Filipino Catholics adopt ‘Gifted to Give’ theme for 500th anniversary

The year 1521 is immortalized in the hearts and minds of many Filipinos as the day the Lord gave them the one true faith. This year, 2021, is special for Filipino Christians as they celebrate 500 years of the Christian faith. 

The Philippines is the only Asian country colonized by Spain, and much of its culture, language, religion, and way of life has been influenced greatly by the Spaniards. Explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew arrived on the islands as part of the colonial race in the 16th century that competed for resources and the Christianization of unexplored territories, and with them they brought Catholicism.

Magellan met with Rajah Humabon, the ruler of the island of Cebu, and the island embraced Christianity perhaps primarily to avoid conflict with the conquistadors. Humabon’s neighbours on Mactan Island headed by its ruler Lapu-Lapu, however, doubted the intentions of the visitors, which led to the death of Magellan and his companions.

This did not deter the missionaries in pursuing their work of Christianization of the natives of the islands. The evangelization of the inhabitants of the islands was one of the objectives of Spain. Father Urdaneta and Spanish Augustinian friars moved from Mexico to the Philippines and became the first official Catholic missionaries in the country. Other orders, such as the Dominicans, Recollects, Franciscans, and Jesuits soon followed.

Catholic evangelization was welcomed by the inhabitants of the islands. The majority of the people were easily converted and abandoned their Indigenous worship and practices. The Jesuit historian John Schumacher has claimed “no whole people, at least prior to the 19th century, has ever in the history of the Church been so thoroughly evangelized as were the Filipinos.” 

Catholicism eased into the daily lives of the converts, and it became the religion among lowland Filipinos, especially in Luzon and Visayas.

The Philippines continues to stand today as the only Christian country in Asia, with 92 per cent of its population declaring themselves as Christians. 

The Catholic Church’s growth and dynamism in Filipinos that comes from the intergenerational handing down of the faith is evident in the many young people who attend Mass and are involved in the life of the Church, whether in the Philippines or in Canada. Today’s young Filipino Catholics embrace the faith of their parents and grandparents, not because they must, but by finding ways to make it their own, with the initial guidance of their elders.

In the last five decades, popes have made four visits to the Philippines. Pope Paul VI visited while on a pilgrimage in 1970. Pope John Paul II followed in 1981 for the beatification of San Lorenzo Ruiz (the Philippines’ first canonized saint) and returned for World Youth Day 1995, which was reported to have an attendance of around five million, making it one of the largest crowds at a papal event.

The most recent papal visit to the Philippines was by Pope Francis in 2015, and the gathering of six million for that event is considered the largest papal gathering in history. His popularity in the Philippines earned him the nickname “Lolo Kiko.” “Lolo” means grandpa, and “Kiko” is a nickname for Francisco.

Many Filipino immigrant families place great value on the Catholic education of their children, and many believe Christianity and faith are necessary to be good people. This practice has lived on in the generations that follow, and wherever Filipino diaspora is found, faithful Catholic families are present.

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, in an address to Filipino Catholics in the Archdiocese of Vancouver in 2018, expressed thanks for their “cooperative spirit (that) bears witness that the Body of Christ is united in bringing the message of Jesus to our world. Our mission of evangelization is more pleasing to the Lord and more effective when we all see ourselves as co-workers in bringing the Good News of God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ to our families, friends and co-workers.”

The archdiocese is joining with Filipinos across the world in celebrating the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines under the theme “Gifted to Give.”

Local events will continue until the end of 2021, regardless of pandemic, as celebrations enjoin the faithful in the Archdiocese of Vancouver to this historic event in the life of Filipino Catholics.

Visit the archdiocese’s Filipino Ministry at filipino-ministry/500yoc for more information about upcoming events. 

Rosette Correa is a member of the archdiocese’s Filipino Ministry and a teacher at Immaculate Conception school.

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