Last November 23 the Archdiocese of Cebu concluded the Year of the Youth and launched the Year of Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue through the Festival of Faiths. And behind the successful event was a unique experience of fostering a new kind of brotherhood. New City interviewed two key persons involved in the historical event, and here is what they tell us. Fr. Alvin Raypan and Alessandra Emide, an Italian Focolarina who lives in Cebu.
Fr. Alvin, can you share to our readers about this Festival of Faiths? Who were involved in this and what was its aim?
On the first week of October, the priest in charge of the commission of the youth of the Archdiocese of Cebu opened to me the idea of having the closing of the year of the youth and the launching of the year of ecumenism together.
It was with a lot of fear and uncertainty that I came for the first meeting. There were the representatives of the Church of Christ of the Latter Day Saints, the Buddhists of the Guang Xi Temple, United Methodist Church, UCCP, the Bahai Faith, and two Muslim youths and representatives from the Focolare local community of Cebu. I was glad that when I said, “We are few, We don’t have much resources, But…-I paused and a bit hesitant to continue -, a respectable person from a Christian church added- “we are one“! This proved to be the strength that made us overcome the challenges together.
Alessandra, what specific contributions did the Focolare have in this historic event?
When these plans started to take shape, although we were a small group from the various realities of the Focolare, we felt that we have to give our undconditional support to Fr. Alvin.
Since the beginning, personally, I felt a great joy in being with the brothers and sisters of other churches and religions. With some of them there is already a personal friendship, thanks to the past several Weeks of Prayer for Christian Unity. In fact one of us, has been in closed contact with a group of pastors from other churches. And this occasion proved to be an opportunity to deepen the unity among all. I believe, the specific contribution we were able to give in the event is Unity, the very spirit that animates the Focolare.
This event was not only intended to gather together the head of the different Christian churches and Religions. There was also the involvement of the young people. How did you involve the young to work together? And what was the result of this working together?
Alessandra: It was really to embark on something new, because it was the first time for the youth to gather and work together to prepare an event. We invited the young people of the Focolare, the gen, and have responded positively and showed their willingness to get involved in this. For two months various meetings were organized, attended by both adults and the youth and were held in the archbishop residence. We were well-assorted group! Youth representatives from the Diocesan Commission on Youth, for the catholics, together with the gen boys and girls, the youth from United Methodist Church, the youth of United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP), the buddist youth, the Bahai’ Faith, and the muslim youth.
It was not at all easy at the beginning to work together, due to differences in personalities. But this did not hinder us in building relationship with all. For example, choosing the title of the event became a concrete way to build unity among all. Together with the Gen, we agreed to give importance to the contribution of each one, and try to welcome the different opinions. I understood deeply that my role there, as for all of us from the Focolare, was “to be Mary”. Meaning, to be that warm and welcoming presence which makes everyone feel comfortable. To do this, we often declare to each other “let’s keep Jesus among us!”. And each of us is committed to take particular care of personal rapport with each one, because it is only on the basis of personal rapport with each of these religious leaders and with young people, that this dialogue can go ahead.
As a priest, and a representative of the Catholic Church of the Archdioces of Cebu, found yourself as one among the leaders of the various Christian Churches and Religions. What impact did this have in you?
Fr. Alvin: Accompanied by a lay member of the Focolare, first, we visited the pastors and leaders of other religions in their respective churches and places of worship, like temples, showing our utmost respect and appreciation for their faith and traditions. It was a chance for me to get to know them personally in order to establish personal rapport with each one. I felt that my physical presence was necessary in order to make unity among us more visible.
There are moments in my life as a priest that I am also reminded by the lay people how to be steadfast in faith. For instance, during the last week of the preparations, there were three days of continuous rain, and it I was in the idea of changing the venue to an indoor space. The same person who reminded at the start of the preparations that “we are one”, reminded me that there is only one thing to do: to have faith. And indeed, it happened: rain stopped when all the presentations were over.
You mentioned that this event was historical. What mark did it leave in those who organized it and among those who participated?
Alessandra: I was following closely the group of the youth who started to work together, giving their contribution and sharing their time and talents. And in order to bring ahead the work and various logistic aspect, two separate chat groups were created: the youth named their chat “ Happy together”, while the adults “Festival of Faiths”. Although the initial idea came from the adults, litlle by little the youth became the protagonists of the program. This fostered a new kind of brotherhood, built not so much by the practical things they have committed themselves into, but by the reciprocal esteem that was created among all. And later, this was sealed by the oath we have formulated. It was a kind of pact, an agreement to live for each other promoting respect, unity and harmony among all. To be persons committed to dialogue. This oath was distributed to all the participants at the end of the program of the Festival of Faiths.
