Lolo

A very important person is celebrating his 101st - repeat, 101st - birthday tomorrow. Below is a diary entry I wrote a few months before he celebrated his 100th. I am reprinting it herewith as a humble tribute to someone I will always look up to: my Lolo Serio.

A DAY WITH LOLO SERIO: AN ATTEMPT TO DECIPHER LOLO SERIO'S SECRET TO OLD AGE (DIARY ENTRY: 5^th OF JUNE, 2007)

Every time my sister Erma would emphasize to this balding world's pilgrim that in today's age, what matters most is no longer how long you live but how well you live, I would always look at my Lolo Serio.

Lolo is my best example of a man who has lived long and, well, well beyond the meaning of the word "well."

Lolo is turning 100 years old this coming August 27, 2007. He wears no eyeglasses or hearing aid, uses no cane, and his mind appears as active as people less than half his age. He still sings in the videoke, dances the Pantomina - the Bicolano traditional folk dance - and plays the piano and the guitar. He reads his Bible daily, composes poems and songs and types in his old manual Olympia typewriter. Ever since I could remember, Lolo has been singing the Pasyon alone in his office every Lenten season. He goes to church everyday, at four o'clock in the morning, seven times a week, by walking from the house to the church and climbing the 76 steps of the hilltop church. He attends vigil at the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel every Friday evening.

Lolo has always been in the pink of health, this despite his age. He is not hypertensive, not a diabetic, and with no heart problems. He very seldom gets sick and therefore becomes absent from the daily four o'clock Masses.

Lolo laughs heartily, almost like Santa Claus. He talks to everyone with a smile - one that is so simple but always lasts. Lolo has the patience of a saint, an aura of a saint. And believe it or not, at almost 100 years old, he ironically also has the smell of a baby. That is because Lolo is always clean to a fault and would always radiate in splendor with his favorite perfume: Intimate.

What is Lolo's secret to old age? How does one dissect a contagion of warmth and peace as radiated by one's aura? How shall we run our fingers on the anatomy of a completely fulfilled life?

Lolo would always say he has no secret at all except his lifestyle - a life defined by prayers.

Lolo's day officially starts before three o'clock in the morning. It would be easy to see that because at this early hour, you would already hear him reciting the Holy Rosary. I have occupied the basement, right below his bedroom, for several years as my bedroom and I would know the first signs of Lolo's movements the moment he awakes. I recall, too, that as a child, I have had on countless occasions, the rare opportunity of sleeping beside Lolo and our departed Lola in their bedroom. And ever since I was a child, I have always heard him recite the Holy Rosary in Bicol although he narrates that he would also sometimes recite the prayer in Spanish when his parents were still alive. After the recitation of the Holy Rosary, you would already hear him singing and moving around in his bedroom preparing for the first morning Mass which is scheduled at four o'clock. One would normally hear him sing liturgical songs, oftentimes the Latin ones like Tantum Ergo, Ave Maria, Te Deum, or sometimes the Bicol ones like Daing siisay man an nabubuhay para sa sadiri lamang. You would also know once he is ready to leave for the church. The fragrant smell of his perfume would unfailingly announce his exit from his bedroom door. I believe that his collection of perfumes is the only vanity he would indulge himself in. And he would walk from his bedroom to the main door reciting three times the words Ave Maria purisima, sinficado concevida.

Lolo has been attending the first Mass scheduled at four o'clock in the morning since I don't know when - everyday, seven times a week. In fact, Lolo's absence at the altar during the first Mass would instantly announce that something wrong has happened with Lolo - he could have most probably gotten sick.

Since 1984, Lolo has always been attending Mass in formal or semi-formal attire. He would either be in a Jusi-tailored Barong Tagalog or in white long sleeve shirt with necktie. This is because he was installed in 1984 as a lay minister by the former bishop of Sorsogon, Bishop Jesus Y. Varela. Since 1984 therefore, he has been serving in that capacity the local parish of St. Michael the Archangel.

