Deformed Formation

“Act like seminarians!”

Those words summarized the after-mass-sermon of Rev. Fr. Cipriano “Jojo” Alnas, Jr. to the seminarians who served at the Holy Mass last Sunday morning at the St. William’s Cathedral.

Fr. Jojo is presently one of the youngest priests of the Diocese of Laoag. Yet his aura and usual disposition exude his dedication to the Roman Catholic Church – perhaps, his experiences as a formator at the San Pablo Seminary in Baguio City honed such firm devotion to his religious vows.

Thus, when he witnessed the appearance and demeanor of some seminarians during the celebration of the Holy Mass, he seemed to have felt a shock of his priestly life – made transparent by the short but solid rebuke he gave to the seminarians inside the sacristy.

A few months ago, I published in this column several complaints and observations of churchgoers regarding the behavior of some seminarians assisting in the celebration of the Eucharist: too playful and noisy; unruly and unkempt; singing mass songs or mouthing responses with obvious irreverence; and when they are tired chatting, they intentionally position themselves to sleep in front of the altar.

Surprisingly, only the seminarians are observed to act this way – “altar boys” from other catholic schools in the locality unfailingly hold themselves properly during the mass.

Well, like what I have said in a past article: Boys will be boys. But if young athletes and scholars can act according to the demands of their training and studies, why can’t young seminarians act according to the spirit of their calling?

I don’t intend to be more popish than the pope, but I believe that such contention of mine is consistent with Optatam Totius, a decree on priestly training proclaimed by Pope Paul VI, which underscored that: “The discipline of seminary life should be regarded not only as a strong protection for community life and charity, but as a necessary part of the complete system of training. Its purpose is to inculcate self-control, to promote solid maturity of personality and the formation of other traits of character, which are most useful for the ordered and fruitful activity of the Church.”

Formators are aware of the consequences of wearing the seminarian sotana – that once a seminarian dons it, he already holds the name and image of the Church, regardless of the true state of the seminarian’s calling. And once the wearer “stains” the sotana, even in the least of all ways, the entire community of the faithful may be affected, or worse, infected.

Therefore, even in their early seminary days, future priests must be given a strong training, especially in the aspects of dedication and reverence to the works of the Church – short of these, the future of priesthood might fall into the scandalous pit of deformed formation.

But, of course, the Church will not let that happen.

I believe that the stance Fr. Jojo exhibited on the behavior of seminarians is a clear indication that the Diocese of Laoag will not tolerate any display of contempt and irreverence to the Holy Mass – especially from future priests.

To the seminarians, there are two things that you can do in the course of your training: grow up or get out of the seminary.

Fake Services

Charity is the virtue of the heart, not of the hand.

-     Joseph Addison, Guardian

Seasoned with sincerity or not, services to the poor always come with a blessing.

But it is also a fact that the proliferation of “fake servants” in our community blights the true meaning of charity. It is now very hard to weed out mere propaganda from the plot of genuine service.

I am not a how-to-spot expert, but I believe that there is farce kindness when the following matters are present:

1. When the sponsor spends a lot for the promotion of his charitable activity.

2. When the sponsor cannot proceed on the project without media coverage.

3.  When the project is intentionally situated in a place with captive audience.

4. When the project involves a string of speeches and self-serving audio-visual presentations before its actual implementation.

5. When the sponsor celebrates too much after the charitable activity.

6. When the sponsor peppers the town with messages praising the activity realized – like a hen that lays her egg and then cackles.

7. When the sponsor is active only during holiday season and election period, but not in times of crises and calamities.

8. When the sponsor only entertains big and well-known groups, but not the struggling organizations of the needy.

9. When the sponsor does not visit or consult the needy before implementing a project for them.

10. When the quality of services given to the needy is very poor, despite the grand promotions and announcements made.

Well, these are just products of my observations, and not necessarily subscribed to accuracy. But if ever they speak some truth, may they sink into the hearts of men who call themselves servants.

