CHAPTER II.

CICM in the World

Chapter II introduces the apostolate/work and the charism of the CICM missionaries in the
four continents. This chapter deals with the different aspects of the CICM missionary presence. It
talks about the institute’s response to the specific or concrete situations and needs in the countries
and provinces where the CICM missionaries are present. It considers each one’s own accent: in
Europe, there is a search for missionary integration; in Africa, the accent is on communion and
solidarity; in Asia, the emphasis is on evangelization and attempts to dialogue with the great
religions of the region; and in America, the accent is on solidarity in the struggle for liberation.
1. The CICM in the Different Continents
A.1 Asia
- Outside of the Philippines and East Timor, Asia is non-Christian. The
first mission territory of the CICM, China.
- The CICM mission in this continent therefore is slanted towards
interreligious dialogue as CICM missionaries labor where the world’s
great religions thrive: Shinto and Buddhism in Japan (1947), Mongolian
Buddhism in Mongolia (1992), a mixture of Taoism, Confucianism, and
Buddhism among the Chinese in Hong Kong (1953), Taiwan (1954),
and Singapore (1953), and Islam in Indonesia (1937). The CICM’s in
these territories comprise one Province; the Philippines is a separate
Province.

A.2 Africa
- The continent is generally young and poor; most of the fifty-four
countries emerged after World War II. Aside from the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (1888), the CICM is also in Cameroun (1966),
Senegal (1976), and Zambia (1976); there are three CICM Provinces
in Africa.
- The CICM call to Africa was to pioneer in terms of penetrating tribes in
the jungles, catechizing and baptizing them, and providing them with
socio-economic infrastructure. The Congregation early on developed
the native clergy, and today sends African missionaries to other African
Counties like Nigeria, Chad, Angola, Mozambique, South Africa and all
over the world.
- Possible sources: Godefroy Mukieng-a Kalond, CICM: “A CICM
Bishop and Mission Ad Gentes: The Experience of Missionary
Commitment in the Democratic Republic of Congo”, Chapter IV, and
Laurent Mpongo, CICM: “The Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary (CICM) and the Formation of the Local Clergy in Congo (1916-
1955)” Chapter V of Christ is Calling Me…

A.3 Americas
- The Americas are an evangelized region; the North is mostly
Protestant, while Mexico, Central and South America are Catholic. The
 overall percentage of Catholics is 63.7%, according to latest Vatican
statistics.
- The work of evangelization then in Haiti (1953), Guatemala (1954),
Dominican Republic (1958), Brazil (1963), and Mexico (1979) by CICM
missionaries, who make up one Province, journeying with the Indians and
shepherding the people in rural villages, and slums.
- The CICM went to the U.S. in 1946; the concentration of the US Province
is doing apostolate among Mexican Americans and Blacks, and in rural
parishes.
A.4. Europe
Activity No.1
This requires the following:
✓ Short bond paper
✓ Encoded (minimum of 500 words)
✓ Font Style: Arial
✓ Font Size: 11
✓ Alignment: Justified; 1 inch on all sides
✓ Spacing: Single
✓ Please don’t include the questions on your reflection paper. Answer directly the
questions. Be guided by these tips by https://ozzz.org/how-to-write-a-reflective-paper/
Compose a REFLECTION on these guide questions:
1. How can you participate actively in the missionary endeavors of the Church and in
particular, the CICM during this time of Corona Virus pandemic:
a. As a student nurse
b. As a member of your family
c. As a citizen
2. What do you think is the message of the song: BE NOT AFRAID
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQr4udSiEew) in relation with the topic and to the
issues of our present world.
*RUBRICS for scoring:
Criteria Excellent Good Needs Improvement
The answer gives a The answer describes The example does not
Concreteness specific action in a an action and answer the question yet
concrete situation. situations. (10) shows effort. (0.5)
(12.5)
 The answer gives a The answer gives a No connection
Relevance clear connection vague connection between the topic and
between the topic and between the topic and the student yet shows
the student’s concrete the student. (10) effort. (0.5)
situation. (12.5)
The grammatical The answer contains All the statements are
Mechanics composition of the some grammatical grammatically wrong.
answer can be errors that can distort its (0)
understood. (5) logic. (3)

