<![CDATA[This study examines the dialogue between Mapalus, a Minahasan tradition of mutual cooperation, and Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te to develop a contextual understanding of Christian love and its pastoral implications for the Diocese of Manado. It employs qualitative library research through a critical interpretive review and contextual hermeneutics, encompassing conceptual mapping of Mapalus literature, textual analysis of Dilexi Te, and reflexive synthesis of cultural and theological perspectives. The analysis identifies convergences in solidarity, equality, justice, respect for human dignity, and shared responsibility. Mapalus provides a cultural framework for expressing the Church’s preferential option for the poor through communal cooperation, while Dilexi Te deepens the theological interpretation of these practices as participation in God’s saving love. However, strict reciprocity and financial obligations in contemporary adaptations of Mapalus may burden economically disadvantaged households and risk their exclusion. The study concludes that critically engaging Mapalus in the light of Dilexi Te enriches contextual theology and offers a culturally rooted resource for pastoral renewal, directing the Diocese of Manado toward inclusive communal responsibility and concrete solidarity with the poor and marginalized.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
