MODULE 3

Looking through the Gifts and

Talents for the Blessed Ones

WHAT ARE BASIC

ECCLESIAL
COMMUNITIES?
A generic term that refers to the
communities of faith that have
emerged
at the grassroots.
Small caring groups within the
parish.

What is the significance of this term

BECs or Basic Ecclesial Communities?
Community These are communities local
communities whose members live in close
proximity and interact with each other regularly.
These are not specialized groups but stable
environments.
Basic A basic community is small enough for the
members to know each other well and relate
deeply as friends but not too small that it turns
into a primary group or barkada instead of a
community.
Ecclesial A way of being Church - the Church
that is realized, localized and experienced at the
grassroots, in the neighborhood.

The PCP II Vision of BECs

Our vision of the Church as communion, a
Church as priestly, prophetic and kingly
people, and as a Church of the Poor that
is a Church that is renewed, is today
finding expression in one ecclesial
movement, and this is the movement to
foster Basic Ecclesial Communities (PCP II
137).

The PCP II vision of the Church which can be

realized in the BECs as:
The Community of Disciples
Living in Communion and participating in
the mission of Christ as a priestly ,
prophetic, and kingly people and as the
Church of the Poor.
Have a deep personal relationship with
Christ and with one another.
They are of one heart and one mind. There
is fellowship or community among
believers and followers of Christ.

 Celebrate the presence of Christ in the

Sacraments.
Have a concern for the plight of the
poor, the needy and those who are
sick, hungry and who are in prison
Follow the way of Christ who is poor.
The members live the evangelical
message to actively participate in the
mission of Christ.

The PCP II has appropriated the vision of

the Church as a priestly, prophetic and
kingly people and see its realization in
the BECs.
Prophetic Communities
They hear, proclaim and witness to the
Word of God.
They are evangelized and evangelizing
communities, learning and teaching
communities, witnessing communities.

Priestly Communities
They are worshipping and celebrating
communities.
They are active participants in the
liturgical-sacramental celebration, in
prayer and thanksgiving.

Kingly Communities (Serving)

They participate in making the
Kingdom of God a reality in this world
by promoting peace and justice,
integral development and liberation
and integrity of creation.

The BECs concretely

express evangelical
poverty, the option for the
poor and the participation
of the poor in the life and
mission of the Church.

The BECs as Communities of the Poor

They are found in the rural barangays and
urban slums.
They are the ones who mourn, who are
sick, harassed, in prison, who thirst for
justice and who seek peace.
Through the BEC, they can experience
communion among themselves. They
experience what it means to be a
community of disciples, a community of
friends.

The BECs Enable the Poor to

Participate in the Life and Mission of
the Church
They proclaim the Gospel to the poor
and the poor proclaim the Gospel.
They poor are not only evangelized,
they also become evangelizers.

Anawim
They know what
is important
things that last
the soul and
relationships

BECs

Facilitating Group Discussions

1.
2.
3.
4.

Ask open-ended questions

Ask follow-up questions
Start an argument
Make sure the rubber hits
the road

FIVE STEPS OF THE

FORMATION PROCESS of
SMALL CARING GROUPS
or B.E.C.CELLS
1. The First Step: Dialogue of
Life
2. The Second Step: Introductory
Seminars
3. The Third Step: Formation of
Circles

raying with the Word of God

1. PREPARATIONS
2. INTRODUCTION
3. OPENING SONG
4. OPENING PRAYER
5. READING(Lectio)
6. REFLECTION(Meditatio)
7. PRAYING(Oratio)
8. CONTEMPLATION(Contemp
latio,
or merely basking in His
presence)
9. COMPASSION(Compassio,
literally means: to suffer
with)

HE SEVEN STEPS FOR BIBLE SHARING

First Step: We invite the Lord..
Second Step: We read the scriptural
text
Third Step: We pick out words and
meditate
on them.
Fourth Step:
We let God speak to us in
silence .
Fifth Step: We share what we have heard
in our hearts.
Sixth Step: We plan and discuss the task

PRAYER MEETING
WATCHING JESUS
1. Opening Hymn/Song to create a
prayerful atmosphere and focus attention
(3 5 minutes).
2. Short Prayer to the Holy Spirit for
enlightenment (2 - 3 minutes).
3. Reading of the Scriptures twice, one in
English or Tagalog and one in Waray, for
a mixed group (2 - 3 minutes).
4. Silence 3 - 5 Minutes.

5. Sharing 45 minutes 1
hour
6. Reading the Scriptures again
(Group)
2 3 minutes
7. Closing Prayer/Song
3 - 5 minutes

Examen of Consiousness
Context of the Examen
The Examen is a popular way of praying
and was developed by St. Ignatius
Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the
Society of Jesus (The Jesuits). He
suggested that his brothers undertook a
daily way of praying by examining their
lives so they could better serve God.

The 5-Steps OF THE

EXAMEN

1. THANKSGIVING
2. INSIGHT
3. PONDERING
4. NOTICING
5. TOMORROW