Oct 21, 20232 min read

National Solidarity Month 2023

The Student Catholic Action of the Philippines is set to celebrate National Solidarity Month this November. The celebration commemorates Cardinal Joseph Cardijn’s birthday month, the inspiration of the movement and prime mover of the See-Judge-Act. Together with the other Cardijn movements, we celebrate this month to call for Peace. Thus, this year’s National Solidarity Month theme is Dialogue and Fraternity: A Path Towards Peace.

We call all unit members, partners, collaborators, and friends to reflect and take action on how we can continue transforming our communities into just, compassionate and peaceful communities.

This year, SCAP partnered with various like-minded organizations and groups in learning, discerning, and working for peace. In our partnership with Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute, we are working on how our grassroots mentors can be peacebuilders in their journey with their mentees. Our collaboration with Friends Peace Teams Asia West Pacific allowed us to build communities of peace through Power of Goodness and Peace Libraries. Lastly, the recently concluded YCS Asian Session and Council allowed us to reflect and understand how Pope Francis’ Encyclical letter, Fratelli Tutti, can be integrated into our programs and advocacies to promote Fraternity and Social Friendship as our way to attain peace. The recently released Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis - Laudate Deum - also reminds us that care for our common home and the whole of creation is part of attaining peace. Peace is not built alone; it is built with one another.

Dialogue and Fraternity are necessary to build and create a culture of peace. With the ongoing conflicts in the South China Sea, Sudan and Myanmar, the war between Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Hamas, and the violence due to politics in various areas in the Philippines, we are faced with a question: Is Peace Possible? In communities where violence is starting to become the primary response to conflict, we must provide options of nonviolence and peace - drowning evil in an abundance of good.

While the movement is anticipating for the 88th Founding Anniversary next year, we ponder on how our mission of molding Catholic student leaders live out faith-values that create positive change in the respective communities. The National Solidarity Month ushers us to reflect on how we become witnesses of faith and how we become gift for others through solidarity.

HOW CAN WE CELEBRATE THE NATIONAL SOLIDARITY MONTH 2023? Here are some suggested activities for NSM 2023. If you are hosting an event, kindly fill out this form: https://forms.office.com/r/XckQWhSYgz

CARDINAL JOSEPH CARDIJN DAY Every November 13, SCAns commemorate the person who inspired the way of life of our movement - See, Judge, and Act. You can gather as a unit or a diocese to celebrate this occasion. Use our NSM 2023 theme and the SJA Methodology to create a fruitful and fun one-day program. The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist is highly recommended. CHRIST THE KING FEAST DAY For our Flag, for our Faith, for Christ the King! – We exclaim these words in the last part of our SCA Hymn. Indeed, the feast of all feasts is Christ the King! We encourage you to participate in your respective parishes. Make sure to check the schedule in your local community. It is appreciated that SCA will take part as and help in the preparations and actual activities. TAIZE RECOLLECTION & COMMUNITY PRAYER The Taize Prayer is close to the heart of SCA. It is a community prayer that reminds us of the spirit of Trust and Reconciliation. Your unit, chapter, or diocese can offer at least one day this month to conduct this activity. PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ON PEACE, JUSTICE, FRATERNITY, AND DIALOGUE SCAP ties up with other organizations with the same mission of creating cultures of peace in the communities through fraternity and dialogue. We are connected with the Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute, Friends Peace Teams Asia West Pacific, and Peace Philippines. Your unit or diocese may organize a program or activity on these themes to create more spaces for solidarity, learning, reflection, action on peace, justice, fraternity, and dialogue. POWER OF GOODNESS Power of Goodness collects stories from the lives of real people that depict instructional moments on how to rely on the power of goodness in difficult situations and the amazing results of doing so. The vision is to inspire readers, listeners, viewers, and participants to act with courage and to bring good into the lives around them. You can coordinate with the National Secretariat if you wish to organize this event this month. MY GIFT FOR CHANGE SCAP continuously seeks alumni, collaborators, and friends who support us in running our programs and advocacies though a monthly pledge of atleast Php 100.00. We believe that collaborative action is needed and that each has its own share of gifts and blessings to contribute to helping us mold young Filipino student leaders. Help us invite SCA Alumni and partners to support us by being an MGC Pledger through this form: bit.ly/MyGift2023