One hour Barefoot Running

Yesterday morning, I ran barefoot on cement surface for an hour. This is a breakthrough for me. It was a very smooth, comfortable and relaxed run which I enjoyed so much. I avoided heel striking and landed on my forefoot, with my knees bent. I could feel the natural spring in my feet, tendons and knees.

My feet are getting stronger and the soles are becoming thicker. I will try to slowly increase my time in barefoot running until I reach 2 hours.

I've started using aqua shoes on some of my walks. The soles are so thin, it's just like walking barefoot. I hope that my friend will bring me a pair of vibram five-fingers shoes when she arrive from London this week.I only have less than three weeks before my solo Trans-Mindanao Run/Hike (390 km in 8 days). I plan to cover an average of 50 km a day in 7-8 hours. I am thinking of running barefoot partly perhaps two hours in the morning before the roads become so hot. The next six hours will be on running shoes. Anyway, I will just listen to my body and not force myself.

Attending the Religious Profession of Sr. Yna, RC

I arrived here in Manila yesterday. This morning, I hiked 21 km from Baclaran to Loyola Heights (Quezon City) to attend the religious profession of Sr. Yna Onate. It took me 4 hrs 10 minutes to reach the Cenacle Retreat House where it was held. The profession ceremony, which started at 3 pm was attended by over 30 guests, including Yna's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Bert Onate, as well as her friends and the members of the Religious of the Cenacle. My friend, Sr. Evelyn, was present (I also attended her profession last year).

Yna is a friend whom I accompanied in discerning her religious vocation. She had been involved in our parish church for a long time. Several years ago, I often went out with her and some of our friends for cappucino. When she decided to join the Cenacle Sisters, I promised her that I would attend her profession. So today, I kept my promise. I will continue to pray for her that she will persevere in her vocation.

Barefoot Running

This morning I ran barefoot in our courtyard and the pathway around the church. I ran on different surfaces - grass, sand, rocky patches, and cement. I was planning to run/walk for only 15 minutes but I enjoyed doing it that I didn't want to stop. So I ended up running continuously for 30 minutes. Although I wanted to run longer I had to stop. I still had to attend the opening mass of the Visitation.

This is the second day that I have tried running barefoot. I started doing it yesterday inspired by the book "Born to Run." I found it easy to run smoothly without pain. I haven't done a lot of running for the last three weeks due to knee pain so I have just been doing brisk walking for 4-7 hours. Barefoot running is indeed therapeautic and it can strengthen my knees and thicken the soles of my feet. I like the feel of the grass and sand on my feet.

Within this month, I plan to gradually increase my time in running barefoot to an hour or more. This is part of my training for the Trans-Mindanao Trek this Holy Week. When I walk/run the Camino de Santiago in Spain this July, I might even do part of it barefoot.

For hundreds of thousand of years, our ancestors ran barefoot. The Kenyans continue to do it. Abebe Bikila won the Rome Olympic Marathon in the 1960s running barefoot. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in barefoot running. I would like to give it a try as part of my training although I wouldn't run road races and ultramarathons barefoot.

As I ran barefoot, I remembered a dream which I had two years ago and which I recorded in my dream diary:

"I am running barefoot on a trail that is at first muddy and then grassy. I am following a boy who is running very fast. I am trying to keep up with his pace."

I haven't tried to unravel the meaning of this dream but now I have an idea what it means.

(posted by cellphone -mobile blogging)

Trekking and Camping (Preparing for the Trans-Mindanao Ultramarathon & Camino de Santiago)

At 10:30 am yesterday, several hours after celebrating the mass in the parish church, I was on the road with a backpack weighing 18 pounds. Inside the pack were some clothes, sleeping bag, ultralite air mattress, tent, headlamp, palm-top computer, digital camera, a plastic jar of peanut butter, a can of sardines and water. As I sauntered under the heat of the sun along the busy highway, a police car drove by and the police officer waved at me and greeted me: "good morning, father!" I smiled and waved back at him. I was doing more walking than running since my swelling right knee had been bothering me for more than a week. At twelve noon, after covering over 8 km, I reached the pier and took the ferry boat that brought me to Samal island.

