Celebrating 50 years of Redemptorist missionary presence in Iligan

I am here in Iligan attending the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the coming of the Redemptorists to the city. In June 1959, when I was five years old, our family moved to Tibanga, some 3 kilometers from the city center. During that year, the Redemptorists also arrived and rented a house near our home. Since the new church had still to be constructed, they celebrated mass in a nearby school - St. Mary's. I suppose, the presence of the Redemptorists in our neighborhood had an influence on me. I remember imitating the priests when I "played mass" with my siblings at home. During summer time, I attended catechism classes at the Redemptorist church. I became an altar boy when I was in grade six. When I decided to become a priest I naturally applied to the Redemptorist. My first assignment as a newly-ordained priest was with the Iligan Redemptorist community. So I am proud to say that I am the first product of the Redemptorist presence in Iligan.

The anniversary mass was presided by Bishop Galido - the bishop of Iligan. Two Redemptorist bishops concelebrated - Bishop Ireneo Amantillo (bishop-emeritus of Tandag) and Bishop Manny Cabajar (of Pagadian). Both of them were former superiors of the Iligan Redemptorist community.

Happy golden anniversary! I hope I will still be around for the diamond jubilee celebration.

Launching of the Year for Priests: Priestly Ministry

The Year for Priests starts today but we lauched it here in Davao yesterday to coincide with the 34th anniversary of Archbishop Capalla's episcopal ordination. The opening mass was held at the San Pedro Cathedral at 5:30 pm after the holy hour which started at 4:30 pm. After the mass the clergy went to the Archbishop's residence for dinner.

I am glad that Pope Benedict XV has declared the Year for Priests. This will highlight the importance of us priests in the life and mission of the Church. This is also a time to reflect on the identity and ministry of the priest. The other day, a journalist sent me an e-mail asking me what it means to be a priest especially here in Mindanao. I sent him a brief description of my understanding of the priestly ministry which I have tried to live over the years:

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Priestly Ministry in the Philippine Context

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1. Ministry of Pastoral Leadership and Communion

Following Christ the Good Shepherd, the priest is called to be the shepherd or the servant-leader of the Christian community.This means forming and leading the Christian community (in the parish and in the local communities/Basic Ecclesial Communities -BECs).The priest is also called to promote communion (sense of unity and sharing) among the laity and with them. This means becoming close to the flock.Pastoral leadership is to be exercised in the spirit of service, and not in terms of power, privilege or prestige. A participative and collaborative style of leadership is to be adopted, rather than the authoritarian or laissez-faire style.This ministry is grounded on a spirituality of pastoral charity and communion.

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2. Prophetic Ministry

The priest shares in Christ's prophetic office. The ordained ministry is a ministry of the Word - of proclaiming the Word and and witnessing to the Word.This involves the task of preaching, evangelizing, and catechesis.This involves prophetic denunciation - of becoming a conscience in society and denouncing the sin and evil (including injustice, oppression, the culture of death & violence, corruption, the destruction of the environment, etc). This also means calling people to repentance and conversion.This also involves prophetic annunciation - announcing the Good News of the Kingdom, of salvation and liberation, of justice and peace, and of life.The prophetic ministry of the ordained forms the Christian community/BECs into a prophetic community - the community that listens to the Word, proclaims the Word and lives the Word, that acts as conscience of society and denounces sin and evil.The prophetic ministry is rooted in a spirituality nourished by the Word.In exercising his prophetic ministry, the priest must be ready to risk his life.

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3. Liturgical/Sacramental Ministry

The priest exercises leadership in the liturgical/sacramental celebration of the Christian community. He enables the laity to actualize their common priesthood by promoting full and active participation in the liturgical celebration.He forms the parish and the BECs into truly priestly/worshipping community.The community that celebrates what it lives and lives what it celebrates - a life of communion with God and with one another, of unity and sharing, of self-sacrificeThe liturgical/sacramental ministry requires a spirituality nourished by the Eucharist and deepened by prayer and contemplation.

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4. Social Action Ministry

The priest ministers to people who are poor, hungry, oppressed, victimized and dehumanized. He cannot be blind to their suffering. Social action is therefore a constitutive dimension of the priestly ministry. This is exercised in the context of the community. Thus, the priest has to form the Christian community/BECs into ministering/servant communities that address the problems that they face (poverty, hunger, injustice, violence, corruption, environmental destruction, violation of human rights) and work for social transformation that will bring about justice, peace and development.In carrying out this ministry, the priest must avoid being subservient to political ideologies and parties. He must avoid involvement in partisan politics.This ministry requires a spirituality rooted in compassion. It also requires a simple lifestyle, immersion in the life of the poor, solidarity with the poor, and forming the Church into truly the Church of the Poor.