He walks from the house to the church, and from the church to the house which totals about three kilometers, more or less. He has always shunned riding on any kind of vehicle. The reason: he easily gets dizzy and he easily throws up during travel. In fact, he would rather walk going to Lagundi or Lamboon - each about three kilometers from the house - than ride on a vehicle. About two or three years ago, in one of my visits to Irosin, I had the chance of joining him in going to church to attend the Misa de Gallo mass. My Lolo was actually running while climbing the 76 steps of the hilltop church of St. Michael the Archangel, taking two and three steps at a time. It is just amazing at his age.

From the church, he brings the Sacred Host to some ailing people he knows. This has been an apostolate since he was installed as a lay minister. Thereafter, he proceeds to the bakery of Piaca, which boasts of the best hot pan de sal in the province, and buys some hot pan de sal and ensaymada. It would also be easy to know of his arrival from the church. The moment he opens the door of the house, he would again be reciting three times the words Ave Maria purisima, sinficado concevida. And of course, his perfume would always fill the air.

At about six thirty in the morning, he would already be taking his breakfast. His morning meal would usually include the hot pan de sal and ensaymada from the bakery of Piaca, Sunnyside eggs, fried rice, and a glassful of milk. No cold water for Lolo - he advises against drinking cold water especially in the morning.

Lolo would announce every meal and would therefore invite everyone to the table by ringing his antique bronze bell. The antique bell was unearthed in barangay San Juan during the reconstruction of the barangay's waterways. Today, I am told that the antique bell is now conveniently installed in the barangay chapel of Relief, Bacolod - one of the chapels he built for the local church.

After breakfast, you would see him feeding his pets - the dogs and the cats and the pigeons. I recall that he used to have dozens of dogs and dozens of cats when I was still a kid. And even today, he allots several sacks of rice every year for the pigeons. He loves pets - dogs, cats, birds, and even the exotic pets that my father used to have - deers, wild pigs, eagles, tariktiks, wild doves, bingalas, and different species of wild animals.

The rest of the morning would be spent reading his Bible and other books, writing - which we later found out were pieces of poetry and Bicol songs - and typing in his old manual Olympia typewriter. At about 10:30 or 11:00, he would watch television from his rocking chair. Sometimes he would play the piano or the guitar, singing his own Bicol compositions.

Lunch would be at 12 noon. Lolo eats more vegetables and fish. He very seldom eats meat. He cherishes anything ginataan. I have learned that as a child, Lolo had been called "Kinagod," in reference to the scraped coconut jelly. This is because as a child, Lolo accordingly had the habit of eating "kinagod."

Lolo would be taking siesta at around one o'clock. At times, he would fall asleep while watching television, on his favorite rocking chair. The rest of the afternoon would be spent on reading, writing, playing his guitar or piano, or playing vinyl plates on his old stereo. Lolo's favorite records include the usual classics - Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, and Mozart as well as classic Tagalog and English songs. At other times, however, Lolo would be humming along favorite march compositions which do not exclude marches played during graduation rites and parades.

Just a few years back, Lolo would be working on a field - weeding and planting - at four o'clock. With an old "buri" hat on his head, the finest bolo tucked in his waist, boots on his feet, and a rake that would also serve as a cane on his hand, he would indulge himself on his favorite exercise until twilight. The haciendero tending his farm.

Lolo's love is agriculture. He just loves to plant. For which reason, he bought several hundreds of hectares of land, a large chunk of which he later distributed for free among his hundreds of tenants. Lolo was already distributing and giving out lands even before Agrarian Reform was made into law.

Dinner would be announced with the peeling of the same antique bell at seven in the evening. Meals would usually come with often-funny stories and anecdotes. In fact, it was during meals, on the long sixteen-seater dining table, where I've come to be acquainted with the sagas of Buroablo and Kuyukuti, tales which would later form part of my sweetest childhood recollections.

Lolo would often be strumming his guitar after dinner. Or he would be narrating personal anecdotes or discussing biblical narratives to avid listeners.

He would retire in his bedroom before eight. And he would again recite the Holy Rosary before he sleeps.