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I was already in the island before 1 pm. No lunchbreak - I was fasting. I just stopped by a store and bought a piece of bread for dinner. I continued trekking under the noonday heat - drinking water mixed with extra-joss every hour. There was no more traffic this time as I followed the rough road and trail overlooking the sea. I reached Dasag before 4 pm and pitched my tent near the beach. I took a nap and then had an early supper of peanut butter, sardines and bread. As the sun was setting, I sat on the beach and enjoyed the view. For four hours in the dark, I continued to gaze at the sea, reflecting on my life as a priest over the last 29 years and praying. Then, at 10 pm, I went inside my tent and went to sleep.

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I woke up after six this morning. I continued to meditate for a while. No breakfast and lunch today - as usual. I continued my trek around the Island at 8:40, still doing more walking and less running. My walk was as fast as my jog and my right knee felt fine. I was so glad when it began to drizzle by 10 am which continued until 2 am. I always prefer the rain than the hot sun. I reached the pier at 3 pm and took the ferry boat. I reached the monastery before 5 pm, without even feeling exhausted, after a two days of trekking and fasting. I think I should be able to do this when I trek across Mindanao this holy week, and traverse Spain this July.

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This evening I enjoyed a sumptous dinner with the community and our friends. We celebrated the birthday of Fr. Allen and Shaun, and also the Chinese New Year and Valentine's.

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Some realizations/learnings:

1. I can run/walk 6-8 hours a day while fasting (without breakfast and lunch), as long as I have a heavy dinner the night before. Eating on the run is not necessary - it can even make me sluggish. The food I eat is not immediately converted into fuel (it takes over 12 hours for food to become usable as body-fuel). . During emergency, the human body can function even without food for more than four weeks. (20 years ago, I was able to fast for 14 days, while running every day).

2. I don't have to drink frequently or much. I usually drink ever hour (instead of every 15 minutes), and I don't have any problem with dehydration. What is dangerous is drinking too much.

3. Ultra-long distance trekking is mind over body. Older people may not have the speed, but we have the endurance and the will to cover long distances.

4. Fast, continous running is not sustainable for multi-days, ultra-marathons (it could lead to injuries). Easy running mixed with a lot of brisk walking is the secret for success.

Preparing for the Camino de Santiago (a Running/Walking Pilgrimage)

We only have less than two months before the end of semester and I am pre-occupied with my preparation for my Sabbatical - and especially for my running/walking pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. It is an 800 km trek which starts at St. John Pied de Port, a village South of France at the base of the Pyrennees mountains, across the northern part of Spain and finishing at the western city of the Santiago de Compostela, where the tomb of St. James the Apostle is believed to be located. The Camino de Santiago is one of the three major pilgrimage center of Christianity (besides Jerusalem and Rome). For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have gone to Santiago de Compostela, mostly on foot. It usually takes 30-35 days to walk on the Camino Frances. I plan to do it in 21-24 days (combining walking and running). I will start my pilgrimage on July 12, after my summer course in Rome (Ecumenical & Interreligious Dialogue). I will be carrying a 15-lb backpack including an ultra-light tent, so that I can sleep under the stars.

My physical preparation is underway. I run-walk for 6-8 hours once a week, and 2-3 hours thrice a week. After Easter, I will run-walk across Mindanao (from Iligan to Davao, 400 km). I still have one month of running/walking up and down the mountain of Busay during my one-month hermitage before I leave for Rome in June.

Here are some of the books I have been reading as part of my preparation.

