The Vision of Integral Evangelization in the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines

This article evaluates the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines' (PCP-II) vision of renewed and integral evangelization thirty years after its convocation. Organizing PCP-II's teaching around the three classic elements of evangelization—evangelizers, Gospel message, and recipients—the author traces how the council calls all the baptized, ecclesial communities, and special sectors of society to become agents of a Christocentric, socially engaged mission. It examines PCP-II's goals of renewed catechesis, worship, and social apostolate ordered toward becoming a genuine 'Church of the Poor.' Drawing on later commentators such as Tagle and David, the article concludes that these ideas remain largely unrealized in ordinary Catholic life and recommends a national and diocesan evaluation of evangelization efforts to mark the Council's anniversary and the Philippine Church's quincentennial.