About BLD
Our local community was established on October 7, 2009 (The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary) and is part of a global community with districts all over the Philippines, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States.
What started as a community of encountered couples has taken a family perspective, which now includes our young children (Mark 10 and John 6), Youth, and Singles.
Organization
Principle: Regardless of role or function, all members are equal, loved, accepted and respected.
Membership: Regular, committed, and covenanted members. Members can freely choose to participate in the Christian Discipleship Formation Program of the community.
Structure: The community is organized into ministries and apostolates. Every member serves in a ministry and is supported by a coordinating disciple.
Governance: Five couples called the District Council of Stewards (DCS) serve as over-all servants. They work with other servants called the District Leadership Conference (DLC). They are under the pastoral authority of the Council of Servant Leaders (CSL) in Manila, Philippines, and the Bishop of Albany.
VISION
WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF DISCIPLES INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE LIVING WITNESSES FOR TRANSFORMATION IN CHRIST TO BRING ABOUT A WORLD OF JUSTICE, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND TRUE PEACE.
MISSION
IN RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES OF OUR PARTICULAR PLACE, TIME, AND CULTURE:
FOR OUR FAMILIES
WE WILL EVANGELIZE FAMILIES AND BUILD COMMUNITIES OF FAITH THROUGH ENCOUNTERS, LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINARS AND DISCIPLESHIP FORMATION. WE WILL GIVE FORMATION ON PERSONAL AND FAMILY PRAYER, PRO-LIFE VALUES, CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS, AND STEWARDSHIP.
FOR OUR BLD COMMUNITIES
WE WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE LIFE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH IN ACCORD WITH OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS.
FOR OUR COUNTRY
WE WILL WORK ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS, HOUSING FOR THE POOR, AND ADVOCACIES FOR LIFE, ENVIRONMENT, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.
Charism
We are defenders of the WORD:
We will be advocates of righteousness through witnessing and instruction.
We will be warriors of the Holy Spirit through praise and intercession.
We will be a refuge to the weak, the needy, and the persecuted.
Community Commitment
We believe that membership in the Spiritual Community of Bukas-Loob sa Diyos requires a total commitment of ourselves to the person of Jesus Christ as Our Lord and Savior. It means union of mind and heart and spirit with other Christian couples and their families, in obedience to God the Father and at the direction of the Holy Spirit. it means the operative belief that living in Jesus Christ is the essence of salvation, and that full Christian maturity develops only from true discipleship with Jesus Christ and love for others.
We profess communion with the Roman Catholic Church, believe in official Catholic doctrine, and observe official Catholic liturgy. We honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. And we acknowledge the Holy Father, the Pope as the Vicar of Christ and the successor of Saint Peter.
We therefore commit to the Lord and to the Community that:
* We shall surrender ourselves totally to God the Father, to Christ the Son of God, and to the Holy Spirit of God; and we believe that God is the Source of all authority. We humbly offer ourselves in submission and servanthood to God's authority as represented by the Catholic Church in the persons of the Holy Father and the Bishops of the Church. We submit to the ecclesial authority of the Bishop of our Diocese and the diocesan Spiritual Director of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. In the Covenant Community of Bukas-Loob sa Diyos, we commit ourselves to the pastoral authority of our Spiritual Director and of those who constitute or represent the Community Council of Servant Leaders.
* We shall commit to complete the Christian Discipleship Formation Program offered by the Community.
* We shall regularly share our knowledge and experience in the Word with other members of the Community at least once a week at our designated Word Sharing Circles.
* We shall nourish our spiritual lives by opening to God through individual, conjugal and family daily prayers; and we will upbuild the Community through intercessory prayer. We shall faithfully pray and worship in unity and fellowship as one Community at least once a week.
* We shall commit ourselves personally to remain reconciled and in solidarity with the other disciples in the Community.
Community Covenant
We believe that we, as persons, as a couple and family, are summoned by the Lord to membership in Bukas-Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community and thus to the holy work of evangelizing and shepherding other persons, couples and families towards a personal relationship with God, through encounter and the renewal apostolates, and through our own personal witnessing of authentic Christian love and faith, service and worship.
We believe that membership in the Spiritual Community of Bukas-Loob sa Diyos requires a total commitment of ourselves to the person of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It means union of mind and heart and spirit with other Christian couples and their families, in obedience to God the Father and at the direction of the Holy Spirit. It means the operative beliefs that living in Jesus Christ is the essence of salvation, and that full Christian maturity develops only from true discipleship with Jesus Christ and love for others.
We profess communion with the Roman Catholic Church, believe in official Catholic doctrine, and observe official Catholic liturgy. We honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, and we acknowledge the Holy Father, the Pope, as the Vicar of Christ and the successor of Saint Peter.
We therefore pledge to the Lord and to the community that:
We shall surrender ourselves totally to God the Father, to Christ the Son of God, and to the Holy Spirit of God; and we believe that God is the source of all authority. We humbly offer ourselves in submission and servanthood to God's authority as represented by the Catholic Church in the persons of the Holy Father and the Bishops of the Church. We submit to the ecclesial authority of the bishop of our Diocese and the diocesan Spiritual Director of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
In the Covenant Community of Bukas-Loob sa Diyos, we commit ourselves to the pastoral authority of our Spiritual Director and of those who constitute or represent the Community Council of servant Leaders.
We shall nourish our spiritual lives by opening to God through individual, conjugal and family daily prayers; and we will upbuild the Community through intercessory prayer.
We shall read, study, and live the Word of God in the Holy Scriptures and in other spiritual readings, and we shall regularly share our knowledge and experience in the Word with other members of the Community at least once a week at our designated Word Sharing Circles.
We shall regularly receive the Sacrament of our Faith, particularly the Eucharist and Reconciliation, and bear witness to the power of God's grace in our lives.
We shall faithfully pray and worship in unity and fellowship as one Community at least once each week.
We shall serve in at least one Community Mission or Ministry, guided by the direction of the Council of Servant Leaders through the appointed Pastoral Head.
We shall actively assist in ministering to the spiritual, personal, and material needs of other members of the Community, and of the other members of the Body of Christ in a spirit of self-giving love.
We shall support the Community's Missions and Ministries with regular tithes and love offerings given according to our true means and out of the fullness of our hearts.
Regular Activities
Worship
Eucharistic Celebration: First Friday of each month, 7:30 PM Rosary; 7:45 PM Mass
Corporate Worship: Fridays, 7:30 PM Rosary; 7:45 PM Prayer Meeting
Venue :
Christ Our Light Catholic Church
1 Maria Dr.
Albany, NY 12211
Marriage Encounter - once a year
Life in the Spirit Seminar - once a year