COLLEGIUM PERULAE ORIENTIS

General Principles

God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, revealed Himself to men so that they may partake in the fullness of Truth and Grace as manifested in our Lord Jesus Christ, Who by His Incarnation has saved human nature from sin and death and ennobled it to participate in His coming glory, both in body and soul. 

In light of whose Divine example we, the undersigned associates, members and fellows of the Collegium Perulae Orientis, do hereby ordain the following to be the foundational principles of the Collegium Perulae Orientis. 

Credo

Art. 1. We believe: 

Sec. 1. that those whom God has endowed with great temporal advantages, whether material or spiritual, have a commensurate duty before God to pursue virtue and to contribute to the common good in fulfilment of the Divine intention (Leo XIII, Rerum novarum, n. 22; cf. Lc 12,48);

Sec. 2. that those who exercise greater influence within a developing nation have the duty to take a leading role in the integral development of its temporal and cultural resources, thereby fostering true societal progress (Gaudium et spes, n. 86);

Sec. 3. that the supernatural goal of the Christian engaged in secular life is to configure the social order so that it may serve as a living testament to the Gospel and a hopeful reminder of the Kingdom to come (ibid., 39; Lumen gentium, n. 31);

Sec. 4. that social orders are naturally shaped by those possessing superior coordination, and influence, and that it is morally necessary that such persons be formed in solid Christian virtue and a sincere commitment to the common good, lest their authority devolve into oligarchy;

Sec. 5. that the protection of a democratic people from becoming an exploitable mass requires the establishment of “eminently aristocratic institutions,” tasked with safeguarding and developing the people’s legitimate traditions, which in turn must be oriented to our Lord Jesus Christ (Ven. Pius XII, To the Patriciate and the Roman Nobility, January 16, 1946);

Sec. 6. that such institutions must remain close to the people, attentive to their needs and concerns, so that they may cooperate effectively in the development of integral solutions and prevent the detachment that leads to oligarchy (Francis, Address to a Group from the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, March 4, 2019; Ven. Pius XII, To the Patriciate and the Roman Nobility, June 26, 1944); and

Sec. 7. that all authority is ultimately accountable to God in proportion to its privilege and requires a Christlike willingness to make great sacrifices for the common good, even when doing so entails risk or cost to legitimate personal or familial interests.

Art. 2. We, the associates, members, and fellows of the Collegium Perulae Orientis, hereby commit and dedicate ourselves to: 

Sec. 1. the highest standards of moral and intellectual virtue in our academic, professional, and cultural endeavors, in accordance with our station in life;

Sec. 2. the formation of a genuinely virtuous and evangelical outlook in those around us, from our families, colleagues, and peers, up to our brothers and sisters in greatest need;

Sec. 3. the creation within the Collegium of an institutional atmosphere conducive to faith, hope, and charity in all things, especially in our academic and practical endeavors;

Sec. 4. the synthesis, purification, and ennoblement of all relevant fields of human inquiry, life, and culture in accordance with the fullness of Divine Revelation.

Mission Statement

Art. 3. The Collegium Perulae Orientis is an academic society and network of individuals committed to advancing the common good in Philippine society according to the highest moral, intellectual, and cultural standards, in accordance with the guidance of the Roman Catholic Church. It shall remain faithful to these foundational aims:

Sec. 1. to provide proper cultural, political, theological, and moral formation, inspired by Catholic teaching, to men and women who seek to make noble contributions to society in accordance with the Gospel;

Sec. 2. to provide associates, members, and fellows with the resources and networks necessary for effective collaboration in promoting the common good and shaping business, politics, law, and culture according to Gospel principles;

Sec. 3. to encourage genuine theoretical and practical inquiry into the teachings of the Gospel and the Catholic Church, in order to dispel doctrinal misunderstandings and, guided by the Holy Spirit, better interpret the signs of the times (Gaudium et spes, n. 4); and

Sec. 4. to further the promotion of the common good, the dismantling of sinful structures, and the evangelization of Philippine culture, from the most refined to popular expressions, through dialogue, consultancy, and principled participation in public life.

