Pamayanan: an opportunity to hear and to visit: apostolate experience.

By Genric Caldona
Its Sunday! For us Postulants it is a busy day, because it is apostolate day. Here in the
Postulancy we have a once a week apostolate with the Basic Ecclesial Community of San Pedro
Bautista Parish. With our different area coordinators we go down to our designated area with one
purpose, to hear from them and to be with them. One thing exciting for all of us is conducting a
survey in each household to provide the parish information details of each and every Catholic
here in San Pedro Bautista and what are their pastoral needs and other needs. I was assigned in
Zone 1 Barangay del Monte. It is within walking distance from the parish.
As we go there, our mission is not just to fill up the survey form, but to listen their stories
and to visit their households. After they filled up the survey form, I asked them other questions to
initiate the conversation. Then spontaneously they will tell me stories..
Honestly, when they allowed me to enter in their houses. I felt their hospitality and the
welcoming spirit. Hospitality is so natural to them.
This kind of apostolate teaches me the art of listening. It teaches me to listen, not only
with my ears but also with my heart. One thing I realized is that sometimes it is good to listen
rather than talk. To sit down and to listen to stories of others give me inspiration and values in
life that I can treasure as I go on in my journey of life. Moreover, I think our presence to them
creates impact not only on us but also on them.