The Pastoral Cycle (Manuel M. Tejido and Jaime A. Acevedo)
The Pastoral Cycle is a basic paradigm-tool used by teachers and their students in the study of Th 141 at the Ateneo de Davao University. It is also known as the Circle of Praxis, and it refers to a single practical experience with four consecutive, inter-related, and unified moments, which constantly interact with each other. This methodology was borrowed from the insights of Paolo Freire, Juan Luis Segundo, S.J., and the famous trilogy (see, judge, act pattern) of Canon Joseph Cardijn. This pastoral circle is also discernible in the writings of the Jesuit Epistemologist, Bernard Lonergan, S.J. There are four interrelated methodological steps in the task of doing theology, according to him: “experience, understanding, judgment, and decision.”
First Moment: Insertion. This refers to the students’ actual immersion into the lives of a poor Filipino family, experiencing with them the deprivations of material poverty and oppression. In this first and important moment of the pastoral circle, students leave their comfort zones and enter the lives of the poor in order to see Christ in them and experience a different world where the vast majority of Filipinos thrive today.
The Second Moment: Social Analysis. The purpose of this analysis is to understand, as fully as possible, the condition of the communities and the poor families with whom they stayed in the immersion sites. This is perhaps the most important moment of the pastoral circle. Here are some questions that students need to ask themselves: What happened to these poor people? What caused the poverty of this community and this family? What is the origin of this social injustice? Who benefits from this unjust social situation? What societal structures led them to this condition of deprivation? What are the political, economic, cultural and even religious dimensions of this situation of poverty and oppression? What are the pertinent social divisions (sex, age, region where they came from, religion they grew up with, etc.) and levels (local, national, international), which they need to consider in this analysis? The answers to these, and other similar questions, refer to what experts call a synchronic and diachronic analysis of society. Since no social analysis is value-free, it is necessary for students to be clear about their own values, which will invariably influence their social analysis.
Third Moment: Theological Reflection. This moment of the Pastoral Circle refers to reflecting on the socially analyzed situation (second moment) from the point of view of God’s self-revelation and the Christians’ faith-response. What does God’s Word and the Teachings of the Church say about this situation of social injustice, which, in turn, also sheds light on this Revelation-Faith? From this mutual interpretation (hermeneutic reciprocity) one can discern the meaning of a Theology of Liberation, which Gutierrez defines as critical reflection on Christian praxis. The older definition of theology as faith seeking understanding (fides quaerens intellectum) is no longer enough. It is now also necessary to understand this Revelation-Faith within the total life context of believing Christians, i.e., their social, economic, political, cultural, etc. dimensions.
Fourth Moment: Pastoral Action. (When Jesus was preaching one day, a woman cried out to Him: “Blessed is the womb that earned you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” (The woman was obviously praising the Blessed Virgin Mary.) Jesus replied (extolling Mary, even more), “Rather, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it.” (Lk 11- 27-28). Theology 141 students perhaps need to see that Mary, more than any of Jesus’ Apostles and Disciples, lived out her faith in Jesus to the highest degree and that she, therefore, should be our model in this circle of praxis.)
The fourth moment (of the Pastoral Circle) aims to put into action what could be done to change the socially analyzed and theologically reflected situation of injustice and insert (immerse) themselves again in the community to avoid the “paralysis of analysis.” In this way, only a faith that does justice is a true one. Authentic faith is one that has conviction, trust in God, and commitment and love for one’s neighbor and a preferential love for the poor. One who loves God alone but has no sympathy and love for others is not a true believer. We do not truly love God if we do not love (in thought, word and deed) those whom God loves. We do not love those whom God loves if we do not act on behalf of justice and participate in the transformation of Philippine society. This is the Mission of the Church for the Redemption of Humankind. It is the duty of every Catholic and the Church to free people, as much as humanly possible from every oppressive social situation and promote the common good of each and everyone out of Charity.