2. What strong reason hastened the birth of
PIC?
The Philippine Independent
Church is a branch of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and
was established in the Philippines in 1902 as a result of the Filipinos'
cry for freedom against Spanish oppression and thier relentless drive to
free the Catholic Church from abuses and corruptions of the Roman Catholic
friars for almost four hundred years. Also there was the Filipinos' determined
effort to have a Church that was truly indigenous to the Filipino culture
and tradition, free from the papal authority but obedient only to God,
as the Filipinos in general found no convincing evidence to justify the
doctrine of the papal infallibility.
3. What was the role of Bishop Gregorio Aglipay
in the realization of the Philippine
Independent Church?
The most vocal of the Roman Catholic priest who fought hard to institute
reforms in the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines and to fight for
Filipino dignity was Gregorio Aglipay. When his demands for reforms,
having chiefly in mind the glory of God and the happines of the Flipinos,
were not heeded and he felt that his effort were in vain, he rallied the
Filipino Chatolics to organize a Catholic Church which would be indigenous
and responsive to the Filipino way of life, and soon became the first Supreme
Bishop or Obisbo Maximo of the PIC: For this role the PIC members hold
him in high esteem.
4. How was the PIC established?
When all peaceful attempts to have an indigenous Filipino Church had been
denied by Vatican authorities, a group of political and religious nationalists
spearheaded a movement for the liberation of a Filipino Catholic Church,
led by Don Isabelo delos Reyes, the Father of labor union in the Philippines,
and proclamied on August 3, 1902 the Iglesia Filipina Independiente drawn
sympathy and support from no less than 30% of the entire Philippine population
at that time.
5. Is the PIC Independent and at the same time
Catholic?
Most
certainly. The word "Catholic" means whole, full and universal. this should
not be made to mean a universal distribution of membership in order to
disprove the catholicity of the Philippine Independent Church by bringing
out the fact that its work is largely concentrated within the Philippine
territory. When the word "Catholic" is used with reference to the PIC,
it is a description of its Faith which is one with the One, Holy, and Apostolic
Church. It also means that the Wholeness, fulness, and universality of
its Faith can be accepted by all Catholic Churches outside of Vatican whereever
they may be. Our Catholic friends (Anglicans) the world over have already
welcomed our missionary work. All Catholic Churches who are members of
the World Council of Churches have already recognized and accepted the
PIC membership in that world-wide organization of Churches. The word "Independent"
when used refers to the status of the PIC church goverment, which means
that it continues to preserve its freedom from the dictates of outsiders
in running its own affairs. Change of leadership may mean change of administration,
but its catholicity will remain forever. Therefore, the Philippine Independent
Church can use the two words "Catholic" and "Independent" to describe itself
without fear of contradiction.
6. Is the PIC founded by Christ?
Any Catholic cannot deny that our Lord Jesus Christ was the founder of the Church, no matter what unhappy divisions may mar her visible unity at the present day. From him the Church recieves spiritual power and authority, and in him only is mediation between God and His children possible. Does the PIC look for another Redeemer than Christ? Does it appeal to another for spiritual authority and power than Christ? No! the men who figured prominently in the early beginning of its establishment were only instruments of God in liberating the Church in the Philippines from accretions and corruptions, and in preserving the ancient catholic faith. Can instruments be "founders" when they serve only as agents of a higher authority, Jesus Christ himself?
7. What does the three-fold ministry of the Apostolic Succession mean?
This means that the orders of bishop, priest, and deacon have an unbroken line of succession from the Apostles themselves to the present.
8. What is its attitude towards the Sacrament?
It recognizes the 7 traditional sacraments, namely: Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, Holy Unction, Penance, Confirmation, Baptism and Holy Eucharist, but holds the last 2 as the major ones and necessary to salvation.
9. Can the PIC clergy be linked with the Apostles through an unbroken line of succession?
Most certainly. The PIC clergy have been ordained by their own bishops who themselves recieved valid consecration from the hands of three Episcopalian (Anglican) bishops whose unbroken line of succession from the Apostles is unquestionably historical.
10. What is the relationship between the PIC and Anglican Churches?
The existing ties between the
two Churches is a relationship of full communion, conceived in Christian
fellowship, and is dedicated to the ministry of evangelizing the world
through mutual trust and cooperation, under certain circumstances, but
strictly observing the three points of the Concordate:
1) Each Communion recognizes
the catholicity and independence of the other and maintains its
own.
2) Each Communion agrees to
admit members of the other Communion to participate in the sacraments.
3) Intercommunion does not
require from either Communion the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion,
sacramental devotion, or liturgical practice characteristic of the other,
but implies that each believes the other to hold all the essentials of
the Christian Faith.
11. Does the PIC pursue missionary work outside of the Philippines?
Yes! Because of its ecumenical relationship with catholic Churches all over the world, it has been encouraged by its brothers in the Anglican churches to open missionary work where they are found. Its work is now found all over the United States of America in states like: Illinois, California, Florida, New Jersey, etc under a newly created PIC Diocese of the Americas. Its first bishop is the Rt. Rev. Eugenio Loreto. His immediate successor is Bishop Vic Esclamado.
12. Does it have theological colleges?
Yes, its training centers for the priesthood are St. Andrew's Seminary in Quezon City (a common seminary for PICs and Episcopalians,) Aglipay Central Theological Seminary in Urdaneta, Pangasinan, and St. Paul's Seminary in Iloilo City.
13. What ought to be the attitude of the PIC members towards the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints?
The PIC members ought to regard with revernce all the saints recognized and accepted by the Philippine Independent Church. The Blessed Virgin Mary ought to be venerated as the foremost of the saints. The people of God do not worship the saints but Jesus Christ who is their only Mediator and Advocate.
14. Does the PIC hold to the principle of Church and State separation?
Certainly, and this is one of the principles that it will continue to cherish. The PIC belives that conflict between Church and State is a remote possibility, if the leaders of the temporal goverment of the State will act and rule in accordance with accepted Christian moral principles. Conflict arises when leaders of the temporal goverment of the State, knowingly or unknowingly, act contrary to the accepted Christian moral laws in the exercise of their office, or when the Church leaders, consciously or unconsciously, encroach upon the rights which properly belong to the State. The union of Church and State in the Filipino climate is no sure guarantee that a better society can flourish. Past lessons of this country's history can attest to this truth.
15. Why can't the PIC accept the claim of some exclusivist Churches/sects that salvation is only for their respective groups?
Salvation is a gift from God, and no man has merited it except through Jesus Christ. The recipients or heirs of such a wonderful gift are God's children regrdless of race provided that they fully adhere to the Catholic faith as held by the Apostles and all true Christians who came after them. God has used a particular people in preparing mankind for salvation, but never did He intend salvation just for a particular group of people. God's love for his creation does not admit any imperfection.
16. Is it wrong for any Church to practice rebaptism?
Definitely yes. The Bible is very clear on this: "...one faith, one baptism, one Lord, one God..." The Nicene Creed which all Catholic Churches confess says, "I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins." Re-baptism or conditional baptism is allowed only if the first baptism is not in accord with the traditional Catholic practice of using water and trinitarian formula in the administration of Holy Baptism. The error of re-baptism stems from the false claim of some Churches/sects that salvation is their monopoly.
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Thanks to the author The Rt. Rev. Eustaquio D. Coronados, Bishop of the Diocese of Lucena City, who gave his consent to publish this article on the IFI WEB-site