Responding to the inmost longing of the heart of every Filipino to commune with its Maker, the families and groups carry out acts of collective worship in diverse settings, uniting with people of other Faiths in prayer, awakening spiritual susceptibilities, and shaping a pattern of life distinguished for its devotional character.
The Word of God, found in the books of all religions, provides inspiration, rejuvenates souls, gladdens hearts, and renews one’s sense of purpose. When people in a community setting pray together, it creates bonds of love and unity and engenders an atmosphere of free and open discussion on matters of import to the life of each individual and the collective life of the society.
Devotional gatherings are initiated in homes and community centres to take advantage of such benefits through prayer and the study of the word of God. Prayer is a central element in all religious traditions and these meetings stress its universal nature. Prayer offers people an opportunity to commune with their Creator, draw on the revitalizing power of the Word of God, and to contemplate more deeply on what they do and how they can help the betterment of their society. Participants are encouraged to meditate on the universal, ethical, spiritual principles and gain insight on how these principles can be applied to their day-to-day affairs.
In the Philippine setting, devotional gatherings in neighborhoods and villages provide a forum for villagers, who often belong to diverse religious, ethnic, political affiliations and from diverse economic status, to say prayers together, read from sacred writings and discuss spiritual themes in a collaborative and artistic manner.