What I have spoken of here is only about Lolo's schedule for a day. There are definitely a lot more to say and write about him. In fact, it would be an understatement to say that Lolo is someone who never ceases to amuse anyone who knows him. For me particularly, he will always be of particular interest, someone I will always look up to, someone I will always be very proud of, someone whose very life will always be a model.

You cannot choose your ancestors, but whoever has chosen Lolo Serio to be my lolo is blessed indeed. To Him, I will forever be grateful. As my dear father Erning would always say: "Pambihira ini si Lolo mo. Di ka makakuwa sin pareho son. Sana lang, di man siya makakuwa sin pareho saato."

Long live Lolo Serio!

Postscript: Lolo became seriously ill just two months before his 100^th birthday. He was hospitalized and fought for his dear life due to what we only recently learned was ulcer. He spent several days in the hospital but he held on and recovered fastly like he was given a second lease on life. He triumphantly cheated death, all thanks to God and happily celebrated, with pomp and aplomb, his centennial last year. Except for a significant effect in his sense of hearing, Lolo is now back in his usual form, up and about, and as the song he sometimes sings goes, alive, alert, awake and enthusiastic.

Only about two weeks ago, I received a barrage of text messages from relatives in the province, all filled with hearty hahahahaha and a collective conclusion that Lolo would be up to live several decades more. The reason: Almost twenty years since my late Lola Salud died, Lolo is young at heart again, Lolo is once again ... in love!

My jaw dropped, as yours would perhaps do, too. "Shocking!" a cousin remarked. "Unbelievable!" another exclaimed. Hmm... I say:

On to the next 100?

This is Lolo Serio's baptismal entry in the baptismal records of the St. Michael the Archangel Parish. Based on this document, he was baptized the day after he was born (August 28, 1907) by Fr. Pascual Gacosta. Fr. Gacosta served the Parish of St. Michael from 1898 to 1914.

This is the almanac from which Lolo Serio's name was lifted. Entry for August 27 lists the name Licerio while an entry under letter G lists the name Glicerio.

The earliest available photo of Lolo Serio where he was about 2-3 years old. Clockwise: Eustaquio Pura, a teacher; Sabiniano Gacias, Lolo Serio's elder brother; Don Pedro Gacias y Gabiazo, Lolo Serio's father; Asuncion Gacias, Lolo Serio's sister and Don Pedro's and Dona Rosa's second child; Dona Rosa Gacias y Galindes, Lolo Serio's mother; Lolo Serio; Dona Emeteria Pura y Encinares, Lolo Rosa's mother and Lolo Serio's grandmother; Maria Gacias, Lolo Serio's sister and Don Pedro's and Dona Rosa's third child.

A 22 year old Lolo Serio swimming in San Benon Hot Springs. Photo taken on June 25, 1929.

Lolo Serio as a Lay Minister. Lolo Serio was installed as a Lay Minister in 1984 by the former bishop of Sorsogon, Bishop Jesus Y. Varela.

























Lolo Serio dancing the Pantomina - the Bicolano traditional folk dance - with Ms. Lilia Gonzales, current mayor of the municipality of Irosin.

A more pensive Lolo Serio contemplating the beauty of Dancalan Beach in Bulusan, Sorsogon.

Lolo Serio giving a talk to members of the Association of Senior Citizens of Irosin. Needless to say, Lolo Serio is the oldest member not only in the municipality but also in the whole province of Sorsogon.

Lolo Serio giving a short talk during the 2001 Christmas party of the Association of Senior Citizens of Irosin.

Lolo Serio rendering his Bicol version of Anniversary Song, one of his favorites. Lolo Serio still sings in a videoke and sings his Bicol compositions while playing the piano or the guitar.

My Conversion to Blogging

For the past two years or so, friends have been regularly egging me on starting a blog. My friend and sano (Bicolano priests, ex-priests, seminarians or ex-seminarians address themselves as sano, from the Spanish word paisano, which means countryman) Gibbs Cadiz, Desk Editor of Lifestyle Section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, had been particularly gullible. We spent several hours discussing about blogging, how it evolved into a discipline, including its promises of monetary rewards. “It’s very easy,” he had always assured me.