On the so-called CBCP Guidelines for Voters on 2010 Elections

The national media reported the other day that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has come out with a 20-page guidelines for voters for the coming 2010 elections. It would appear that the CBCP is urging Catholic voters to reject candidates who are supporting the Reproductive Hill bill. According to the guideline:

“…it would not be morally permissible to vote candidates who support anti-family policies, including reproductive health, or any other moral evil such as abortion, divorce, assisted suicide and euthanasia.. otherwise one becomes an accomplice to the moral evil in question.”

According to the news item in CBCP news, if strictly followed, Catholics can only vote for three presidential candidates who are not supporting the RH bill: JC delos Reyes, Eddie Villanueva and Manny Villar. This means that Catholics should not vote for Noynoy Aquino, Gilbert Teodoro and Joseph Estrada - or they would become "accomplice to the moral evil in question."
This would not only apply to presidential candidates but also to candidates for senators, representatives, governors, mayors, etc.

The first question is, has the CBCP already formally adopted and approved this guideline? The second question is: is this guideline adequate and appropriate to help Catholic voters?

This guideline came out of the national gathering of the directors and lay coordinators of the CBCP episcopal commission on Family and Life which was held last November 30 in Antipolo City. It was only formally released a few days ago after "it went through Bishop Odchimar for final approval."
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What is clear is that this guideline is the product of a national gathering of an episcopal commission (Family and Life) - not the CBCP plenary assembly itself, which still has to meet soon. It would be misleading to regard it as the official guideline of the CBCP. It reflects the perspective of that commission which should be taken into account. If a guideline is to be finally approved and released, it will be broader than what this commission proposes. Other perspectives need to be considered - justice and peace, environment, good governance, peace, etc.
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Any guideline should take into account the pro-life stance of candidates. But it would be myopic to simply look at the candidates' support or non-support of the RH bill as the sole basis for voting for and against them. The anti-life issues and culture of death embraces abortion, capital punishment, extra-judicial killings, armed conflict, destruction of the environment, poverty and even corruption (which perpetuates the culture of death). Being pro-life means respect for life inside the womb and outside the womb, and opposing anything and anyone that threatens, destroys and devalue life. This consistent ethic of life is what John Paul II wrote about in his encyclical "Evangelium Vitae."
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A guideline based on a single issue (such as support or non-support of RH bill) is not adequate and will just be ignored by the people.
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It would be one-sided if the CBCP warn voters to reject only those who support the RH bill. What about those who are corrupt? What about violators of human rights ? What about those who support policies that destroy the environment, perpetuate poverty & injustice, continue the armed conflict, etc.
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The problems of our country are complex. While we oppose the RH bill and reject the premise that overpopulation is the cause of poverty (and block to development) which can be solved by contraceptives and sex education, it is not enough to elect candidates who reject the RH bill. We need leaders who are not corrupt, who will respect life, and who are capable of bringing about social transformation, justice, peace, and development, and address the environmental crisis.

Seminar on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in Tacloban

Over the weekend, I conducted a seminar on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in Tacloban, Leyte, to members of BEC parish formation teams (PFT) from 40 parishes of the archdiocese of Palo. Over 200 lay volunteer pastoral agents came, including some religious sisters. Sr. Betty, the coordinator of the diocesan BEC team was expecting less than 150. I had to brush up my "waray-waray" since the the participants came from the waray-speaking area of the archdiocese.

In the morning of the first day (Jan. 9), I broke the participants into 20 workshop groups for some levelling-off of their understanding of the BEC vision. I started my talks in the afternoon and the follow day, with an open forum after each presentation.

These the are the topics that I discussed with them:

1. Basic Ecclesial Communities - a New Way of Being Church (BEC vision and culture)

2. Pre-requisites for building BECs (Diocesan Pastoral Thrust, Initiative and support of the clergy, role of Parish Formation Team, strategic pastoral planning, etc.)

3. Evangelizing Component of forming BECs

4. Organizing Component

5. Mobilizing BECs for Social Transformation

6. Approaches in Building BECs (piloting, saturation)

I also taught the participants the waray version of the two songs on BECs which I composed (Awit han BEC, Gudti nga Singbahanong Katilingban).

