The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) have issued a joint statement expressing “their readiness for more ecumenical cooperation amidst diversity”, beginning the process of reconciliation and healing after more than a century of “fractured relationship”.
The IFI separated from the Catholic Church in 1902 because of alleged mistreatment of Filipinos by Spanish rulers. In their joint statement titled, “Celebrating the Gift of Faith, Learning from the Past and Journeying Together”, both churches “ask and pray for mutual forgiveness for any injuries inflicted in the past”.
Through “spiritual ecumenism” the RCC and IFI said they encourage joint prayer activities, such as the celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Stations of the Cross during Lent and Holy Week processions, and Scripture reading on Easter Sunday and other important feast days. They also advocated cooperation in social action ministries in pursuit of social justice, namely in defending human rights and the dignity of the poor, migrants, women and children, and indigenous people; care for the environment; and peace building.
Read the full statement here.