Art. 4. To achieve these aims, the Collegium Perulae Orientis shall: 

Sec. 1. form a cohesive network of competent, like-minded individuals, reliable in the cooperative promotion of the common good;

Sec. 2. encourage proficiency in the Latin language so that the treasures of the Latin Catholic tradition may be better understood and appreciated for the benefit of the Church and the common good;

Sec. 3. adopt personalized and tailored methods of regular formation, developing each individual according to their strengths, capabilities, and dispositions;

Sec. 4. promote the liberal arts as a foundation for formation in philosophy, politics, law, and economics;

Sec. 5. create and strengthen avenues for dialogue and inquiry through publications, fora, lectures, and similar activities;

Sec. 6. organize itself in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, while maintaining alignment with its foundational principles;

Sec. 7. strive to attain financial sustainability, enabling it to progressively contribute to the common good and continue the formation of its constituents.

Institutional Goals and Ideals

Art. 5. The Collegium Perulae Orientis (Collegium Perulae Orientis) seeks to promote the integral formation of its associates, members, and fellows, equip them with the resources necessary to work together in accordance with the principles of the Credo toward the common good, and enrich culture in light of the Gospel and the treasures of Catholic civilization.

Art. 6. The Collegium Perulae Orientis shall always affirm its fidelity to:

Sec. 1. God, who is the source of all truth, goodness, and nobility;

Sec. 2. the message of the Gospel, by which we are called to rise above mere natural law;

Sec. 3. the Blessed Virgin, exemplar of missionary nobility;

Sec. 4. the Catholic Church, together with the Supreme Pontiff and the order of bishops;

Sec. 5. the truth, particularly regarding the human person and the significance of life and culture;

Sec. 6. the human person, who remains central in all societal considerations;

Sec. 7. the common good, understood as structures of virtue which, through the ministry of the Church, may be elevated by grace.

Art. 7. The Collegium Perulae Orientis professes institutional fidelity to the Holy Roman Church and its Magisterium, the Supreme Pontiff, and all articles of faith and infallibility proposed by the Church (of Divine and Catholic faith). It also gives religious submission of intellect and will to the merely authentic Magisterium, proposing no heresy, error, or public dissent.

Sec. 1. Non-Catholic Christians may be received into the Collegium provided that they profess the Blessed Trinity according to the sense of the ecumenical councils and do not oppose the Collegium’s Catholic and Trinitarian fidelity. Those who do not fully profess the Trinity may be admitted as associates, provided they sincerely seek to cooperate with the mission of the Collegium.

Art. 8. The Collegium Perulae Orientis shall cooperate with the competent ecclesiastical and diocesan authorities of the Roman Catholic Church in the fulfillment of its mission.

Art. 9. The Collegium Perulae Orientis shall carry out:

Sec. 1. Extensive, interdisciplinary research into Catholic theology, natural law, and the various aspects of Christian and Filipino civilization, aimed at building a sound and viable framework for Catholic leadership in the Philippines;

Sec. 2. Personalized formation programs, based on this framework, fostering the spiritual, intellectual, and moral enrichment of its constituents across all fields of human endeavor;

Sec. 3. Publications and media projects that communicate the fruits of research and formation to various audiences, in Latin and other languages relevant to Filipino society;

Sec. 4. Linguistic formation projects, especially in classical and heritage languages, that impart the treasures of Christian and Asian civilization to constituents and society at large;

Sec. 5. External projects that foster dialogue and cooperation across various sectors of Philippine society, assisting local communities and the less privileged to attain self-sufficiency;

Sec. 6. Projects that encourage free and mutual cooperation among associates, members, and fellows across all fields of human endeavor, whether within or outside the formal auspices of the Collegium.

Art. 10. To fulfill its tasks, the Collegium Perulae Orientis demands: 

Sec. 1. From its fellows, the highest standards of moral, professional, and cultural excellence; 

Sec. 2. From its members, readiness to work to become virtuous leaders, citizens, and followers of Jesus Christ; 

Sec. 3. From its associates, a desire to help build virtuous structures throughout their immediate environment up to the rest of society, 

Sec. 4. From all, a solid commitment towards the common good, even at times of inconvenience or great opposition.