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In the context of the Mindanao situation where there is large number of Muslims, the priest must be involved in inter-religious dialogue (Christian-Muslim dialogue). This means befriending Muslims (especially the Imams and the Ulamas), working together with them to achieve peace, justice and development, praying with them, and identifying common or similar beliefs. The priest must also encourage lay people in the parish and in Basic Ecclesial Communities to get involved in this dialogue of life and faith.

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PCP II considers the BECs as the realization of the vision of a renewed Church. It is a new way of being Church that requires a new way of being priest. This can be done by living out the four dimensions of the ordained ministry.

Blessing of the New SATMI building and opening of the new school year

Blessing of the new SATMI building

Opening Liturgy for School Year 2009-2010, presided by Fr. Ben Ma

provincial superior of Cebu Redemptorist province

the student choir/band


the theology students, faculty and staff

orientation by Fr. Brendan Kelly, the SATMI director

Yesterday, we blessed the new building of the St. Alphonsus' Theological & Mission Institute (SATMI) and had the opening liturgy for the school year 2009-2010. This morning we had the orientation for our theology students and after the break classes started.

The student population is slowly increasing. We have now 46 students coming from various countries (Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Africa), the Shri Lankans will be coming next semester. For the first time, students belonging to the Redemptorists of Manila vice-province are studying with us. The Franciscans of the Third Order Regular have also started studing here.

Six 3rd year students will be sent for their missionary immersion program in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

This first semester I am teaching two courses: Ecclesiology and Sacraments. I am also handling the theological synthesis of the fifth year students. I'm just glad that I am teaching fewer courses this year. This will give me a chance to finish my book projects. I can also have more time for my advocacies.

Parish Youth Encounter

BEC youth representatives

Fr. Picx - the singing & rapping priest

youth games



Fr. Bebot Gaspe - the new parish priest

youth leaders

Yesterday, from 2 pm to 9 pm, over 300 young people coming from the various Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in the parish gathered at the covered court for the Parish Youth encounter. This is part of the series of activities for the coming fiesta of the Mother of Perpetual Help Parish. Besides the usual games and cultural presentations the young people spent time in listening to some talks and in celebrating the Eucharist which was presided by Fr. Nestor Gaspe - the newly-installed parish priest.

I was assigned to give a talk on the Blessed Virgin Mary. I was aware that it would be difficult to give a talk about Mary to young people, especially at 3 in the afternoon - they would easily fall asleep and their attention span was short. So instead of the usual lecture, I gave them a "concert" - this meant singing to them and rapping. I opened with a song from the beatles "Let it Be." I know that the Beatles did not compose this in honor of the blessed mother but the lyrics are appropriate, especially the opening lines: "When I find myself in time of trouble Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom let it be." After showing a video clip from the movie "the Passion of Christ" which showed Mary with Jesus, I proceeded to "rap" the story of Mary based on the Gospel and the Acts on the apostle. I ended singing a "modern" Marian hymn "To Mary." There a very good response from the young audience, the sang with me and also clapped and danced with the rhythm of the rap. They were very attentive and nobody fell sleep. They continued to enjoy themselves the rest of the afternoon playing games. After the mass and dinner, they had cultural presentations.

DADITAMA BEC Congress

Since last Monday afternoon up to noontime today (June 1-4), 97 delegates coming from the dioceses of Davao, Digos, Tagum and Mati gathered at the Mergrande Beach Resort in Davao for the DADITAMA BEC congress. Besides the lay leaders, priests and sisters, 5 bishops attended the congress - Archbishop Fernando Capalla (Davao), Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz (Tagum), Bishop Patricio Alo (Mati), Bishop Jimmy Afable (Digos), Auxiliary Bishop George Rimando (Davao). I was invited as an observer as a consultant of the CBCP-BEC national office.

The theme of the congress:

"The vocation and mission of the BECs in the present challenges of the times"

The objectives were the following:

1. Clarify the trends and the challenges they pose to the BECs

2. Review the ecclesiological foundation, canonical norms and leadership role (bishops, priests, lay leaders) in relation to the vision and mission of BECs.

3. Come up with recommendations for the sustainable growth of BECs.

The three resource speakers were:

Msgr. John Macalisang, STL, Ph.D (the global and national trends and how they affect the BECs)

Fr. Bong Lunas, STL (ecclesiological foundation)

Bishop Jimmy Afable, DD (canonical norms).

The talks formed part of the basis for the workshops that came up with their assesment of the BECs and the recommendation for their sustainable growth.

