Historical Notes
YEAR 1979
March 27-29
Headed by Bishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi. O.P., D.D. The National Catechetical Directory of the Philippines (NCDP) which took place in Silang, Cavite recommended that catechetical consultations be held at regional levels.
August 23
In preparation for the Fourth Synod of Manila, and in response to the resolution of NCDP, the Catechetical Ministry in the Archdiocese of Manila gathered for the First Archdiocesan Catechetical Consultation (ACC-I) at Pius XII Center. The group came up with a report on the catechetical situation of the Archdiocese of Manila for submission to the Fourth Synod of Manila.
October 16
Pope John Paul II issued “Catechesi Tradendae” an Apostolic Exhortation on Catechesis in our time.
October 21-28
The Fourth Synod of the Archdiocese of Manila Acts and Statutes gave the impetus to the creation of the Catechetical Ministry.
YEAR 1980
March 3-5
The ACC-II that was held at Pentecost House in Antipolo came up with the first Archdiocesan Catechetical Norms and Programs. It also gave the Ministry its first VISION and THRUSTS.
March 15
MOST REV. MANUEL SOBREVIÑAS, D.D. was appointed Head of Catechetics under the umbrella of the Archdiocesan Board of Religious Education (ABRE) in the Archdiocese of Manila.
June 10
The first Catechetical Norms and Programs of the Archdiocese of Manila which include the Vision and Thrusts, formulated in the ACC-II was approved and promulgated by HIS EMINENCE JAIME CARDINAL L. SIN. The necessary structures, systems and personnel were put in place for an effective coordination of the many parochial and district catechetical initiatives.
YEAR 1981
November 18
The Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry (ACM) officially began with the approval of the budget for Programs and Operations for the fiscal year 1981-1982 by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin. The said approval was contained in the communiqué addressed by His Eminence to Most Rev. Manuel Sobreviñas, D.D., Chairman of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry with copy correspondingly furnished to Most Rev. Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P, D.D. Director of ABRE.
YEAR 1983
Feb. 28-Mar. 3
The Archdiocesan Catechetical Workshop (ACW) held in Mirador Jesuit Villa, Baguio finalized the two-year basic catechetical formation curriculum; identified ratio of catechetical personnel with students catechized; and recommended a common catechetical fund for the Archdiocese.
June 9
Most Rev. Manuel Sobreviñas furnished the members of the Presbyteral Council a comprehensive study on the catechetical situation and a proposal for a Centralized Fund Plan for the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry.
YEAR 1984
April 28
His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin approved the creation of an Executive Board for ACM as proposed by Bishop Manuel Sobreviñas. The Executive Board was composed of the Director or ACM Chairman, Priest Chairman for Catechetics of various Ecclesiastical Districts and an Executive Secretary of the Office.
YEAR 1988
March 7-11
Held at St. Francis in Baguio, ACC-III came up with Vision and Thrusts for the next five years. An Archdiocesan Catechetical Board was created with all the District Bishops as its members replacing the Executive Board. “God and Man” a basic formation syllabus was introduced and undergone by a team of formators.
It was in this gathering that close coordination between catechetical centers in the Archdiocese of Manila was formally organized.
May 17
The CENTRALIZED FUNDING SYSTEM (CFS) got a 100% approval from the priests who attended the Priest Assembly held at Villa San Miguel.
October 13
In his letter, His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, D.D. announced to all the parish priests the implementation of the CFS effective December 1988.
YEAR 1991
February 28
The Archdiocesan Catechetical Board resolved the establishment of the CATECHETICAL FOUNDATION OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MANILA (CFAM).
YEAR 1992
March 9-13
The ACC-IV which was held at Don Bosco Retreat House in Batulao, Batangas came up with a new set of Thrusts in the light of the challenges posed by PCP II. Action Programs for the next five years have also been identified.
YEAR 1993
April 1
REV. FR. GERARDO. O. SANTOS was appointed Chairman of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Office replacing Most. Rev. Manuel C. Sobreviñas. He was also appointed as Minister of the Ministry of Education and Catechetics.
December 7
CCD Program of the late Fr. Lino Banayad, S.J. and ACFG-GM Program of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry were merged under one Formation Center, now known as the Institute of Catechetics of the Archdiocese of Manila (ICAM) under the directorship of MSGR. JOSE “CHITO” BERNARDO.
YEAR 1995
December 4
About 150 diocesan and religious priests, mostly parish priests from the Archdiocese of Manila staged a concert, entitled: “WOW BUHAY! HAY BUHAY!” for the benefit of the 500 catechists of ACM. Proceeds of the concert went to CFAM.
YEAR 1996
March 12-14
In the Evaluation and Planning of Coordinators and Priests directly involved in ACM, it was resolved that the Formation Forum comprising all the catechetical centers in the Archdiocese of Manila shall be under the Formation Director of ACM.
July 30
The Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry (ACM) was registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission as Catechetical Foundation of the Archdiocese of Manila Inc. (CFAM)
YEAR 1997
January 2
REV. FR. CARLO MAGNO was appointed Director of ICAM and at the same time the Assistant Minister for Formation.
February 1
MSGR. DANIEL STA. MARIA was appointed by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin as ACM Finance Director, a welcome development in the organization of ACM.
YEAR 1998
February 3-4
ACM Organization Planning Seminar (OPS) was conducted at St. Scholastica’s Center of Spirituality, Tagaytay. The seminar, which was facilitated by Msgr. Manuel Gabriel came up with a revised VISION-MISSION, THRUSTS AND OBJECTIVES.
