PACRE Logo Explained

The elements of PACRE Logo are described as follows.

ChiRho with alpha and omega

The ChiRho is an ancient Christogram representing the first two letters of the Greek word for “Christus.”

The PACRE affirms the centrality of the person and message of Jesus Christ in its raison d’être as an Independent, National, Professional and Catholic Association of Catholic Religious Educators.

The Alpha and the Omega which are the first and last letter in the Greek alphabet represent that everything begins and ends in Jesus Christ.

The Greek letters in the logo recalls to mind that original language (Greek) by which the New Testament was written and preached in the Gentile world.

As religious educators, the members of the PACRE are “evangelists and preachers” of the Good News through the written and spoken word which came from their encounter with the “Word made Flesh” (John 1:14).

12 Green Leaves

The Twelve Green Leaves calls to mind the significant beginnings of our Faith namely the Twelve Tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and the Twelve Apostles of Jesus in the New Testament.

It is an affirmation of the belief of every PACRE member of his/her responsibility to participate in the continuing growth of the Faith in our generation.

It is a symbol that reminds every member that he/she is a present-day disciple who is called and commissioned by Christ to have a share in the Church’s mission to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-12).

The leaves also remind the Association members of their grave responsibility as Religious Educators because the success or failure of the transmission of the Faith is on hands. The words of Jesus warned us that “just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:17-20).  It is a solemn obligation of each member to promote and defend the Catholic faith which every member professed.

The number twelve is another reminder of the traditional Catholic list of the Twelve Fruits of the Spirit which the members are hoping to nourish in their lives by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Generally, the leaves stand for the PACRE’s hope that the Association will grow and flourish with the passing of the years.

Core Value: Truth, Unity, Service

The PACRE adopts for its Core Values:

Truth which is the foundation of all that a virtuous life. As educators, the members are responsible for their speech and actions in their respective institutions. We are duty bound to teach that which is true. “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

Unity is a highly held value in the New Testament particularly in the context of a community. St. Paul using the illustration of the parts and functions of the body clarifies how it is to be a member of a community (cf. 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31).  It is an ideal that the Association aims to imbibe where each member will find a place and feels his/her value in the growth of PACRE.

Service or diakonia was exemplified by Jesus who said that the “Son of man did not come to be served but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).  To be a member of PACRE is to be on a mission of selfless service for the good of the Church and society.

Bacolod City, Philippines

           

The seat of PACRE is Bacolod City, Philippines where it has its humble beginnings on September 12, 2015.

Note: The explanation was done by Rev. Fr. Deogracias V. Camon. He was elected by PACRE Executive Board to serve as a member of its Board of Directors for 2016-2018.