The year 2011 is a grace-filled
year for the Philippine Catholic Church. We are celebrating the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) Year of the Youth and 25th
Anniversary of the Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY). Among the
meaningful activities for these double celebration
was the CBCP 1M-Tree Planting Project that aims
to concretize the youth's love for the God-given gift of the environment. 1M in the ‘1M Tree Planting Project” means
three things: (1) One Million- the number of trees the project aims to plant
and monitor; (2) One Mother Earth- we only have one planet, one environment
that we need to protect and preserve for the next generations; and (3) One
Mother- each of us has a mother, and as a people, we find a common mother in
Mary, our model of discipleship and obedience to the will of God.
The
main participants of the project are the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal
Commission on Youth, the diocesan youth ministry offices and
member-organizations of the Federation of the National Youth Organizations
(FNYO), youth ministers and leaders, and youth in general.
As a response to this project, the Filipino Youth with a Mission (FYM), as
one of the members of the FNYO, initiated for the first time a tree planting
activity last September 11, 2011. The FYM is
a nationwide Catholic, lay, non-political, non-profit, religious organization
composed of young people that is based in the parish, dedicated to develop a
deep spiritual union with Jesus, be a witness to Christian life and fully
cooperate in the missionary activity of the Church, specifically, by being a
young lay mission partner of the Mission
Society of the Philippines (MSP), the missionary arm of the Philippine
Catholic Church. The FYM-Davao and FYM-Cebu simultaneously
planted a total of three hundred (300) seedlings. The former planted two
hundred (200) mahogany seedlings near the riverside of NHA Phase I and NHA
Phase II, Bangkal, Davao City. These were the areas that were affected by a
heavy flashflood last June 29, 2011, which claimed the lives of more than 30
people and affected thousands of residents in Bangkal. The latter planted 100
hundred seedlings in the lot of the Fil-Mission Seminary in Tayud, Consolacion,
Cebu.
Here in Davao City, twenty eight (28)
participants took part in the activity. We prepared a short program to make it
meaningful. We started with an opening prayer dedicated to Mother Earth. Ping
Cortel, the chairperson for Fil-Mission Auxiliary Association (FMAA), a lay extension of the Mission
Society of the Philippines sharing in its charism, spirituality, vision and
mission, gave an inspirational message for the FYM. She connected the
activity to one of the FMAA objectives, the Social Issues and Concern, and to the
Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP)-Justice, Peace, and Integrity of God’s
Creation (JPIC) program. She stated that what we did was also a part of our role
as next liners and future leaders of the FMAA. As an additional input, we had a
reflection on the “10 Commandments of
the Earth”. Then a short orientation about the tree planting activity based
on the implementing guidelines sent by CBCP-ECY was given.
Brgy. Capt. Artemio Jimenez of Brgy. Talomo
expressed his joy and gratitude to the FYM for choosing Talomo as the venue of
the activity. He shared his goals of having again a green environment for his
barangay by more tree planting activities. And he is aiming to involve the
youth in this thrust to lessen the juvenile delinquency in his area, especially
the out-of-school youth. He also
conveyed that involvement in religious youth organization can really help the young
people to be in the right path in life.
Our immense and heartfelt gratitude to our City Environment
and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Davao City for their immediate response
to our request, to Brgy. Capt. Jimenez, to the Civilian Volunteers Organizations
(CVO) and to the councilors of Brgy. Talomo who extended their help and support
to us during the tree planting activity.
We were so thankful to God despite of the trials
we encountered during the pre-planting period, it was still successful and
fruitful. God is really great and
gracious! We experienced the
“multiplication of loaves”. Kudos to my fellow FYM from different parishes for
sharing their time and effort in this endeavor. We were also so grateful to MSP
and to our FMAAs here in Davao City who supported us by their presence and
generosity.
Our fervent hopes and prayers that more young
people will take part in the CBCP
1M-Tree Planting Project. We can also express our support
by living daily protecting and preserving the environment. Young as we are, we can make a
difference. We can make a stand as one to care for and heal our one and only
Mother Earth.
Prepared
by:
MS. MARISSA P. SUMALINOG
FYM
National Chairperson
Contact
number: 0947-409-9861/0932-372-5323
Email
address: marissa_sumalinog@yahoo.com
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