24/10/2026
𝒜𝓁𝓁-𝒮𝑒𝒸𝓉𝑜𝓇 𝒮𝓊𝓃𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
𝚁𝙴𝙵𝙻𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽
𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲
A reflection from lay members of IFI congregations in Canada
By Chris Sorio (LIFI), Leny Rose Simbre (WOPIC) & Simon Bondoc (YIFI)
“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” — 2 Chronicles 15:7
As we celebrate Laity Month 2026 under the theme “Steadfast in Ministry,” we are reminded that our faithfulness to God is expressed not only through worship but also through service, solidarity, and our unwavering commitment to a just transformation of our world.
For us in the Iglesia Filipina Independiente overseas, sustaining our faith communities has been both a blessing and a challenge.
Unlike in the Philippines, our institutional presence is limited, and our congregations depend greatly on the dedication and sacrifices of the laity. Yet we find joy and strength in our shared mission.
Our calling extends beyond establishing congregations and celebrating the Holy Eucharist. Our Aglipayan Spirituality calls us to be a prophetic Church, rooted in the struggles of the people and committed to human dignity and liberation — no matter where we may find ourselves in the world.
𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨
There is a common assumption that moving overseas will make life easier. However, as migrants, we recognize that life overseas does not always fulfill the promise of opportunity and prosperity.
Behind the hopes for a better future are painful realities of family separation, precarious immigration status, labour exploitation, discrimination, and exclusion.
These struggles are not merely individual hardships. They reflect structural inequalities and economic policies that compel many Filipinos to leave their homeland while exposing them to insecurity abroad.
Migrants are welcomed for their labour, yet too often denied the rights, security, and dignity they deserve.
As a church, this is precisely where we are called to be.
In Matthew 22:34–46, Jesus teaches us the greatest commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. These words challenge us to move beyond sympathy and toward meaningful action.
To love our neighbour means defending the rights of migrant workers, as they face a rising tide of racist attacks and anti-migrant policies.
It also means standing alongside caregivers fighting for permanent residency, workers experiencing exploitation, undocumented migrants seeking essential services, and families separated by unjust immigration policies.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨
Christian love is not passive. It demands courage, sacrifice, and solidarity.
As IFI laity, we affirm that migrant ministry is not merely an extension of charitable work but an essential expression of our Christian witness.
Through Church Witnessing with Migrants (CWWM) and collaboration with migrant rights organizations, workers' movements, and other faith communities, we strengthen our collective commitment to defend human dignity and challenge injustice.
Our Aglipayan heritage reminds us that faith cannot be separated from the people's struggles for freedom, social justice and national sovereignty.
We must confront not only the exploitation migrants experience abroad but also the conditions that compel many Filipinos to leave their homeland.
To be steadfast is not simply to endure. It is to persevere in doing what is right, even when the struggle is difficult, and to carry one another's burdens through collective action.
May our IFI communities become places of welcome, sanctuary, solidarity, and empowerment, where migrants are not merely recipients of compassion but active participants in shaping a just society.
Let us remain steadfast in faith, courageous in witness, and unwavering in our commitment to justice.
For a Church that truly loves God cannot remain silent when God's people suffer.
It is our prayer that we, as members of the IFI, remain steadfast in ministry, united in solidarity and faithful in the struggle for human dignity. Amen.
Pro Deo et Patria!
Mabuhay ang Iglesia Filipina Independiente — saanmang sulok ng mundo!
Note:
Bro. Simon Bondoc is from Mission of the Resurrection, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Diocese of WUSACA). Bro. Chris Sorio and Sis. Leny Rose Simbre are from the Parish of the Holy Child, Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada (Diocese of Tampa).
CWWM is an international platform for advocacy and forthright action focused on global migration, particularly forced migration in all its forms. The National Council of Churches in the Philippines and Migrante International initially conceived CWWM.
🕊️ Steadfast in Ministry
📖 2 Chronicles 15:7
