FR. JOE ARONG, OMI - National Consultant for the Filipino Apostolate in the U.S.

Fr. Joe Arong,OMI the Area Superior of the Pacific Area of the U.S. Province was recently reappointed by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) Committee on Migration, as the National Consultant for the Filipino Apostolate in the United States. It is a position that calls Fr. Joe to an important role in the life of the Filipino membership of the Church.

In this capacity, his role is to serve as a liaison between the pastoral agents in the Filipino community and the Bishops Committee on Migration through the MRS Office for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees. This appointment was made for two more years - April, 2001 through December, 2002.

In this capacity, Fr. Joe is to act as a resource person to particular ethnic communities, particularly the Filipino community. He is to maintain contact with Filipino leaders (religious, preists and laity) in the country.

The job calls for Fr. Joe to be attuned to the arrival of new immigrants, new priests, and new women religious, and when possible works with MRS/PCMR and the appropriate diocesan personnel to see that the new arrivals are ministered to appropriately in order to enable them to live out their church life respectful of their culture and to integrate into the life of the local church in ways that suit their dignity.

Fr. Joe is also asked to act as a resource to ethnic communities and diocesan personnel. Maintaining contact with leaders of the country, convening Filipino leaders for support, pastoral planning, and spiritual renewal. If helpful, the consultant is asked to develop a national organization and conduct annual meetings. The consultant is also asked to maintain contact with diocesan directors and local bishops in matters pertaining to any pastoral visits and of any visiting ethnic bishops.

Further, Fr. Joe, as consultant is aked to work with diocesan ethnic ministry offices or other diocesan offices to find appropriate ministerial personnel and to find suitable language and cultural training programs for newly arrived ethnic ministers to prepare them for service in the local church.

He is asked to cooperate with diocesan officials to sensitize local clergy and church leaders to the needs, resources, piety, devotional life and religious traditions of the new community. The consultant will assist the community in addressing the needs of youth, as well as advise on evangelization outreach to non-Catholics in the new community.

Finally, Fr. Joe will act as a resource to the PCMR. Informing the PCMR of pastoral visits to the United States by bishops of their home country; provide the PCMR with information that can be circulated to the dioceses about the background, culture and religious practices of the newcomers from the particular ethnic commun.

The consultant will provide official translations of communications between Episcopal Conferences and translations of documents from NCCB/USCC when suitable.

The consultant will communicate with PCMR to help plan significant events of the community: national gatherings or pilgrimages so that the national perspective can be brought in and the NCCB can be adequately represented. A report on such events should be made to PCMR at their conclusion, as well as a report of any expenses incurred of PCMR hinds granted for such events.

The consultant should inform PCMR of significant conflicts within the ethnic community which may need outside mediation and assist in the mediation.

The consultant will visit dioceses upon the request of PCMR in order to assist in the pastoral development of the ethnic community.

The national consultant should attend the national meetings sponsored by PCMR to keep PCMR advised and to network with other consultants and diocesan directors.

The national consultant will submit an annual report of the pastoral needs and activities of his/her apostolate to the Director, MRS/PCMR, in December of each year.