August 8
The ACM Administrative Council (ACM-AC) with the approval of His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin was created with all the District Priest Chairmen, Finance Director and Formation Director as its members replacing the Executive Board.
November 26
At the ACM Finance Council Meeting on November 26, 1998, the Insular Investment and Trust Corporation was appointed as the trustee of the CFAM Retirement Benefit Plan.
YEAR 1999
March 17
Msgr. Gerardo O. Santos, during the Administrative council Meeting, announced that Msgr. Mar Enriquez shall be appointed as the Chairman of the ACM Personnel Council. The Council approved the ACM Goals, Objectives and Action Plan for implementation in the districts for the next three years, 1999-2001
The Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry Administrative Council approved the new ACM Manual of Norms and Policies and Manual of Procedures for Systematic Catechesis effective May 1, 1999. The approved Manuals superseded all previous policies and procedures of the ACM.
YEAR 2000
July
The Archdiocesan Catechetical Office was transferred from Arzobispado de Manila to St. John’s Bldg. of Paco Catholic School, Paco, Manila.
September 11-13
In celebration of the Great Jubilee Year, ACM together with Manila Archdiocesan Parochial Schools Association organized a Joint Jubilee Congress on Catechesis and Catholic Education which was held at the Philippine International Convention Center.
YEAR 2001
January 22-27
The first of the 9 priority concerns of the National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR) affirmed the goal and mission of ACM, which is “Integral Faith Formation.”
YEAR 2002
In preparation for the World Meeting of Families, ACM came out with the following catechetical modules: Festival of Fathers (January), Festival of Mothers (April), Festival of Children (September), Festival of Families (October).
From the Archdiocese of Manila, new dioceses were formed: Parañaque and Novaliches.
YEAR 2003
Three more Dioceses were formed: Cubao, Kalookan and Pasig. Hence, the Archdiocese of Manila was transformed into five new Dioceses namely: Dioceses of Paranaque, Novaliches, Cubao, Caloocan, and Pasig.
The former Districts of Makati and Manila now comprise the Archdiocese of Manila. Notwithstanding the division, the catechetical ministries of the Archdiocese of Manila and the five new dioceses continue to work together under a unified Interdiocesan Catechetical Ministry (ICM).
August 16
The tenure of service of the ACM staff, Coordinators and ICAM staff was cut off from RCAM to Catechetical Foundation of the Archdiocese of Manila (CFAM)
September 14
His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, the Archbishop of Manila and one of the main proponents and supporters of the Catechetical Ministry retires after almost 31 years of service.
September 15
The Archbishop of Lipa City, the Most Rev. Gaudencio B. Rosales was appointed Archbishop of Manila.
November 21
The Most Rev. Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales was installed Archbishop of Manila, succeeding Jaime Cardinal L. Sin.
YEAR 2004
January
A new integral and more up-to-date curriculum was launched by the Institute of catechetics of the Archdiocese of Manila (ICAM). The Launching was attended by several professors, catechetical coordinators and heads of different congregations/ ministries.
June11
“Pondo ng Pinoy” was launched by Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales. It is more than just a fund drive to collect 25-centavo coins. It is an advocacy that urges people to adopt a lifestyle of loving one’s fellowmen and women. It is meant to uplift and empower the poor.
October 15,18
45 Catechists from the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry received Missio Canonica from Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales, Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez and Bishop Jesse Mercado.
YEAR 2005
January 10-13
The Joint Catechetical and Catholic Education Consultation Meeting of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education (ECCCE) and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) was held at the Capuchin Retreat Center in Lipa City, Batangas.
October 21-22
The First Manila Archdiocesan General Pastoral Assembly (MAGPAS) was held at La Salle Greenhills, in San Juan. Lay leaders, religious and sectoral heads are gathered to ponder on the vision of the Archdiocese of Manila and present the collated response from parish and vicarial assemblies.
YEAR 2006
February 22
Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales was elevated as Cardinal of Manila.
Feb. – Oct.
The Catechesis and Cascading of the apostolic Vision was held every First Saturday of the month at Jaime Cardinal Sin Auditorium, Paco Catholic School.
March 24
The Most Rev. Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales was elevated to the College of Cardinals.
YEAR 2007
February 12
The “New National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines 2007” was approved by the Congregation for the Clergy, Vatican City.
The Training Modules for the Catechists on the New National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines were published by selected Catechists and the Formation Coordinators of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry of Manila, Parañaque, Pasig, Novaliches, Kalookan and Cubao under the supervision of Fr. Renato de Guzman, SDB.
YEAR 2008
March 16
His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, together with the Bishops of the Metropolitan See of Manila issued the Pastoral Letter “Towards A Morally Rebuilt Nation” in response to the social and political mess in the country. Out of this pastoral letter, the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry Coordinators made nine modules for its deeper study and reflection.
May 5-8
At the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry Evaluation and Planning held at Sta. Catalina Spirituality Center in Baguio, the YOUTH COMMISSION was formed with Fr. Gilbert Dumlao from the Diocese of Cubao as the Director, assisted by Fr. Jun de Guzman from the Diocese of Kalookan.
September 9
At the Catechetical Foundation of the Archdiocese of Manila, Board of Trustees Meeting, the Manual for the Catechetical Ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila was approved and signed by the Archbishop of Manila, Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, D. D., effective September 12, 2008.
The Manual includes the organizational guidelines for the Commissions, Coordinators, CFAM Office and ICAM Staff of the Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry and the revised norms and policies for the Catechists.