Philippine Conference on New Evangelization 2026 (Lipa)
30 July, 2026
“I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)
This was the central theme to the twelfth edition of the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE), organized in the last weekend of July 2026 at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Embodied in the term sangkáy, from the Waray language native to the Eastern Visayas, this event was indeed a celebration of friendship for the SDC members who were in attendance.
Throughout the conference, the theme of friendship in Christ was discussed by various Filipino Church leaders, who either celebrated mass or delivered keynote speeches. Cardinal Josè Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery of Evangelization were among those who addressed the audience. Thousands of participants were present coming from realities from diverse parts of the Philippine archipelago, from various lay and religious organizations.
Besides the plenary gatherings, concurrent sessions were also delivered, which the SDC members could individually attend. The themes covered by such sessions included Global Mission, Catechesis and Catholic Education, Magnifica Humanitas, Leadership and Synodality, Integral Ecology and Mental Wellbeing.
Sangkáy was reinforced through the connections made with catechists from other dioceses. These would have come in contact with the SDC members through the online courses delivered earlier by the Episcopal Commission on Evangelization and Catechesis. Furthermore, this conference provided an opportunity for the members to reconnect with members of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart and the MSSP who have their premises in nearby Quezon City.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude for God’s gift of friendship. In the words of St George Preca, “Whoever finds a good friend, finds himself a treasure.”