B. Distinct Contributions to the World

B.1. Pioneering Missionary Works

- In 1888 Fr. Emerick Cambier, CICM explored the unknown and mysterious
territory upriver on the Congo and Kasai Rivers in Central Africa, in Kasai
Province, and founded most of the large missions there. When the fierce
Batetelas tribe revolted in 1895, he saved the mission emboldened by his
rifle, which he was not afraid to fire.
- The above story exemplifies the pioneering and daring spirit of the CICM,
who dare to go, and to do, where others and what others do not, or did not
yet. In the Philippines the CICM started and built many mission stations in
the Mountain Provinces, which was largely unreached by Spanish
missionaries. Thus, the region was opened to evangelization. But as the
Church in that region grows, or after they have “planted the seed” the CICM
handed over the territory to the local Church.
- Mongolia is a recent example; the CICM with the Filipino Bishop
Wenceslao Padilla practically started the Church in that country, and two
years ago the first Mongolian priest was ordained. After a few more
years when the time is ripe, the CICM will once more relinquish
leadership of that Church to the local clergy and hierarchy. Source: “Off
the Beaten Path” (“To be a CICM is to be in frontier situations.”)

B.2. Multiculturality
- As the CICM motto espouses, the Congregation is of “One Heart and One
Soul”: “Internationalization as a universal brotherhood is not a project the
Congregation set for itself, but a call from the Lord.” A fundamental aspect of
the vocation of a CICM priest or brother is to live in a multicultural
community in a culture which is not his own but which he must embrace,
while endeavoring to work to unify humankind as children of the same
Father, thus making present the Kingdom of God. “One Heart and One Soul,
we witness to the Father’s will that all men and women be brothers and
sisters in Christ. We are a sign of solidarity among the particular Churches in
their universal mission.” (CICM Constitution, Art. 2)
- Therefore, the CICM has advocacies directed towards intercultural
understanding. For example, in Japan, in the CICM Orients Institute for
Religious Research the student’s study and reflect on Japanese culture and
religious thought and are concerned with religious dialogue and contact
between the different religious traditions in their country.
B.3. Social Transformation
- The work of the CICM towards social transformation is rooted in the
consecration of the Congregation to the Incarnate Word, who responds to
the love of God by uniting all of humanity into a single family of brothers and
sisters. To work for social transformation is to respond to the invitation to
continue Christ’s mission of redemption for the gradual realization of the
Kingdom, a Kingdom of justice and love, of peace and joy.
The list of endeavors of the CICM missionaries geared towards social
transformation is endless. Foremost among these is the education
apostolate, which is a part of youth ministry. The advocacy for interreligious
dialogue in Asia, for indigenous peoples in the Philippines and in
Guatemala, for the Latinos and Blacks in the USA, for Haitian migrant
workers in the Dominican Republic, and for the physically challenged and
lepers, are also directed towards social transformation. In fact, they could all
be subsumed under the heading of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation.
CICM’s have also been engaged in special projects in nature conservation,
agriculture, livelihood.
[St. Paul Agricultural School has been one of the best developmental
projects that ever happened among the Toradja mountain people in
Indonesia. Founded in 1969 in Makale by Fr. Roger Leleu, CICM who had
an agronomist’s degree from the University of Louvain, the school
introduced new methods of farming to hundreds of graduates who have
been influential in improving the lives of thousands of farmers who today
harvest two rice crops a year.]
Activity no. 2
This requires the following:
✓ Short bond paper
✓ Encoded (minimum of 500 words)
✓ Font Style: Arial
✓ Font Size: 11
✓ Alignment: Justified; 1 inch on all sides
✓ Spacing: Single
✓ Please don’t include the questions on your reflection paper. Answer directly the
questions. Be guided by these tips by https://ozzz.org/how-to-write-a-reflective-paper/
Compose a REFLECTION on these guide questions:
1. What do you think is the importance of the social media during this time of Corona Virus
pandemic?
2. Inspired by Christ and the CICM missionaries, what ways of social transformation do we
need to prevent another pandemic to happen?
Criteria Excellent Good Needs Improvement
The answer gives a The answer describes The example does not
Concreteness specific action in a an action and answer the question yet
concrete situation. situations. (10) shows effort. (0.5)
(12.5)
The answer gives a The answer gives a No connection
Relevance clear connection vague connection between the topic and
between the topic and between the topic and the student yet shows
the student’s concrete the student. (10) effort. (0.5)
situation. (12.5)
The grammatical The answer contains All the statements are
Mechanics composition of the some grammatical grammatically wrong.
answer can be errors that can distort its (0)
understood. (5) logic. (3)

* These reflection papers are to be submitted as soon as class resumes.

* Please continue on writing your Sunday reflection paper. Write them on a one whole sheet
of pad paper. We still have 3 Sundays (March 29; April 5 & 12) before class resumes. So,
kindly write these three short reflections on your pad paper.
- These reflections may be an insight about the Mass you watched on TV/ Online
Livestream or about your week (answer the question: How did I journey with God
in my entire week?).