I am glad that a lot of progress has been made in the building up of BECs in the archdiocese of Palo. Less than ten years ago, Palo was the only diocese that didn't have any clear BEC program. I had conducted BEC seminars in four dioceses in Leyte and Samar (Naval, Borongan, Catarman, Calbayog) except Palo. Then in 2005, one year before he retired, Archbishop Pedro Dean invited me to conduct a seminar for his priests which was held in Cebu. When Archbishop Jose Palma took over, he adopted the building up of BECs as the pastoral thrust of the diocese. He also formed the diocesen BEC team headed by Sr. Betty and in coordination with Fr. Gani, the pastoral director. In 2007, I was invited to conduct a seminar for the parish formation teams coming from cebuano-speaking parishes (20 parishes) of the archdiocese.

I hope that the seminars that I have conducted will be helpful in the growth of BECs in eastern visayas.

Ending 2009 with an Ultra-run and Welcoming 2010

I arrived here in Iligan two days ago for my post-Christmas vacation. Yesterday, the last day of 2009, I spent 6 hours running up and down the Dalamas mountain. The last time I ran up to this remote mountain village was 25 years ago during our missionary work in the area. The scenery was simply breath-taking. The trees along the rough road provided shade from the heat of the sun and it became cooler as I made the steep ascents. I didn't feel exhausted even if I was running on an empty stomach. I find solitary long-distance runs like this more enjoyable than running marathons with so many other runners around me.

In the evening, I had dinner with my sisters (Nonie, Myrna, Mely, Cely) and their families. Our Uncle Talino and his wife and children also came. The lechon was not roasted in time so we had a late dinner. I called the monastery and informed Fr. Ramon that I won't be concelebrating at the New Year's vigil mass which was scheduled at 8:00 pm. The rain dampened the New Year's celebration -there were less fireworks and less people out in the street to welcome the New Year.

I woke up at 5:20 this morning and meditated for half an hour. I then celebrated the 6:00 am New Year's mass. I had breakfast with Bishop Manny Cabajar and the members of the Iligan Redemptorist Community (Fr. Ramon, Bro. Karl and Bro. Dodong).

I didn't do any running today. I just went out for a 45 minute brisk walk around the city and visited the tomb of my father, mother and sister.

I look at the year that is past with gratitude. And I look at the year that has just began with much hope and expectation.

What does 2010 has in store for me? What are my goals for this year?

The first three to four months will be a busy period for me.

This month I will be conducting a workshop-seminar on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) to parish teams coming from 20 parishes of the Archdiocese of Palo. Then I will attend the meeting of the staff and consultants of CBCP-BEC national office to prepare the report for the bishops' plenary assembly. I still have to finish teaching the courses of Ministry & Orders, Pastoral Leaderhip & Management, and Theological Synthesis. Then my sabbatical starts after the end of the 2nd semester in March.

So what are my goals for the rest of 2010?

1. Make final revision and publish my ecclesiology book (A Vision of A Renewed Church).
2. Solo Run-Walk from Iligan to Davao (390 km, March 20-28)
3. Live as a hermit in Busay (April- mid May, August-?)
4. Do the Alphonsian Spirituality Course in Italy (June) and attend the closing ceremony of the Year of the Priest in Rome.
5. Running-walking pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (800 km from South of France across northern Spain) June-July

What I will do after the Camino de Santiago I will finalize after my pilgrimage. There are two possibilities:
a) spend the last 3 months of my sabbatical as a hermit in Busay mountain
b) continue my running-walking pilgrimage across the Philippines (Davao-Aparri via the Cordilleras).

I prefer plan B, but if I feel that I have enough for the year and need to recover after the Camino then I will postpone it to 2011.
If I follow plan A, then I will just run a faster marathon by the end of the year (hopefull break 4 hours, or even 3:30).

I am already very excited just thinking about the year ahead of me.