This morning, at the last part of the congress after the synthesis and recommendations were presented, I was asked to share my observation and reflections with the delegates.

The Occasional Hermit: Alone but not Lonely

I have been living alone as a hermit up here in the mountain of Busay for almost 5 weeks. Two days from now, I will be going back to my ordinary life in Davao – teaching theology, doing pastoral work in the parish, giving talks & seminars on Basic Ecclesial Communities, involvement in peace advocacy, human rights and inter-religious dialogue.

I just regret that I will be leaving the hermitage. Time passes by so quickly here. Even if I have been living alone, I never felt lonely. How can one be alone but not feel lonely? Well, first of all, it depends on one’s personality. I am introvert by nature so I get more energized not by being in the midst of a crowd by being alone (parties and meetings can be very draining for me). It also depends on what one does during the period of solitude. In my case, meditate, practice Tai chi, run, bike, read, write, play musical instruments (violin, flute, guitar). On Sundays, I go down to the monastery to have lunch and dinner with the confreres. I maintain occasional contact with friends through e-mail and texting. Being close to nature, my prayer period and celebration of the Eucharist make me aware of God’s presence. So, even if I am alone, I don’t really feel isolated or alienated.

One can be in the midst of a crowd and yet feel lonely. One can live alone yet not feel lonely. So it is not really the physical absence of others that makes one lonely. Loneliness may be caused by lack of friendship and intimacy in one’s life – wither with others or with God. Loneliness may be caused by the awareness that there’s no one who cares about you.

I think the problem with a lot of people is that they don’t know how to be alone. They can’t stand the silence and solitude. They don’t realize that the moments spent in being alone are the moment spent with one’s self and with God. It is in silence and solitude that spiritual and psychological growth can take place, and great works are created (poetry, music, art, literature, philosophy, theology, etc.). Yes, it is true that no man/person is an island – we need others, we need community. But there are moments in our life that we need to be alone. When we fail to do this, our life will be lacking in depth and we can easily burn out.

Of course, one need not be a hermit to enter into moments of silence and solitude. This can be integrated in one’s daily life (at least one hour daily), weekly or monthly (1 day), etc. Spending a longer period like I do may be a luxury, but it is also a necessity.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to live as a hermit, even if for a short time. I will be back next year and the following years as long as I live. Next year, it will be longer since I will be on sabbatical.

Lunch with the Redemptoristine Nuns

This morning I went out for a 3-hour run around the Busay and Kan-irag mountain. I returned to my hermitage at 10 am and after a 15 minutes rest, I ran down for 45 minutes to Nevel hills with a backpack on my back. After a brief wash-up at the Holy Family Retreat house, I walked to the Redemptoristine monastery and had lunch with the nuns. The other day, while attending the profession, I met Sr. Alice and some of the nuns and I invited myself for lunch with them. Whenever I am around, I usually make it a point to visit the sisters and since I only have one more week in Busay I thought that I should see them before I go back to Davao. I always enjoy the meal and conversation with them. After lunch, we had some singing session - using their "magic sing" - the videoke. The sisters love to sing -and they have angelic voices. They also asked me to sing and I couldn't refuse. I sang 6 songs: Annie's Song, If, Yesterday, Over the Rainbow, the Great Pretender and I'll be seeing you. By 2 pm, I said goodbye to them and went down to the Cebu Redemptorist Monastery where I had my dinner with the confreres.

The Order of the Most Holy Redeeemer (OSSR) was founded by Sr. Mary Celeste Crostarossa, a close friend and "directee" of St. Alphonsus de Liguori. The Redemptoristines are the female counterpart of the Redemptorists. But unlike the Redemptorists who are active missionaries, the Redemptoristines are contemplatives. They spent most of their time inside the monastery observing a life of prayer and contemplation, and manual work. They also pray for the Redemptorists. They are indeed our sisters and friends.

Attending a Religious Profession

This morning I walked down from my hermitage to the Holy Family Retreat House to attend the religious profession of Bro. Bong Puzon and Bro. Klint Jan Alum. After spending 13 months in the Redemptorist novitiate in Lipa, they pronounced their vows of chastity, poverty and obedience as Redemptorists. There were over a hundred people who attended the ceremony - family, friends, relatives and Redemptorist confreres. We had a sumptous lunch after the mass.

As I witnessed Bong and Klint make their religious commitment, I was reminded of my own profession as a Redemptorist 32 years ago (May 29, 1977). Thank God, I am still around - and I have remained faithful to the vows I made long time ago.

