Priest-Governor, Anyone?

It’s now official. Fr. Ronilo M. Omanio will be again gunning for gubernatorial position in Occidental Mindoro in 2010. In our interview with OIC Provincial Election Officer Perlita Villangca last week over DZVT, Fr. Omanio, together with incumbent governor Josephine Ramirez-Sato and a certain Regalado Dimayacyac, filed their respective Certificates of Candidacy (CoC) before the provincial Commission on Election (COMELEC) office in Mamburao within the prescribed filing period.

I do not wish to deal with the issue regarding Church’s law for I am just an ordinary layman not competent to discuss matters pertaining to Canon Law specifically Canon 282 Paragraph 3 which states, “Clerics are forbidden to assume public office whenever it means sharing in the experience of civil power” and Canon 287 Paragraph 2 which says clerics, “are not to play an active role in political parties or in directing trade unions unless, in the judgment of the competent ecclesiastical authority, this is required for the defense of the rights of the Church or to promote the common good.” I am not in a position to interpret neither present my opinion on the subjects for I do not have any formal course on Canon Law. Let us leave that to competent ecclesiastical authorities of our local Church say our respective parish priests because it's one of their pastoral duties to enlighten us on such matter. They, not us workers of the social communication apostolate, are the most credible when it comes to said universal law. Besides, in a typical Filipino family, children are told, “Huwag sasabat sa usapan ng matatanda.” Unless of course when you are given go-signal like what I get before I open my mouth in our radio show.

What really made me feel sad is the fact that some quarters, presumably also from the Catholic circle in our province, have even gone as far as hurling accusations against Church personalities via this post created by an unknown blogger in 2007. Today, some quarters even questioned Bishop Antonio P. Palang’s issuance of Circular 4, s. 2009 or the “Decree on Fr. Ronilo M. Omanio’s Candidacy” dated 3 December 2009 which says in part : “As you publicly know, Fr. Omanio was suspended last March 30, 2007 after he filed his candidacy for governor of Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. …This time, he filed again his candidacy as governor of Occidental Mindoro. It is unfortunate that this thing would happen : an open defiance against the Universal Law of the Catholic Church.” The Decree further states : “Holy Mother Church could not tolerate this thing to happen, but this happened anyway. We therefore give him a six-month warning." Here’s the parting statement of Bishop Palang in said Decree : “I therefore decree that he cannot use the name of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose or the Roman Catholic Church, for they have nothing to do with his candidacy. I further warned Fr. Omanio that he should not and cannot administer the sacraments. Finally, I shall not hesitate to recommend later to the Holy See in Rome for his dismissal from the clerical state.” The Decree was signed by Bishop Palang and his Chancellor, Msgr. Mario R. Ronquillo. One political patron even alleged that our incumbent governor influenced the church hierarchy to mar Fr. Omanio’s candidacy but citing no single instance, evidence or proof to support his claim. Or was the kingpin just fed by wrong information and half-truths? But see how traditional politics complicate this very serious matter of defying Church’s law by one of her lost sheep or,- should I say, shepherd.

To those who are Catholics who want to study or dig deeper into the subject, it is recommended to read this book to enlighten us on the phenomenon of priests going into politics. It’s a long read that requires patience. Please finish it and find out why it is forbidden anywhere in the world.

In our Gospel today (Luke 3:10-18), three times people asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” Each time he told them to give up something or not to be greedy. Because greed is everywhere, we need men and women of faith,- especially men of cloth who are completely identified with Jesus and not with politicians. That was the journey John the Baptist asked his hearers to make. A journey where we are challenged to make this Advent an occasion to realize the true joy and happiness given to us by the Immanuel and not any political patron and patroness disguised as messiah in our midst.

As a Catholic voter, no matter who will come out as governor in 2010, I am praying that may s/he live an upright private life and morally sound public agenda and change their old ways, and be competent and capable public servant/s. Nobody is stopping him to run but Fr. Omanio have to choose : be a fulltime priest or a fulltime politician. Life indeed is a decision after another. And conversion is not only expected from politicians but also of us, voters. Over and above, as followers of Christ.

Just a personal reflection : Any cleric, the very moment he left his active priestly ministry is indeed a big loss for the Church and the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). The Church already lost Fr. Omanio in 2007 and it’s so hurting then. But God utilize time to heal all the wounds and to remember the lessons we have learned (or unlearned?) since then. This time, his euphemistical slip is not only showing but can be subjected to public scrutiny.