Public Cheaters

Online dictionaries define delegation as the handing of a task over to a subordinate.

Delegation is an important skill in management. Its advantages include the building of a manageable workload, the stress-free realization of organizational objectives and the creation of a professional development opportunity to a junior staff.

Even the International Association of Administrative Professionals recognizes the fine art of delegation as an important aspect of leadership, both in the private and public realms.

Unfortunately, despite its many positive effects, it is prone to abuse and misuse. And per observation, the prostitution of delegation is being practised more blatantly in the government service than in private corporations.

Let’s take for example a friend of mine who is a head of an office in a certain local government unit. May we just call him Frodo – well, no pun intended.

Frodo’s task is vital because it entails the monitoring of developments in the LGU. Such developments are essential to the different departments as their basis for actions, like responses to problems or approaches to impending societal setbacks.

Though the job’s daily grind must be personally handled by Frodo, he was given a few people to assist him; a staff to deal with some administrative and logistical functions.

The office was doing well – not great but good enough – until Frodo went delegation frenzy.

Examination of Development – off to staff A. Preparation of Report – off to staff B. Submission and Dissemination of Report – off to staff C.

Frodo is left with the profound tasks of snoring, loitering, snacking, gossiping and flirting with clients and co-employees.

Thus, Frodo’s office is bound to crumble due to incompetence and employee dissatisfaction. Incompetence develops because the delegations were made without clarity and beyond the competence of the staff members. And bitterness arises from the staff’s feeling of lack of recognition – because all merits go to Frodo despite his indolence.

Now that’s the devil of delegation.

When delegation is made to satisfy the sloth of heads of public offices, it brings more heat to the roaring hell of government service; it makes the quality of public service much, much more unbearable. Worse, it gives birth to more public cheaters in this already much cheated world.

Local leaders must then get rid of such dark delegation in their own local government units – that is, if they are not the lord of the ring of my friend, Frodo.

Babies

As a broadcast journalist, I have to deal with a persistent collage of nerve-wrecking personalities – a darkly weave of spit-spraying egocentrics, back-stabbing degenerates and metamorphosed social cockroaches.

Sometimes, I feel like cutting their thick heads off or dicing their putrefied faces or stabbing their owl-eyes or salt-peeling their slimy skin or stomping on their charcoal bones or burning their grimy souls for damned hell's fury.

But - whew! – why oh why should I do those things?

I do not want to be a brass spittoon that eats and absorbs their stinky personalities. No, I certainly do not want to be a carrier of their deadly and creeping social virus.

How, then, do I manage my anger on them?

Simple, I picture and treat them as babies. Yes, my dear, you read it right – babies!

Every time they start emptying my self-esteem with their motor-mouths, I also commence on imagining how their faces looked like when they were still babies: lovely, cute newborns just learning to mumble; needing full care and attention from their proud moms and dads.

Well, it is truly hard to conjure up the baby faces of these present social feces. Imagine trying to view a crocodile politician as an angelic tot or a bloating businessman as a meek toddler or a vicious authority as a kindly kid or a garrulous neighbor as a bashful child – truly energy draining.

But the antidote to the stress is the beating of a parent’s heart – the instrument of affection, forgiveness and rational tolerance. For even if the world stormily despises a man, his parents would still wrap him with the greatest love and care. 

Thus, as I view these unbearable beings as cuddly babies, I painstakingly try to exude the gifts of God to parents: love, understanding and extraordinary patience. Then, in an instant, these filthy, stroke-causing personalities turn into glowing drive and inspiration to live on, go on and move on.

Red Flag

The manner President Benigno Aquino III played down the issue on 'red' flag was very insulting to the country and the Filipino people.

In a news item by Norman Bordadora (Philippine Daily Inquirer 9/28/10), Mr. Aquino dismissed the criticisms on the inverted Philippine Flag in New York as "coming from people with nothing better to do."

According to the article, the president said that "some people just don't have anything to do." 