Art. 11. The Collegium Perulae Orientis seeks to instill a firm conviction about culture as: 

Sec. 1. the manifestation of man’s dominion over the earth (Gen 1,28; Gaudium et spes, n. 53–57); 

Sec. 2. the primary natural means by which the human person attains to his or her perfection (ibid., n. 53; St. John Paul II, To UNESCO, June 2, 1980); 

Sec. 3. a means of rendering honor to God who is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty itself (Gaudium et spes, n. 57); and

Sec. 4. something to be ennobled and purified by the grace of God and the ministry of the Church (ibid., n. 58). 

Art. 12. The Collegium Perulae Orientis holds that the promotion of the common good requires that outstanding men and women take the initiative to work together in finding genuine solutions for the needs of the particular communities they belong to. This, however, requires that they be able to listen to the various sectors constituting the people, and to facilitate an authentic participatory process by which their various concerns may be synthesized. 

Art. 13. The Collegium Perulae Orientis holds that the formation of leaders committed to the common good must be grounded both in solid conceptual and cultural principles and in a practical understanding of the communities they serve. The Collegium rejects an inward-looking mentality that treats personal or institutional excellence as a justification for disregarding the insights and experiences of others, especially those most in need.

Art. 14. The Collegium may establish institutes, chapters, centers, and other task-specific bodies dedicated in a particular way to addressing specific needs, competencies, or fields of activity, including the provision of integrated consultancy and advisory services in particular sectors. Such bodies shall consistently reflect the character, principles, and mission of the Collegium as a whole.

Art. 15. The Collegium Perulae Orientis shall strive to be: 

Sec. 1. A society whose members faithfully live out the principles they profess in the Credo;

Sec. 2. A network where persons from various walks of life come together in friendship, fraternity, and mutual cooperation for the common good; and

Sec. 3. A truly aristocratic institution, capable of assisting the people in cultivating their legitimate customs, institutions, and traditions, and addressing their needs in light of the Gospel.

Art. 16. The Collegium Perulae Orientis, while maintaining institutional non-partisanship, shall participate in the political, economic, and public life of Philippine society in a principled manner. In order to help evangelize the body politic, it shall undertake the following activities:

Sec. 1. Collaborate, on an ad hoc basis, with other associations, institutions, and groups in projects beneficial to the common good, so as to make clear that the Church is not absent from the provinces of human culture and society; that Christ walks with men and women in the concrete conditions of their lives; and that human culture can be redeemed, healed, and elevated in the order of Grace.

Sec. 2. Participate in coalitions whose stated aims are consistent with, or at least not repugnant to, the Collegium’s principles and to Catholic doctrine, exercising prudential judgment in light of the common good.

Sec. 3. Serve as an integrated center of counsel, formation, and consultancy by providing coordinated moral, cultural, theological, social, economic, and institutional guidance to individuals, businesses, civil society organizations, and public institutions, in view of promoting authentic human development and the evangelization of the civil and economic order.

Sec. 4. Offer interdisciplinary analysis, strategic advice, and practical recommendations concerning public policy, governance, business, economics, education, and culture, insofar as these bear upon the common good and the dignity of the human person.

Sec. 5. Facilitate dialogue and cooperation among experts, practitioners, and community stakeholders, so that concrete solutions may be proposed which are intellectually sound, morally grounded, and responsive to lived realities.

Art. 17. The Collegium Perulae Orientis, as a private association, enjoys the freedom to be governed in accordance with its statutes. 

Art. 18. The administration of the Collegium Perulae Orientis adheres to the principle of subsidiarity. The President of the Collegium possesses the highest directorial authority in the Collegium, but shares the responsibilities of governance with the different constituents of the Collegium as provided for by the received and accepted channels of collegial participation. 

Art. 19. The moral unity of the Collegium Perulae Orientis requires that all its members and fellows faithfully adhere to the goals and ideals set forth in this Charter. Associates, while not bound to the same degree of institutional responsibility, are likewise required to respect these goals and ideals and to act in accordance with the mission and principles of the Collegium in any activities undertaken on its behalf.