Walk With Mary!

One of the great attractions at the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome is the Madonna della Pieta, a marble statue sculptured by Michelangelo depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus. The Virgin’s head is bowed down gazing on her Son. Her left hand opened as a sign of resignation for such a great loss. Her face is serene and young. More so, her body seems bigger than that of Jesus. Some people would argue that having been totally drained because of hunger, lack or absence of sleep, and physical and mental pain Jesus would surely be emaciated. A high school teacher once explained that the reason for such depiction is to show how big a mother’s heart is for her children, how it embraces us no matter what.

If we try to put ourselves in the shoes of the Blessed Mother, how would we feel when we hear how our child has been unjustly tried, tortured, and killed by the same people to whom He showed unconditional kindness? There’s an interesting scene in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” where Mary approached Jesus who stumbled under the weight of the cross. Mary asked her Son if she could take her place. Jesus replied: “Mother, behold I make all things new.”

As we enter Holy Week and recall the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, let us walk with Mary! Possessing that stout heart and obedient faith like her, let us allow Jesus to “make all things new” in our life. Let us allow Jesus to fill in the gaps in our being, to heal the wounds in us, to cleanse the stain in our heart, to sustain our spirit.


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In my previous article, I raised my reservations on the Pasyong Mahal that is currently being used in Tagalog-speaking regions in the Philippines this Lent and especially during Holy Week. I have read that Bienvenido Lumbera (National Artist for Literature) criticized this as “a piece of plagiarism which was an attempt to update the language of Aquino de Belen”. (Gaspar Aquino de Belen, a 17th century Filipino writer, poet, and translator, was the first one who wrote the Pasyon under the title of “Mahal na Pasison ni Jesu Christong Panginoon Nation na Tola” in 1704. The current work was written by an anonymous writer in 1814.) Lumbera was also uneasy with the absence of rhyme or rhythm and it was halatang kinopya!

It was said that other versions from Aquino de Belen were published, but were found to be heretical and have been censured by the Spanish friars.

I think, the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines (CBCP) particularly the bishops in the Tagalog-speaking regions, should invest time and effort to review the Pasyong Mahal and weed out what is not based on Sacred Scriptures and Sacred tradition, that includes the portrayal of St Joseph as an old man when he was wed to Mary and, much worse, a coward who preferred to die rather than see Jesus suffering. The CBCP should involve people from the academe or the likes of Lumbera as the Pasyon is also a work of art, a religious art. I cannot comment on non-Tagalog versions of the Pasyon, but it’s worth a project to also assess these. Otherwise, our religiosity would be tainted with fanaticism and what-have-you which will make it more of a stumbling block to appreciating our faith for what it really is.

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I had an interesting conversation with a colleague professor in the university I’m working in. He lamented how students’ mobile phones would ring during lessons and the calls subsequently taken. I told him how the late Prof Gloria De Castro-Bernas, when she was Dean of the UST College of Science, banned the use of mobile phones during lessons. If a phone rang and its owner identified, the gadget will be confiscated by the teacher. This will only be redeemed when the erring student submits his/her ID card – to the Dean or the Board of Discipline Chair! My colleague liked the idea and told me we should do it because he believes that something more important is happening in a lesson (i.e. exchange of ideas, sharing of knowledge) and that no phone calls should disrupt this.

Come to think of it, in prayer, there is something more important happening (i.e. communication with God). Therefore no distraction – phone, iPAD, etc – should come between our space with the Lord.

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Stay tuned to our website as we hold once more “The Seven Last Words” this Holy Week. Many thanks to this year’s writers: Bianca Alcantara, Rodney Vertido, Cy Wussow, Jenni Fonseca, Mario Albano, Ana Payod-Balla, and Grace Madriñan! Thanks to Mike Flores who will take charge of our layout design and to Allan Dabu who created this year’s poster! Thank God, it’ll be our 8th year of presenting this kakaibang online experience and we hope you’ll find this an inspiring companion during Semana Santa.

May we all have a meaningful, focused, and Christ-centered Holy Week!

The 14th Point

I feel really proud as I looked at photos taken during President Noynoy Aquino’s inaugural last week. I could feel that fresh hope pervading in the country now that it has a new (and duly elected) leader in the person of this unassuming son of Ninoy and Cory Aquino, revered icons of our democracy.

On the same day that he was sworn into office, Catholic bishops released a 13-point that the newly-elected president needs to tackle during his administration.

I read through the list and found some very, very familiar areas of concern such as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with extension and reform (CARPer), the rejection of the Reproductive Health Bill, same-sex union, halting of mining and illegal logging, corruption, human rights, the poor’s access to quality education, etc.

I was expecting that they would include the cancellation of payments to debts incurred by the Marcos administration. It is no secret that these debts were immorally done as they did not benefit the nation, but Marcos and his minions.

Since 30 July 1977 (when the dictator signed into law Presidential Decree No. 1177), a part of our national budget has been automatically earmarked to pay the “principal and interest on public debt” (section 31 of PD 1177). Sadly, the late Cory Aquino honored these debts and so payments have been ongoing until now.

40% of our budget is allocated for debt servicing, thus depriving our country from further development, poor families from getting access to a better quality of life, public services such as hospitals, schools, and the like from being able to fully respond to clients’ needs, etc.

40% is 40%!

I agree that we Pinoys believe in the saying that “Ang utang ay dapat bayaran”, but if it was done not for our good and if paying it would prevent us from enjoying what we humans deserve, then it is immoral to pay them! It’s anti-life, if I can rejig a famous by-line from our Church leaders.

