| History | ||
THE BIRTH OF BLD-DETROIT
“ Bukas Loob Sa Diyos Covenant Community” The phrase “Bukas Loob Sa Diyos” was first heard of or first conceived in the Detroit area in the spring of 1993. Alex & Carmen Asis from Canton, Michigan, joined the ME #4 (Marriage Encounter) in Toronto and a powerful seed was planted in their hearts. They came back to Michigan filled with the Spirit and fired up and burning with the spirit they found in Toronto. Their enthusiasm was very contagious that not one of the 7 other couples sponsored found hesitance into joining them “Yes-Lord, here we are at your service”, was their immediate reply. These sponsored couples were the Core Group who started BLD-Detroit. The Asis sponsored the Henry & Helen Orencia and Greg & Precy Mallare (ME #5 Toronto) in Nov. of 1993. These last ,two sponsored Rey & Norma Escote (ME #6 Toronto) in the spring of 1994; all 4 above sponsored Art & Terry Acosta, Ed & Belen Dimaguila, Claro & Sylvia Recto, Rey & Nene Uy and Fr. Chris Maus who was the Associate Pastor of St. John Neumann Catholic Church, at that time. In the meantime, the first 3 couples (Asis, Orencia and Mallare), went to work to obtain approval from the Archdiocese of Detroit through the graces of Fr. Sylvester Taube, then the Director of St. John Center in Plymouth, MI and Msgr. John Zenz – Curia of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The spring of 1995 was a great year for this community when we were granted permission to lift up our community to conduct Marriage Encounter in the fall of 1995, after a thorough investigation conducted by the Archdiocese of Detroit regarding legitimacy of our covenant community. Letters of endorsement from Jaime Cardinal Sin and interviews with the Chancery of Toronto were conducted, them being our sponsor community. November 1995 was the birthday of BLD-Detroit. ME #1 was held at the Madonna University Conference Halls in Livonia with 100 BLD members from Toronto assisting us here in Detroit. BLD-Detroit conducted MEWs in the spring and fall for the next 2 years then slowed down to once a year due to the entry of other BLD programs such as Family Encounters, Life in Spirit Seminars, Singles Encounter (ages 18 & over), Youth Encounters (ages 12 to 18 ), Mark 10 (ages 3 to 11), Solo Parent Encounter (widows, divorces with children), single moms/dads). The BLD Community includes a program of teachings conducted by the Formation Apostolates. In the fall of 1996, the first 3 elder couples here in Detroit were appointed by Manila Servant Leaders to lead the Michigan Outreach and coordinated by the Toronto District. The first Tricords were: Alex & Carmen Asis – Tricord for Management Henry & Helen Orencia – Tricord for Pastoral Care Rey & Norma Escote – Tricord for Program Feb. 14, 1998 – 26 members were officially covenanted for the first time in our community by Fr. Vic de Jesus, SJ, who was Toronto’s Spiritual Director. These members completed discipleship formation classes required, and qualified them for a covenanted status. In 1999 – BLD joined the Detroit Catholic Charismatic Renewal Center of the Archdiocese of Detroit. At this time a new set of Tricord were emerged as follows: Joe & Amor Padilla – Management Tricord Pete & Ming Tandoc – Program Tricord Riz & Cora Dondonan – Pastoral Care Tricord Alex & Carmen Asis – District Counselors In the year 2000 – our outreach status was changed to a Full-Fledged District status by the Executive Council of Servant Leaders from Manila and recognized by Adam Cardinal Maida as a Full-Fledged District Covenant Community. We had another emergence in the fall of 2000 whereby 4 District Council of Stewards were discerned to lead the BLD Community namely: Jun & Fran Sibug – Steward for Management Ed & Belen Dimaguila – Steward for Pastoral Care Jay & Paz Fetizanan – Steward for Evangelization Desi & Ely Segundo – Steward for Formation (2000 – 2002) (Jay & Paz Fetizanan- year 2002-2003) Fall of 2003 – another emergence took place and a new apostolate was added to our district – Mission Apostolate. They are: Art & Terry Acosta – Stewards
for Evangelization |
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