Three Weeks in the Hermitage: Down the Mountain for Lunch with the Community

I have spent 3 weeks in my hermitage up in Busay mountain. Today, being Sunday, I am down in the city to have lunch with my confreres of the Redemptorist Community in Cebu. I actually came down last night, with a backpack on my back and a head-lamp to light my way. I arrived in the monastery at 9:30 pm.

Whenever I spend time in my hermitage, I have always made it part of the rhythm of my eremitical life to come down on Sundays and join the Redemptorist community for lunch and dinner. Besides having a good meal, this is my way of expressing my connection with the community. It reminds me that even if I live alone most of the week, I am not isolated - I am part of a religious community. My vocation is not to a lifetime of total solitude and silence, but to be a member of the community - my religious community, the Redemptorist. My period of solitude as a part-time or occasional hermit is meant to re-energize me so that I can go back to my community and ministry with a renewed dynamism.

This coming week, I will be coming down from the mountain more often to join the gathering of the senior Redemptorists (age 50-65) on Tuesday and Thursday, for the profession of two new Redemptorists (Friday), and the common celebration of Redemptorist jubilarians (Saturday). But I will still going back to the hermitage at night.

Three weeks have gone fast very quickly, I still have 2 more weeks before I go back to my community in Davao. I am really enjoying my time in the mountain. I have more time to pray and reflect. More time for biking and running. The manuscript for my book in ecclesiology is almost finished.

I have also read some books - these are my companions in the hermitage:
Charles de Foucauld, Thomas Merton, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, John Henry Newman, Gerard Hughes, John Paul II, Edward Daly, the Dalai Lama.

Tai-Chi: A Moving Meditation

Every day, after meditation and morning prayer in the prayer room, I go out at the back of the hermitage and practice Taichi. It is a very slow, fluid dance-like movement. The short Yang style usually lasts for 8 minutes. The long Yang style lasts 20 minutes. I can feel the flow of chi - a subtle electro-magnetic energy - in my body as I do it.

Taichi is considered as an internal style of martial arts, in contradistinction to the external style of martial arts (like Karate, taekwondo, etc.). Taichi is believed to have been developed by monks in the shaolin monasteries in China not just for self-defense but as a form of meditation. It is still being taught by Chinese monks in Taoists temples today.

This is what I like about taichi - it is actually a contemplative activity - a moving meditation. I actually first learned the external style of martial arts. As a seminarian and a young priest I studied martial arts for self-defense. I received a brown belt in Karate (Shorin Ryu) in 1985. I learned Taichi in Berkeley in 1989 and since then this is what I have been practicing for the last 20 years. I prefer Taichi to Karate because of its gentle and meditative dimension.

Taichi requires focusing one's awareness on every movement, on the flow of chi in one's body. The principle of Yin and Yang is manifested in the flow of each movement - the rhythm of hard and soft, of fullness and emptiness, of light and dark. This requires awareness of the present moment.

Like running, taichi is a holistic activity which involves the body and the mind. It generates energy. It can be used for self-defense when necessary and it can be very devastating. Yet it develops humility and compassion.

It will take a lifetime to fully understand and master Taichi.

Living Close to Nature: the Woods behind my Hermitage

In front of house that I call my hermitage, I have a panoramic view of the city of Cebu down below. But I don't miss the "concrete jungle" in the city. What fascinates me is what is behind the hermitage - a patch of the remaining forest in the mountain of Busay. This is where I go often to walk or run. There is no one here but me and the birds. It reminds of me of the forest in Mount Apo.

This is what I love about living here in Busay. I live close to nature. I feel so much at home here. It puts me in touch with the "wildman" in me. At the same time it makes me more aware of the presence of God. In fact it is easier for me to feel a sense of the sacred here rather than inside a chapel or a cathedral.

Being a hermit and living close to nature is not my full-time vocation - it is only part of the rhythm of my life, a time of solitude, silence and contemplation amidst a life of action. I will have to go down eventually and continue my mission and ministry. But I will keep on coming back.

This reminds of me Robert Frost's words:

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

but promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep

and miles to go before I sleep"

The Ecstasy of the Long-Distance Runner

This morning I ran for three hours and thirty minutes along the trails of the mountain of Busay . There were a lot of steep ascents and descents - with my heart rate reaching 150 beats per minute. I ran a slow, relaxed pace, smelling the scent of the pines and admiring the view of the neighboring mountains and the clouds. I felt one with nature and the unseen Divine Presence. Time and distance were forgotten as I savored the present moment and the rhytmic act of running and breathing. It rained as I descended towards the city, but I continued running, feeling the gentle rain and slight breeze on my face. It was pure peace and joy. I wanted to run forever. I didn't feel tired even if I was running that long on an empty stomach.

