Bible Apostolate

THE SAINT ARNOLD BIBLICAL APOSTOLATE  (SABA)


Thrust:     WITNESS TO THE WORD

Vision:
A community of disciples
nourished by the Word of God,
and witnessing to Christ
as Church of the Poor
with Mary as model.

Mission:
CALLED
to share in the SVD mission
to proclaim the DIVINE WORD,
we commit ourselves
to read, pray, share, celebrate
and live the WORD
in the realities of today.

Goals:
To make the WORD OF GOD the center of our communities, spirituality and mission in the SVD-PHN:
Forming small groups among the seminarians, formators, students, teachers, personnel, parishioners and ministers for
•    Bible studies;
•    Faith Sharing rooted in the Sunday Gospel;
•    Ongoing conscientization on the situation that leads to a JPIC stand and response/s in the light of the WORD.

The Saint Arnold Biblical Apostolate (SABA) of the Philippine Northern Province of the Society of the Divine word (SVD-PHN) whose Vision is “living the spirituality of St. Arnold Janssen, envision a constructive community molded in a developing dialogue with the people and communities of the Northern Philippines through worthy witnessing to the Incarnate Word”  proposes the following activities and their specific objectives:

BBS (Basic Bible Seminar)
•    To learn to appreciate and read the Bible regularly;
•    To deepen and strengthen the Christian faith through prayerful reading and sharing of God’s word;
•    To form Bible Sharing Groups.

Bible Sharing Groups
•    To deepen one’s encounter with the Word;
•    To value the workings of the Spirit in the lives of one another
•    To build and to promote small Christian Communities;
•    To integrate ongoing conscientization on the situation in weekly Bible sharings, allowing the Word of God to challenge the realities of today (as part of the application or living out of the Word).

BBFS (Basic Bible Facilitators’ Seminar) or CTFC (Core Team Formation Seminar)
•    To review the Concepts (Content & Process) of the BBS;
•    To appreciate the value and contribution of the BBS in building BECs;
•    To develop love for teamwork and to practice working in a team.

BEST (Bible Enrichment Seminar & Training)
•    To focus on the Word of God and enhance their reflections on their own life stories;
•    To lead the participants to study and experience the Liturgical Readings and other Biblical Texts;
•    To form Bible Study Groups among the participants.

Bible Study Groups
•    To deepen one’s knowledge of the Scripture;
•    To be in touch with others through the Word of God;
•    To respond in a loving and communitarian way to the challenge of the Good News.

BTTS (Bible Trainers Training Seminar)
•    To accept and affirm their sacred call to participate in the mission of the Church by virtue of their baptism;
•    To recognize the need for Christian formation to respond to this call;
•    To perform the skills of a good Bible facilitator.

LLMS (Lay Liturgical Ministers’ Seminar) & YLLMS (Young LLMS)
•    To gain more knowledge in Liturgy & Scripture;
•    To appreciate the Word of God in the Liturgy;
•    To apply the Bible in Liturgy and Proclamation.

Bibliodrama
•    To know how to be involved with the Word;
•    To treasure the Biblical Stories with the Participants’ Life Stories;
•    To journey with the Scripture in the here and now.

Biblical Retreats
•    To deepen one’s knowledge of the Scripture and of Prayer;
•    To value silence & God’s presence;
•    To share in the Mission of the Incarnate Divine Word.

Formation of Retreat Guides/Spiritual Companions
•    To experience the dynamics of a directed retreat in the light of the Trinitarian Spirituality;
•    To reflect individually and as a group on the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in their retreat journey;
•    To practice the art & skills of accompanying retreatants in their journey toward a closer relationship with the Word.

Bible Camp/Assemblies/Gatherings
•    To gain more knowledge about the Bible;
•    To cherish the importance of the Scripture in one’s life, as a book of life, Word of God for the salvation of all;
•    To experience a community anchored in the Word, empowered by the Spirit through celebrations and fellowship.