Views from the belfry

Of priests and of laity-

Ten years ago, as the church was celebrating the year of the Holy Spirit, I and Alan Caña were sent to attend a conference and represent our parish. Part of our mission was to re-echo what we heard when we get home. 

The re-echoing never happened. Perhaps the parish priest then was too busy with many affairs that he just forgot us, or perhaps his interest was solely for our parish to be represented.  The thought that we were not given a chance after our spiritual trip saddened us then.

This year we are celebrating the Year for the Priests, I was privileged to be chosen to represent the laity in the Cebu Clergy-Laity Jubilee Conference held at Grand Convention Centre, last August 18, 2009.

With the permission of the pastors, I brought Alan along with me, and we relived the feeling of being sent to re-echo, again. This time we assured ourselves that we will learn and can be useful in our parish. I feel confident that those who sent us are interested to make us continue with our task.

We saw so many priests in one setting, they seemed more eager to meet old friends rather than actively participate in the conference.  Younger priests wore their clerical collars conspicuously, and I felt so elated to see priests that way, I miss the older days.

The panelists were discussing the issue of the non acceptance of charismatic renewal movement and their programs by some parish priests.

I was waiting for the issues, confronted or ignored, that has troubled and haunted the baptized ever since; about their relationships and usual engagements with their

respective priests.

Those never came. They were beating around the bush and ended up flattering each other, a truce indeed.

Luckily, real issues were brought up during the workshop. To our amazement, most situations and issues raised were common to most parishes. So we began opening up, but with so little time allotted for discussion, it ended where we started.

We left the conference, identifying many issues and more aware that too many questions were still unanswered, unaddressed. So we will wait for its sequel.

In fairness, I’ve learned something deeper in that conference. When I got home, I did contemplate on the flight of our priests. We, the laity, have so much forgiveness to ask to the ordained.

We neglected to take care of them especially the unpopular and hard to deal with type.

                We kill their simplicity by pampering them too much. We tempt them by offering delicious but unhealthy foods and drinks during our celebrations.

We hamper their rests by our endless requests for masses for the dead in our homes. Our unplanned sick calls cut their precious recreation or necessary slumber.

We subject them to slander, ridicule and humiliation when not in their presence, and we allow misguided people, if not we ourselves, to literally murder them.

We ought to pray that God will give us not only good, sociable and intelligent but holy priests, whose lives are reflections of the gospel.

           To all priests in the world: Go out and fish. Even if you have spent the whole night without a catch, when He tells you to, still cast your net again.