of the Kingship of Christ as president.