Funeral of Fr. Abdon Josol,CSsR

The funeral mass of Fr. Abdon Josol was celebrated at the Redemptorist Church in Cebu at 9:00 this morning. Redemptorists from various communities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao came to attend. Fr. Abdon's sister, relatives and friends also came.

Redemptorist priests and brothers carrying the coffin to the Redemptorist Church

prayer of reception at the church door (Fr. Ben Ma - provincial superior)

Cardinal Ricardo Vidal presided the funeral mass, with 2 Redemptorists bishops

(Bishop Irineo Amantillo and Bishop Manny Cabajar)

Fr. Picardal (that's me) preaching the funeral homily

blessing the coffin (Fr. Willy Jesena)

funeral procession to Careta Public Cemetery

Final commendation at the burial site (Fr. Ramon Fruto)

This is the text of the homily that I preached:

“Do not go gentle into the good night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

I used to believe that Dylan Thomas’ poem
which he wrote for his father dying of cancer
aptly described Abdon’s last few months
Many of us had the impression
that he spent his last four months engaged in a battle against cancer.
He appeared to us like a warrior heroically fighting the dreaded disease until his last breath.

When I came to Cebu on the last week of October,
a confrere asked me what brought me here.
I told him that I came to visit Abdon
and to help prepare him for death.
He wished me good luck.
He thought it was a mission impossible.
I had heard confreres telling me
that it was a subject no one would dare talk to him about,
that he was an impatient patient who would scold the nurses, attendants and doctors,
and that he was in a state of denial –
that he couldn’t accept that fact that he was going to die,
that he couldn’t let go.

After several heart-to-heart talks with Abdon,
I learned what was really inside his mind and heart.
One of the questions I asked him was:
“Abdon, are you ready to die?”
He said: Yes, I am ready to die any time.
I really want to live longer, there is still much to be done,
but if it God’s will that I go then I accept it.”

As I listened to Abdon, I came to realize a number of things.
It was not that Abdon was afraid of death,
or that he was in denial.
Abdon loved life and above all
he loved the congregation –
there were still so many things he wanted to continue doing.

Let us bear in mind that Abdon was one of the first Filipinos who joined the congregation some years after the end of World War II
He was the first Filipino local superior – in Tacloban

He was the first Filipino vice-Provincial and provided leadership during the early years of the martial law period.
He courageously guided the congregation as it took a more prophetic stance vis-à-vis the dictatorial regime.
After his term, he went for further studies and came back with a doctorate.
He started the SAT.
He was once again at the helm when was elected as the first provincial superior of the new province.

Even as he became a senior citizen,
the thought of retiring never entered his mind
He remained active, especially in building up the SATMI
and in his scholarship programs for poor.
He expected to live long enough to fulfill his dreams and plans.
It was therefore understandable that he was not yet ready to leave this world.

Abdon started with a combative stance.
He saw cancer as an aggressive invader.
He was determined to fight it out, to engage in battle
using all means necessary – chemical warfare, laser therapy, etc.
He found it difficult to admit weakness, vulnerability and dependence on others.
He went through his dark night –
angry at everyone, including God.

But he went through a process of transformation.
His attitude towards his sickness changed.
It was no longer a battle but a journey, an inner journey.
He began to look at his painful illness as an occasion of grace
and he fully accepted the reality of death.

Why grace?
Because the illness made him more aware of the divine presence – a presence that was sanctifying, redeeming, healing.
The healing that was taking place was an inner healing, that led to inner peace.
This enabled him to accept the excruciating pain without cursing those who were taking care of him.
It was grace because he experienced what it really meant to be loved and cared for by his family, confreres and friends

It wasn’t just his confrere and friends who came to visit him
our parish office staff, librarians, kitchen staff, labandera and some parishioners made the journey to Cebu to see him.
He was given time to say the words that were unsaid,
and hear the words that had nor heard before.
He was fully prepared to meet death finally came not as a thief in the night
but an expected friend that would lead him to life – eternal life.