Is Fr. Omanio’s recent filing of his CoC already a sign that he wants to,- once and for all, be laicized and be fulltime politician? I don’t know. Let’s hear from him …

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(Photo of the book "Priest-Politicians" by Bishop Emeritus Oscar V. Cruz, Doctor of Canon Law. Image taken from CBCP.net)

Caminerus’ Advent(ure)

My name is Caminerus and I proudly declare that I am the most sought-after errand boy here in Nazareth. I clean every mess left by carpenters and blacksmiths in their workshops every weekend and oftentimes, I work as a street sweeper for a dime or two. But there are also times that I accompany residents when they travel to other districts to tend their belongings and merchandize including their asses,- I mean, donkeys. That’s what I do in the last fifteen years of my life.

But I am also a dreamer. I dream someday I'll find my place in Rome, the capital of civilization. Or in Alexandria, the grain and food capital,- even only, let us say, as a warehouse apprentice. Forget about Athens, the cultural center or Corinth, the great university city. We, people of Nazareth, at least in the eyes of those who do not live here, do not belong in those known places. But I am proud I lived in this small provincial town, so irrelevant that people summed it up contemptuously in a single query : “Can anything of good come from Nazareth? Poor Nazareth!”

I am not only the errand boy of Nazareth. I am Nazareth. Without fame, with no natural advantage or historic association and cultural background or prestige and a lowly peasant city in the eyes of the civilized and modern world. Like me, Nazareth is just a “yokel” town a people of Jerusalem, the holy city of worship, would call it.

But I have a confession to make about a horrible incident that caused me goose bumps until this very hour. The incident happened last night inside the kitchen of the elderly couple named Joachim and Anne when I was cleaning their neighbor’s animal barn. I saw a winged man from the sky zoomed into the place like a lightning and immediately appeared in front of Mary who was then washing dinner plates and wiping oil from her hands. The winged creature’s voice sounds like thunder. But sweet little Mary seems not afraid of the birdman and they started a conversation. At a very tender age, she had the advantage of staying at the temple as a cleaner. Perhaps, her exposure to the truth and beauty of the Scripture made her fearless. Unlike Mary, I am a damn coward so I ran away.

Curiously, I went to see her the next morning and to my surprise, it seems that nothing unusual happened. I want to ask her about the last night’s incident but I don’t know what’s stopping me. “Someday, if I had a chance, I am going to find out.” I told my self. “If you had the courage.” My conscience said in return.

But that moment suddenly came. I met the old man Joachim at the tavern offering me another escorting job. He asked me to accompany her daughter and their close family friend Joseph, the best carpenter in town. She’s going to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zachary in Hebron. It was not convenient for Mary to travel alone. It was certainly an uphill task for Joseph and Mary so they need an escort or a bodyguard of sort. And that’s me, your friendly neighborhood errand boy, the Amazing Camenirus. “It’s a deal!”, I told the bearded old man.

While on our road to Hebron, Joseph told me that we will at once return to Nazareth not only because of his works but for Mary to stay with her cousin who is six months pregnant. Elizabeth needed a helping hand for she would no longer be able to go and draw water from the village well or to look after the crops in the field and the animals in the farm. She would no longer be able to go to the market to do her shopping. Mary will stay in Zachary’s house for three months until Elizabeth ‘s baby is due. Joseph will be coming back after three months and fetch Mary.

Though I never had the courage to ask Mary about the winged man who appeared in their kitchen, but knowing her as a child who grew before my very eyes, I know that she is deeply aware of her low position in society which had been elevated by a blessing from the Lord that all generations would recognize. She is a humble maid. She connected her own experience that God is now helping His servant Israel, since He had scattered the proud and put down the mighty while exalted those of low degree and filled the hungry with good things. That’s how I put into one capsule the things we have discussed while traveling the lonely and dangerous road from Galilee to the hills of Judea.

But there’s one thing I’ve noticed about Joseph for most of the time he's been so silent. I presume that something is bothering him. Hope that winged man from the skies would ease all Joseph’s tormenting doubts. Caminerus’ surefire hunch is telling him that the winged man will soon appear before Joseph or even only in his dream.

The reunion of Mary and Elizabeth only taught me one thing : we ought to give the gift of our very presence and this is the hardest and the best gift of all. Everybody needs encouragement. Everybody needs the interior peace and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. This is what Mary's visit did for Elizabeth. Mary's visit was an inspiration to Elizabeth.

This was the inspiration I learned from my recent travel or adventure. And at the break of dawn, Joseph and I travelled back to Nazareth who surely missed the presence of the Amazing Caminerus. I am Nazareth, remember? ...

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(NB: Another fiction try.- NAN. Photo from http://www.brigidmarlin.com.)

