ABOUT MSSPP

The MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF STS. PETER AND PAUL is a clerical society of apostolic life, a catholic congregation of believers established within the Church of the One and Triune God in April 12, 2010 in the year of our Lord and in this beautiful land, the Philippines. We believe this to be part of the Divine Plan and a share in God’s economy of salvation. It took MSSPP to slowly yet graciously edify and solidify its Charisms, Canons, and Rule of Life for a number of years, which the Founding Disciple calls as the “Years of Great Silence” of MSSPP: 2010-2017. In January of 2018, Epiphany Sunday, MSSPP had its Formal Launching in the humble residence of the auntie of Fr. Nars F. Labra in Novaliches, Quezon City, Philippines and took a “Leap of Faith” inaugurated by Rev. Fr. Ariel Herbas Lopez, Rev. Fr. Narciso Febria Labra and myself, Bishop Celes Amorin Gianan. In March 18, 2018, started its missionary journey and, months later, was able to put up its pioneering Rectorate, the Our Lady of Lourdes Rectorate, City of Antipolo, Province of Rizal. As it is still in its infancy stage, it needs utmost attention and pastoral care.

We claim this as our inherent right and freedom to establish this society and to express our religious belief and worship within the Church of the One and Triune God as we exist and reside in the Philippine soil as articulated and made secure in our Bill of Rights provided for in our Philippine Constitution. In view of this, we succumb to what the Apostle Peter strongly exhorted us, in I Peter 2: 16, saying, “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil but use it as bond slaves of God”.

Its leadership is composed of men – married and unmarried – whose “way of life” and “growth in life” have been consecrated in God’s ordination through the laying on of hands and sacred anointing. They commit their lives to continue doing the works of God [Ref. John 14:12] in praise of His Name, for the ministry of the Body of Christ, and in the service of humanity – a humanity redeemed by the Blood of Christ.

As a catholic congregation of believers, we pay much attention to and live out the right attitude of the Apostle Paul made known in Romans 1:16, saying, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” and in I Corinthians 9: 16, saying, “…Woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel”.

As a catholic congregation of believers, we are inspired and driven by the Gospel [“Evangelium”] of our Lord Jesus Christ and our connection to Him within His Church is very much affirmed in “God’s Choice” for we are His chosen people, His special possession. This clerical society of apostolic life is deeply rooted in its communion with the Holy Mother Church and claims connection to and within the Body of Christ, His Church, of which He is the Head [Ephesians 5: 23] by virtue of our Baptism (Ref. Canon 205, CIC). For, indeed, we exist and operate as a congregation of believers, not as a denomination, within the Body of Christ, His Church.

Moreover, let this be known to all that as we continue doing the works of God in His vineyard for His own people, our hearts are in “affective solidarity” and in “effective fellowship” with those who also labor in the Vineyard of the Lord for indeed they are Christ’s fellow workers and partakers in His mission. The Apostle Paul reminds us in I Corinthians 3: 9, saying, “For we are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field, God’s building”.

As a catholic congregation of believers, we subject ourselves to Christ just as the Church is subject to Him [Ephesians 5: 24]. We too pay heed to what the Apostle Peter and the other apostles stood for when they said, “We must obey God rather than men” [Acts 5: 29]

As a catholic congregation of believers, we hold on to the Word of God, His “Good News” for us, and we remind ourselves of what the Lord has spoken in Mark 7: 6-9, which says, “And He said to them, ‘Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, THE PEOPLE HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN; NEGLECTING THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, YOU HOLD TO THE TRADITION OF MEN. He was also saying to them, ‘YOU ARE EXPERTS AT SETTING ASIDE THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR TRADITION”. We are not hostile to the traditions of particular churches. We pay high regard to them for in them are also found certain elements necessary for sanctification and edification of the Body of Christ, His Church. But, thanks be to God, something has been unfolded to us through the promptings of His Holy Spirit, that is, to follow the footsteps of the Apostles Peter and Paul as they followed and observed what God has commanded as well as His purpose in their lives, not their purpose. For indeed in the final judgment and as we face our Creator, we will be judged not according to our “state of profession and affiliation” here on earth, nor will we be judged on the basis of which tradition/s do we belong to, but on the basis of our “way of life” that is responsive to and reflective of the ways of God as well as on the basis of our “growth in life” with Him, who “breathed into our nostrils the breath of life [Ref. Genesis 2: 7] and in whom “we live, move, and have our being” [Ref. Acts 17: 28].