Abdon did not lose the battle against cancer – for it was not a war. His death is not a defeat.
Rather, it has been a journey towards inner healing, and peace –
an experience of grace.
He has remained faithful to the vows he made – for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, even until his last breath.
And as he go on his way ahead of us to the home of our heavenly father,
and as he claim the crown promised by Alphonsus
we say goodbye to him in the language that he loved:
Arrivederci, Abdon – until we see each other again.

Celebrating the Joy of Christmas amidst Grief

Christmas eve community reconciliation service & renewal of vows

Christmas vigil mass




Christmas party

not physically present - Fr. Abdon Josol, CSsR (r.i.p.)

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We are celebrating the joy of Christmas while our hearts are filled with grief over the death of a member of our community - Fr. Abdon. He died of cancer in Cebu five days ago. This is the first time that we celebrate Christmas without him. He went to Cebu for a check-up four months ago and he was not able to come home since he was confined at the Perpetual Succour Hospital. His body lies in state at the Redemptorist Church. The funeral mass and burial will be at 9:00 am on December 28, 2009. Cardinal Vidal will be the principal celebrant and I have been asked to give the homily. We will be flying to Cebu this Sunday.

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We had our community Christmas party this evening. We placed Fr. Abdon's picture on the top of the refrigerator, together with flowers, candles, a plate with some food (ham, turkey, lechon) and a glass of red wine. This expresses our belief that death has not separated him from us. After the meal, program and exchanging gift, we all faced the picture, holding our wine-glasses and singing the traditional Redemptorist hymn: "Vivat in eternum."

Sustainable Ultra-Long Distance Running (training for Trans-Mindanao Run and the Camino de Santiago)

Crossing over to Samal Island

Coastal Road to Penaplata

Run-walking with 18-lb backpack



wild camping in Dasag

I've been on a back-to-back runabout - run-walking for seven hours yesterday and five hours today. I started late yesterday because I had to say the 4:30 am Misa de Gallo. I carried a back-pack weighing 18 lbs - with water, clothes, sleeping bag, tent, some food. I used the Galloway method of interval running - run 3 min/walk 2 min interval. I actually enjoyed the running section than the walking. I still have to get used to long-distance walking. Last week, I walked for almost seven hours and I had blisters for the first time- I don't get blisters even if I run for 7-8 hours.I think my body has gotten used to running. I don't get a "walker's high" only a "runner's high" (it is running that releases the endorphins into the bloodstream). What I enjoy most is running up and down the mountains. I forget about the time, I become one with nature, and I feel God's presence. There is no loneliness for the long-distance runner - just the joy and ecstasy. It is indeed addictive -- that's why I want to do it over and over again.

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This is the first time I ran-walked ultra-distances back-to-back two days in a row. I didn't feel any exhaustion nor was there any muscle-pain or soreness. The recovery was quick. I think the slow, easy running mixed with regular walking breaks made it possible. A low intensity run mixed with brisk-walking is the formula for a sustainable ultra-distance run. This will my strategy for running across Mindanao this March and across Northern Spain this June-July. The human body is not designed for fast-continuous running over long distances - it will eventually break down if there are no rest-recovery walks.

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Last night, I camped on the beach. This is something that I love doing. I intend to do some wild-camping when I do the Camino de Santiago across Northern Spain. I would prefer to do it in Albergues/Refugios that have some ground or backyard where I can pitch my tent or in nearby church grounds. This is what I enjoyed most when I was walking from Rome to Assisi in 1994- I slept under the stars and in the porches of churches.

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I know that the tent will make the pack heavier but today, I was able to prove that I can easily run with an 18-lb load. With a slight lean forward and bent knees (following the chi-running method), I felt my load pushing me forward. It was actually easier running than walking with a heavy pack (I could feel the pack pushing me downward during walking breaks). It's all about gravity.

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Tomorrow, I will take it easy and do a 2-hour Christmas run the following day. I have to be back for the Christmas day mass at 10:30 am.