Whenever I hear the phrase "the loneliness of the long distance runner" which is based on a book published long time ago, I usually react with amusement and disbelief. Those who use this term haven't experienced the ecstasy of the long-distance run or what is called the "runner's high." Just because running is a solitary activity, it does not mean it is a lonely and boring experience. Running is a contemplative activity that can bring one to a state of flow, an altered state of consciousness or a trance. It is a moving meditation. That is why it can be "addictive."

As I ran this morning, I remembered the many times I have ran this mountain, especially as a young priest when I was training for the marathon. It is still the same mountain, the same experience - although I am older, slower and heavier. Thirty years ago, I took up running and I am still doing it today. I will be doing this for the next thirty years. It is the ecstasy of running that I want to experience over and over again.

Running is not just a physical activity, it is also spiritual and psychological. Those who do it correctly will not experience loneliness or boredom.

A Day in the Life of an Occasional Hermit

I am living a solitary life for a month up here in the mountain of Busay and I am enjoying it. There is never a dull moment. I pray/meditate four times a day (early morning, noon-time, early evening, late night). I do some physical exercises (tai-chi, running or biking or walking, weight training). From mid-morning to noon-time, I do some writing - making final revision on my book project on ecclesiology (A Vision of a Renewed Church) and writing the draft of "Forming Basic Ecclesial Communities." In the afternoon I catch up on my readings. I only eat once a day (supper which I prepare myself). Evenings are spent in music (singing to myself or playing the violin or flute). These are the things I really want to do.

I live alone yet I do not feel lonely or bored. The times I spend in prayer and meditation makes me aware that I am not really alone - there is Someone present who keeps me company and who is the source of my energy and dynamism. All that I do put me in a state of flow - time passes so quickly.

I know that I cannot live my entire life this way. Being a hermit is only part of the rhythm of my life. I have to go back to my community and my ministry. But this period of solitude, contemplation and rest is what keeps me going.

Over thirty years ago, before I made my final vows as a Redemptorist, I was going through a period of discernment. I felt an attraction to the contemplative vocation after reading the works of Thomas Merton. I was seriously thinking of joining the Trappists. At the same time, I was also attracted to the life of an activist fighting for freedom and justice. I was able to come up with a compromise - continue being a Redemptorist and be both an activist and a contemplative. This means integrating the active and contemplative dimension of my life - daily and periodically. Being an occasional hermit on this mountain is part of this compromise.

Back to my Hermitage

Here I am on top of a mountain overlooking Cebu City, living the life of an occasional hermit. I came up here this morning by bike and I am still trying to settle in. This is actually the rest-house of the Redemptorists which is usually used on Mondays by the Cebu Redemptorist community. I have the whole place to myself for the rest of the week.

I will be here for a month, living alone and spending most of my time in rest, reflection, prayer, reading, writing and running. I will be doing my own cooking (which is at night since I will only be eating once a day - dinner).

When I was a newly-ordained priest I made a promise to spend at least one month every year living as a hermit on this mountain. I have been able to do it except for the six years I was away for higher studies in Berkeley and Rome. On 2005, I spent 5 months of my sabbatical here.

I love living alone here even if it is only for a month. This is my sacred space. This is where I get re-charged or re-energized so that I can continue my ministry. This is what has kept me from burning out. This may look like a luxury, but this is a necessity for me. This is also where the contemplative dimension of my life is nourished. Of course, I try to integrate contemplation in my daily life, but I need to spend a longer period as a contemplative.

When I reach 75 years old and will no longer be active in the ministry, I would like to spend the remaining years of my life here. By that time, I will bring up the piano which I inherited from my mother's estate here. For now, I am content having the guitar, violin and flute with me. I can play music at night without disturbing anybody.

This will be the order of the day that I will follow starting tomorrow:

5:00 rise, wash-up
5:30 meditation, morning prayer
6:00 taichi
6:30 physical exercise/training (running every other day, biking the other days)
10:00 writing
12:00 meditation/noon-day prayer
2:00 reading
4:30 physical exercise (walking/weight-training)
6:00 evening prayer/Eucharist
6:45 prepare dinner
8:00 music hour
9:00 blog-writing
10:00 meditation/night prayer
10:30 bed

I am not complete isolated from the world. There is a cell-site nearby and I can be contacted by cellphone. For the first time, my netbook computer has access to the internet via globe broadband tattoo wireless connection (3.6 mbps). Well, I am a post-modern hermit.

I also go down on Sundays to join the community for dinner and to shop for supplies.