The city’s Roman Catholic Church is set to update its policies and priorities in 10 areas of administrative concern during the Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly of Zamboanga (APAZ) to be held September 6–10, 2010. This is a historic event for the Archdiocese of Zamboanga  as part of  its centennial activity.

Delegations from the city’s 24 parishes including diocesan and religious clergy, religious sisters, Catholic schools, Basic Ecclesial Communities, youth and other religious organizations and movements will converge at the Centro Pastoral at Gov. Camins Avenue this city.

Archbishop Romulo Valles, DD issued the decision to convene the assembly “to call, consult and listen to the majority advisory voices of the participants on given concerns or subject matters, for the ultimate purpose of assisting him provide, promote and safeguard the common pastoral welfare of the Christian Faithful entrusted to his salutary pastoral care”, the APAZ III primer declared.

The assembly will tackle 10 earlier-prepared working/position papers each dealing on Clergy, Religious, Laity, Liturgy, Catechesis, Catholic Schools, Social Action, Peace-building and Inter-religious Dialogue, Social Communications, and Temporalities.

“These working papers are based on (the consultations from) the parish and vicariate assemblies conducted last October 2009 up to March 2010, and the Archdiocesan-wide surveys  conducted last September 2009,” the primer stated.  The papers cover “matters significant and relevant to the Archiocese” through whose discussions the delegates will “give their collective advice to the Archbishop for the rightful exercise of his Episcopal governance,” the primer explained.

This historic event will hold aformal opening ceremonies at the Metropolitan Cathedral at 10 AM on September 6, Monday. This will be preceded with a press conference with Archbishop Valles at 8:30 AM at the Metropolitan Cathedral auditorium, Msgr. Alonzo said.  All media practitioners are invited to come.

The first APAZ was convoked by then Archbishop Carmelo D.F. Morelos and “took place on September 1995 at Mercedes Retreat House. This was inspired by PCP II (2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines) on the demands of  the renewal of the Local Church”, Msgr. Alonzo said.  It also laid the groundwork for the holding of the second APAZ in May 1998, also at Mercedes  Retreat House, he added.