I agree that “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap”, but corruption isn’t the only enemy to alleviate poverty. To alleviate poverty, P-Noy must also make sure that funds are appropriated where they are badly needed. He must send marching orders to Congress, when he addresses them on 26 July 2010, to repeal that oppressive law and make strong representations with the IMF-World Bank putting a cap on debt servicing.

If this is done, then at least 3 (i.e. educating the poor, poverty alleviation, and food security) of the 13 points raised by our bishops would have already been sorted.

I am disappointed that our prelates have missed this item when this issue has been staring at them all this time, when they have often spoken in defense of the poor and proclaimed that we are a “Church of the Poor”.

Debt is ‘utang’ in Filipino. If the President does not do something on automatic debt payments, more and more people would be drowned in untold poverty and misery. From their mouths, ‘utang’ would metamorphose into another Filipino word, a curse actually, that P-Noy would not like to hear.

I may not be a bishop, but like them I am also P-Noy’s boss. And so, Mr President, my appeal is: please repudiate debt servicing!

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I am very sorry to hear the sad news that Mrs Annie Andreus, a long-time friend, neighbour, and perhaps a distant relative in Kawit, Cavite, has passed away. Ti Annie, as we fondly call her (“Ti” is an honorific title Kawiteños use to address their elders such as uncles and aunts.), was an ex-classmate’s mother. When I lived in my aunt’s house (which is a few steps from Ti Annie’s home and sari-sari store), I used to pass by the church before proceeding to the nearby St Mary Magdalene School. I would always see her attending the daily Mass. Later on, I found myself getting up early everyday to participate in the Holy Eucharist – sitting next to her. I carried this practice when we moved back to Manila and whenever I would go to Kawit and attend Mass I was happy to be reunited with her.

If my paternal grandparents introduced me to the Mass, Ti Annie reinforced that practice by her good example and encouragement. Which is why I'm telling our brothers and sisters in the faith, especially the youth: don't get bored of the Mass. Welcome your elders' proddings as a call to prayer, to be in union with the Lord. And as you grow in that upbringing, you will not 'lose' it even if you move to another place.

Thank you, Ti Annie. You have been like a mom to me. May you now enjoy the happiness in the presence of our God whom you have encountered in the daily Mass.

To Edwin and his siblings (Christie, Donna, and Faye), my sincerest condolences.

A Challenging Time

I feel blessed to have been part of the post-Vatican II generation. That council that was convoked 45 years ago steered the Church to what was then ‘unknown sails’. Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC), one of the constitutions promulgated by that council, has been called the ‘Magna Carta of the Church’ for it sought to revise the liturgy aimed at leading all the faithful “to that fully conscious and active participation” which is the faithful’s “…right and duty by reason of their baptism”. (SC 14)

This brought about various changes in the Mass. Apart from the priest facing the people, the Mass was said in the vernacular. Also, the lay faithful could take certain roles like lector/commentator, sacristan, or Special Minister of the Eucharist. Indeed, parishes and other communities flourished because of lay participation and empowerment.

I find it then strange why a new English translation is now being introduced. If it were a much better translation of the Latin text, fine. But reading the samples available in various websites, I find these confusing and would not be in consonance with SC or worse, with Vatican II. Some words in the new translation sound too archaic as well. What’s wrong with the words “one being with the Father” and change it to “consubstantial with the Father”? Pope Paul VI, under whose watch Vatican II's actions were implemented, might be turning in his grave!

I feel that if the new translation would be implemented, we will be going back to the days when people would pray the rosary or any other devotion while Mass is being celebrated. Worse, we might see more people becoming detached from the Mass, becoming detached from God Himself! Come to think of it, isn't He Emmanuel ("God-with-us")? If our faith tells us that He is here with us then our prayers as individuals and as a community should enhance that belief. The words we use to communicate with each other could either build or weaken relationships. The current translation uses plain English so each of us regardless of our background could relate more with the Lord whom we encounter in the Eucharist.

When SC was implemented, national conferences of bishops sharing a common language were tasked to collaborate in producing a common translation. This brought about the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). Through ICEL, bishops conferences in the English-speaking world (which includes the Philippines) have been given a kind of autonomy to see what is suitable to the local churches under their care.

ICEL proposed a new translation in 1980s which was completed in 1998. It was a much better edition to the one currently used. Unfortunately, Rome (through the Congregation for Divine Worship) initially ignored it and later rejected it following the issuance of a document called Liturgiam authenticam which calls for a more literal English translation. (Take note that this is only a document and not a constitution like SC!) Indeed, as one fellow Catholic would have observed, I never thought that fundamentalists could also be found in the Church! I share the observation by Fr Michael Ryan that such a move is “one more assault on the (Vatican II) council, and sadly, one more blow to episcopal collegiality.”

This is a challenging time for all of us who love and actively participate in the Mass. Right now, bishops in the English-speaking world are in the middle of two opposing forces. Will they simply bow to the powers-that-be? Or will they assert their role as shepherds of their flock? Alas, some conferences have chosen the former over the latter. Yet nothing is still lost.

Let’s continue to pray for them. (What a coincidence that in the web, we are remembering our bishops in our prayers this month.) Again, if you haven’t done it yet, please join in the signature campaign to ask our bishops to delay this new (and poor) translation via: http://www.whatifwejustsaidwait.org/

St Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us.