The premiere showing of the “Pilgrim”, an original documentary film for the 500 years of the Catholic faith in the Philippines was held at Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) auditorium at Fairview, Quezon City on April 23, 2022.
Firestarters Productions Inc is the producer of the docu-film.
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), was present to receive the documentary film during a turnover ceremony.
According to him, the “Pilgrim” gives a kaleidoscopic (a complex mix of elements and multifaceted) range of events and moments that have shaped and characterized the country and the church for the last 500 years of Christianity in the archipelago.
It is hoped that the documentary will serve as a means of educating the public and Catholics to appreciate and admire the legacy of the church’s missionary journey with a critical mind for the present and future.
The film mentions several benchmarks in the country’s history. At least two are mentioned below.
The first one is the gift of Filipino Catholic shepherds (bishops). When the Philippines was liberated and undergoing reconstruction after the Second World War, Jesuit Father John F. Hurley organized Catholic Welfare Organization (CWO).
For the first time, after World War II, bishops gathered to plan for the reconstruction of the country after the Japanese occupation. The CWO, founded in 1945, continued its charity works and developed into the official organization of the Philippine Church hierarchy.
In 1967, Catholic Welfare Organization became the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
The other is the gift of Catholic education—the role of shaping the minds of Filipinos and a time to receive their proper instruction.
While Americans used their schools to propagate Protestantism and liberty mentality, the Church has called for religious orders to establish the education system in the country.
Catholic universities and teaching institutions are built, many of which are still continuing their works up to this day: to name a few, the Dominican-run University of Santo Tomas, Colegio de San Carlos, and Colegio de San Jose.
Several distinguished guests from the government and public sector attended the premiere including a few bishops, priests, nuns, and lay people.
The film is produced in collaboration with RVA, Veritas 846, the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines and others.
Spanish missionaries brought the Christian faith to the Philippines 500 years ago in 1521. Today, the country with the largest Catholic population in Asia (and the fourth in the world, with 80% Catholics out of 110 million inhabitants) has 86 dioceses. - With inputs from DZRV 846
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