An Assassin’s Tale

Today is December 5, 2039. I am here at my safe house in downtown Maharlika preparing for the biggest mission in my career : to kill John De Bap, that popular preacher-singer who has been drawing followers and crowds all over-Rizalandia and even around the world. I am out to assassinate him tomorrow in exchange of a huge sum of money that I needed so badly. I will be get paid the soonest my mission is over.

You just have few hours to live now, John De Bap and I swear. Big politicians and influential businessmen are so irritated in the message of his songs that is why they sent me for this job. His songs and poetry, they say – at least according to the people who hired me, are the biggest threat to them. Their businesses, their power, their authority. John De Bap even emphasized that essential to repentance is the issue of social justice, especially in his carrier single entitled “Luke Thirteen, Eleven”.

Call me an old fashioned assassin but in this age of robotics, laser technology and modern weaponry, I prefer to use my vintage Turkish Bora JNG-90 sniper rifle given by my late father, a war hero who died in Afghan war in 2012. This rifle, weighing 6.4 kilogram, has sentimental value to me. I caress my gun just like how my father fondled me when I was a boy. I promised him that I will follow his footsteps but because of greed and lust for money, I landed in this ruthless job. What the heck, I am getting sentimental!

After wiping my rifle’s night vision scope and blast compensator, I switched on the television and a close-up shot of John De Bap occupied the screen. He is a thin man, poorly dressed and unshaven,- but no doubt, with a look of great intensity about him. His free concert tour last summer was a big blockbuster. The freak's tour was held in the wilderness and deserts. To tell you frankly, the diversity of those who came out and be his followers amazes me - whores, gamblers, and thieves mixed with pseudo-religious leaders . Every time he performs and renders a song, the crowd fall to their knees instead of the usual dancing and shouting.

I carry in my wallet a picture of my fourteen -year old little girl, Suneta. I promise that after this job, we will begin a new life. She’s at the ICU of a hospital way back home suffering from bone cancer. She needs to undergo radioactive surgery but it would cost a lot of money. My sweet little girl is also a big fan of June De Bap as well as her late mother. I am happy seeing her, even in his hospital bed trying to cover her sorrows and pain, singing the lines of a song of his idol called, “Prepare, Prepare” : “Somebody is coming and I have been sent to prepare his way/Turn from your sins!/Prepare your self from the coming of the Almighty!...” But you have to die, John De Bap, for trying to bring back the true essence of Christmas tradition. You have to be exterminated for saying that Christmas is an event highlighting spiritual and religious values rather than pure commercialism, and you are gaining followers because your songs bring false hopes and lies.

I am studying the floor plan of the Manny Pacquiao Memorial Field where the concert will be held tomorrow. I am scanning all the pictures and documents from my palm top computer, having every single detail and information that would lead to my perfect and biggest kill come night time. Shown on TV is a pre-concert special called “The Word Among Us” featuring cuts from his previous concert tours and interviews. In the interview, he said something that really pierces my heart : “I have come to turn the heart of fathers toward their children to prepare them for the Lord.” Why this so-called Lord or God and this goddamn John De Bap so concerned about my family, about my sweet child Suneta? Why does this God want me to draw closer to my family so that I could receive His grace? I then suddenly remembered Papa. How I prepared his things and waiting for his return even though I know that he already died in the war. But as time goes on, I am aware of the fact that the memory of my father comes to me in all the events of my life. His memory made me more vigilant but each passing day, I become a dishonor to his valor, gallantly and our name.

I am almost in tears when my personal phone rang. I immediately recognized her voice but there is something unusual about it. Her voice is full of jubilation instead of pain and sorrow, “Please come home, Dad. Together let us watch John De Bap’s concert on TV. Don’t worry about my ailment for I am prepared no matter what will happen. I want to be with you when that day comes. I want to see you and together we enjoy the songs. Surely you will find me here filled with wonder and praise…” And she clicked off. I cried.

Peacefully, I packed up my things leaving my Bora JNG-90 behind and promised my self not to go back to this place anymore…

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(NB : Just a small attempt to write a fiction - NAN. Photo from : www.battlefieldsports.com )

Student, School or System?

I am not a product of a Catholic school and now I deeply regretted it. I bolted out of the Divine Word College of San Jose (DWCSJ) as a Bachelor of Arts (AB) student in early 80’s simply because of financial hardships. Also, I am bored on attending retreats and recollections including subjects concerning religion and spirituality. Nobody in our subjects and gatherings openly talk about the US military bases, about academic freedom and other burning issues of the day then, or anything negative about the dreaded Marcos government. Over and above, my poor parents could not afford, financially-wise, to keep me there. As expected, I suddenly dropped college and find work for a living. I felt like the poor man Andres Bonifacio, who was unable to go to any of the learning institutions dominated by the “ilustrados” during his time.