I think this presidential swipe relegated our national symbol to a mere historical embellishment; disrespecting the many Filipinos who died fighting for the freedom that the flag symbolizes – among them is Ninoy Aquino, the president’s father.

The US explained that the matter was an honest mistake. But honest mistake or not, the said diplomatic faux pas hurt our national pride; thus, it cannot be easily dismissed as a mere triviality.

May we remind Mr. Aquino of the following words from the Panunumpa sa Katapatan sa Watawat:

Ako ay Pilipino/ Buong katapatang nanunumpa/ Sa watawat ng Pilipinas/ At sa bansang kanyang sinasagisag/ Na may dangal, katarungan at kalayaan/ Na pinakikilos ng sambayanang/ Maka-Diyos/ Maka-tao/ Makakalikasan/  at Makabansa.

These are not mere empty words. They represent the sacrifices of our forefathers and our heroes. They represent the honour of our country. They represent the integrity of Filipinos.

Thus, any discrepancy involving our national flag must be immediately corrected – even those unintentionally committed in foreign lands.

In the said New York summit, Mr. Aquino sat just beside US President Barack Obama. I may sound funny, but I’m wondering why our dear president did not scribble a simple note alerting the American president of the faux pas.

Was it really due to presidential ethics and diplomatic requisites?  Or due to some to reasons which can be considered unFilipino?

Well, the US explanation that what happened was an "honest mistake", at least, served as a balm to the blunder. Unfortunately, it was President Aquino himself who rubbed salt to our wound.

Well, Mr. President, you have just waved a red flag. 

Sex, infidelity, vice and APO

APO Hiking Society is my favorite musical group – The Beatles is just a poor second in my short list.

I love the trio not because their group was formed in the year I was born – 1969 – but because their songs carry the true notes of pinoy spirit. They beautifully sing our lives in their 27 best-selling albums which hold at least 40 hit songs.

Who could forget the tunes of “Batang-Bata Ka Pa”, “Blue Jeans”, “Ewan”, “Kaibigan”, “Pumapatak Ang Ulan”, and “When I Met You”? These are only a few of the iconic hits that Danny Javier, Jim Paredes and Buboy Garrovillo used to conquer the heart and soul of most Filipinos.

Their retirement as a singing group only intensified the fans’ hunger for their music – raking more attention to these Tanglaw ng Lahi awardees.

But there is one APO song that I really hate, specifically its lyrics – the song titled “Yakap Sa Dilim.” I don’t want to sound like a religious killjoy. But for me, this song endorses sex, marital infidelity and vice.

Let’s try to dissect some parts of “Yakap Sa Dilim”:

Sex – Halika na at sumiping ka sa kama / Lasapin natin sarap ng pagsasama. Marital Infidelity – O kay sarap ng mga nakaw na sandali / Habang tayo’y magkayakap sa dilim. Vice – Kung gusto mo ay magsigarilyo muna / Bago tayo magkayakap sa dilim.

Well, the music industry worldwide is peppered with the so-called dirty-tunes, some songs even went to the extent of praising the devil and hell.

But in their 40-year career, APO Hiking Society tried to show that they are not an ordinary singing group; that they are also activists who condemn the many social and political evils in the country.

Actually, according to online sources, the group’s name was an irreverent reference to the paralytic Philippine revolutionary and hero, Apolinario Mabini. Perhaps, they wanted to show the world that their songs also champion people’s well-being.

Thus, it is very shocking for me to hear an APO song that hums the notes of sex, marital infidelity and vice.

Maybe, the real reason why Danny, Jim and Buboy supported Benigno Aquino III in the presidential race was Noynoy’s smoking habit which is consistent with the campaign of “Yakap sa Dilim.”

The said song was revived by Orange & Lemons, furthering the spread of its message. I just hope that one day, APO will have another reunion. A reunion with an extra-ordinary purpose: to retire “Yakap Sa Dilim.”