In submission to what the Word of God in I Peter 2: 13 and in compliance to what it says, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution…”

The Missionary Society of Sts. Peter and Paul has humbly submitted an application for SEC Registration at the Philippine Security and Exchange Commission, and has been issued a Certificate of Incorporation with REG. NO. CN201013717; thus, has been granted juridical personality.

Attuned to the will of God, this clerical society of apostolic life has been established equipped with Unbroken and Undivided Line of Apostolic Succession which renders and strengthens our Apostolic Office and Zeal for the Ministry and is directed towards Apostolic Progression in response to the Great Commission of the Lord made known in Matthew 28: 18-20 which says,

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age”.

As such, we hold on to and desire to become faithful witnesses of the WORD OF GOD [Ref. John 1: 1; John 8: 31; John 14: 23-24] as a catholic congregation of believers. As faithful witnesses of the Word of God, we submit and commit ourselves to what the Apostle Peter said in I Peter 1: 13, saying, “Prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”.

OUR BELIEFS AND DISCIPLINE

And, thus, given our identity within the Church of the One and triune God, WE DECLARE our RESPONSE in this fashion, saying:

I

We believe in and live out the EVANGELICAL LIFE of the Church of the One and Triune God. Thus, we submit and commit ourselves to the power and teachings of the WORD OF GOD [Ref. Romans 15: 4], which characterizes us as evangelizing-evangelized congregation of catholic believers.

II

We believe in and live out the SACRAMENTAL LIFE of the Church of the One and Triune God. Thus, we study, listen, contemplate, and celebrate the SACRED WORDS and SACRED WORKS of the Lord and celebrate them in the Eucharistic Worship [Ref. John 4:23-24] rooted in Christ’s High Priestly Prayer [Ref. John 17]

III

We believe and live out the LITURGICAL LIFE of the Church of the One and Triune God. Thus, we zealously work the works of God as our response to Him who is always at work in our lives [John 14: 12; John 9: 4; John 5: 17].

IV

We believe and live out the PASTORAL LIFE of the Church of the One and Triune God. Thus, we empower ourselves to become good shepherds of and for one another inside and outside of the congregation [Ref. John 10: 14-17; John 21: 15-19; I Peter 5:1-4].

V

We believe and live out the CANONICAL LIFE of the Church of the One and Triune God. Thus, we are determined to think of what is right, treasure that which is right, and do things right in response to the righteousness of God [Matthew 6: 33; II Timothy 2: 22; II Timothy 4:8; II Kings 20:1; I Peter 4:19; I Corinthians 14:40].

RULE OF LIFE: VISION-MISSION STATEMENT

The MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF STS. PETER AND PAUL, as a clerical society of apostolic life and as a catholic congregation of believers, is guided by the following Rule of Life, which, too, is MSSPP’s Vision-Mission Statement, namely:

One with God
Holy unto the Lord
Catholic in Faith
Apostolic in Ministry

Our RULE OF LIFE is enriched and nourished mainly by instructions from Sacred Scriptures and at the same time supplemented by the Apostolic Writings of the Early Church Fathers and Papal Encyclicals, Apostolic Exhortations, Declarations of the Church and other related and adapted Roman Catholic Church documents. This is our field of interest brought about by our great desire, strong determination, and a firm conviction in exploring, exposing, and experiencing the mysteries and provisions of God contained and resourced to us by the aforementioned documents. It is by “choice” too that we orient and connect our minds and hearts towards this direction.

MINISTRIES

The MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF STS. PETER AND PAUL shall zealously involve itself in various ministries. As we live out daily the Holy Eucharist and celebrate the Lord’s Day, we also keep going the ministries for the people of God as our way of MAKING PRESENT the PUBLIC MINISTRY OF CHRIST.

Ministry for the Elderly
Ministry for the Kids
Ministry for the Sick
Ministry for the Disabled and Deprived
Ministry for the Widows
Ministry for the Youth
Ministry for the Parents
Ministry for the Unwed
Ministry for the Professionals
Ministry for the Students
Ministry for Technical Workers
Ministry for Transport Workers
Ministry for the Domestic Helpers

Celestino Amorin Gianan, DD, PhD
Founding Disciple, 2010 Anno Domini
Presiding Bishop and Episcopal Superior, 2018 Anno Domini to the Present