But outside the walls of DWCSJ are nameless teachers, rich experiences and supportive co-learners from streets, workplaces and rural communities. People who do not have to wear Levis and puff Philip Morris to gain awe and respect. A learning institution spelled L-I-F-E, where you could enroll with nothing but sheer courage, hard work and enthusiasm to discover the academy itself. From the motor pool of a DPWH project in Laguna sub-contracted to E.E. Lite Corporation, the construction site of the PAF Satellite tower in Tagaytay, in South China Sea as an apprentice fisherman, the dirty kitchen of NFA canteen as errand boy, to the picture lab of Kodak-Premier Photo,- I was in those places.

DWCSJ is the most prominent,- particularly when it comes to number of enrollees, Christian academic community in the province. Here is their mission statement : “DWCSJ commits itself to provide the students a Christian liberal education with technical and professional competence in line with local, regional, national and global development goals. It also binds itself to develop and enhance the intellectual, spiritual, moral and physical capabilities of the members of the academic community through its religious, educational and administrative services towards professionalism and competence.” There are other Catholic schools in Occidental Mindoro, actually called Vicarial schools : Holy Family Academy in Central, San Jose, Colegio de San Sebastian in Sablayan, West Mindoro Academy in Mamburao, San Rafael High School in Abra de Ilog, and Stella Maris School in Lubang.

DWCSJ and the rest of the Catholic schools are “an educational power” where the past pupils and alumni are potentials for social transformation and conversion. An institution, I presume, where ethics before knowledge is emphasized. But sometimes it’s hurting to find out and realize that there is a mismatch between what is learnt inside the classroom and what is done in society, therefore what is learnt in school does not lead to social transformation and Gospel-inspired spirituality. There are known politicians and private citizens, for example, coming from prominent Catholic schools in general who support or sponsor vices and all forms of gambling. There are those who graduated in Catholic institutions who are involved in crime and other wrongdoings. There are also businessmen who only think of their profit neglecting social responsibility. There are some who prostitute their talents for bad politicking thus sustaining the traditional political culture and its evils. Some willingly abhor to the will of their political patrons or bosses instead of using their abilities and sense of duty taught by missionary priests and scholastic nuns during their youth. Former priests (and seminarians) included. Now, who says that schooling is a cure or solution for social phenomenon (criminality, immorality, etc.) which we do not like? Surely, those are just few bad tomatoes in a huge veggie basket called Catholic education. Or, they have their own personal reasons for it, so might as well respect them.

To my mind, there are still things needed to be done in Catholic education system, to wit : First and foremost is to recognize the critical importance of teachers. They must be periodically re-educated and trained not only on skills but especially in moral and religious education. Faculty and students must collaborate or establish network among civic, advocacy groups and organizations and this must be strengthened and sustained. Active teachers from Catholic schools are also expected to participate in charitable and social action works of Catholic-run institutions or get involved in the pastoral works of their respective parish,- like membership in religious organizations or taking part in liturgies,- to mention a few.

In 1987 I went back to college. I loved being in a place where discussions on socio-political issues are open and allowed, in and off campus. Along with our teachers, we discussed national situations and we organized ourselves into a potent force which toppled of our school administrator via ala-EDSA People Power fashion. I am so proud of my alma mater,- the Occidental Mindoro National College or OMNC.

But I really wish I finished my AB at DWCSJ because I believe in what people say that education built upon Christian values prepares the future public servant (or those who are destined to wield power and authority) for the tough job ahead. We have high expectations on these Christian Catholic leaders because we believe that they believe that the kind of education which forms character and produces faith in sound principles of life comes through personal influence and example.

I truly regretted not being a DWCSJ alumnus. Instead, I sent my eldest there four years ago for his secondary education because his mother told me that every student from a Catholic school is expected to acknowledge the immense role of the Holy Spirit as a silent worker telling her/him where to go, how to act (or not to act) in any given situation, whether in their private or public life.

I am just taking this as a consolation for me : academic superiority or any achievements in school enhance the power obtained and shared by our mentors, but the ethical value of it depend on how we use it. Any school work or academic endeavor opens an opportunity that a thing may be, but the probability that it will happen depends on the individual person, and it may be nil or contrary to what is expected or desired. May my only son live to the ideals of DWCSJ all throughout and like Andres Bonifacio, may he rise above his personal needs for the sake of higher and greater cause – freedom and justice based on the teachings of the Church. For both he and Bonifacio share the same birth date today.

Was it really depends on the student, the school or the system?...

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(Photo: aerial shots of DWCSJ from Jamil V. Estorninos’ Facebook album, “For Those Who Miss Home”; This picture drove me to post this blog entry -NAN)