Gibbs had always suggested that I make a “niche blog” – a blog that would be dedicated to discussions about an all-encompassing theme. And one immediately came to mind: religion. Or more particularly, contemporary issues that confront the Catholic faith. Write about issues which the Church, or our changing cultures, or anyone else, would find – still - uncomfortable to discuss (read: controversial), he advised.

I honestly toyed with the idea. With tons of research materials and resources that I have at my disposal, I thought I could be up to the challenge. Several topics easily flowed through my mind: priestly ordination for women, marriage for priests, optional or contractual celibacy, artificial birth control, and – here’s one for you Gibbs – gay marriage. Sex in religion could be one “very hot” subject, too. I could blog about the sexual undertones in the celebration of the sacraments, sex and the city of Vatican (an obvious take from the famous Sex and the City television series), God and sex, priestly sexuality, sexist remarks made by modern Popes, sexual symbols in churches, the sacred and the profane, Roman Catholic Kamasutra, sexual symbolisms of the altar and the Eucharist, sexual “temptations,” orgasm as an experience of heaven on earth, sexual cults, S.E.X. as Spiritual Experience, sexetera, er, etcetera.

But then, one thing could prevent me from blogging, I soon realized: I no longer have the luxury of time to write. I am a full-time entrepreneur and would be often up working even in the wee hours of the night. I am an importer and trader and would often need to be up at night to be able to communicate with several of my suppliers abroad. I live in Quezon City, my office is in Intramuros, Manila and my marketing office is in Pasig; I have to negotiate those three places everyday. My cars are a virtual mobile office. I am a full-time dad, too. I drive my three kids to and from school, to their tutors, to Kumon, to their sports activities, to their gimmicks, or to their rendezvous with their friends and classmates (gosh, I dread to think of the time when I would have to drive them to their dates with their boyfriends or girlfriends as well). On average, I spend seven hours maneuvering the steering wheels, the gears and the breaks everyday. I have my mind filled with business and family concerns, my heart with hunger (oh, my heart hungers for sooo many things), and my ears with the glass-breaking voices of the women in my life who would scream and nag on me at any time of the day. Added to these, I have my bonsais to take care of. I give them a part of my precious time everyday, too -- watering them, pruning them, wiring their branches, giving them fertilizers, just beautifying and admiring them.

So, amid these circumstances, why should I blog? And how could I find time to blog?

Well, as philandering husbands could find time and very creative ways to escape from their wives, I could find time and ways to blog, too, right? Pardon the analogy, but with all the things that I need to do daily, I just find myself in a situation where writing and blogging could actually be compared to philandering, or womanizing for that matter.

Anyway, I titled my blog Kiko’s Sketches and Kicks. It’s not completely a deviation from my original concept of religious theme for it still will tackle subjects with religious undertones. The advantage is, it definitely covers more areas and more varied themes. For with its wider realm, I could also talk and discuss about domestic political concerns like the Philippine (in)justice system, “customary” corruption in the Bureau of Customs, bribery as a business strategy, smuggling in the Philippines, guide for Filipino smugglers, how to make your money talk or how not to talk about your money, how Customs officials illegally enrich themselves and solicit sexual favors – yes, sexual favors - from importers and brokers, “tongpats,” or cloning Jun Lozada. I could also talk about my business line which is importation or my commercial product which is meat. I could talk about hog production, meat processing, chicharon, meat trading, where to find the best beef, hotdogs, meat science, or how to humanely slaughter animals.

In short, my sketches and kicks will be, to adopt the current trend among Filipino bonsai aficionados, freestyle.

So, welcome to my blog, feel free to comment, and I hope you will disagree more than agree with me on many of the points I shall raise. That should guarantee more discussions and sharing of ideas at the very least. But more importantly, I hope we may all find and experience the real reason for and purpose of my conversion to blogging:

The simple JOY in blogging.

Celibacy

Friends have always nagged me on why I left the seminary just when I was already about to get ordained. Some have openly expressed regrets, a few have shown approval, and others were -- well, to use the current buzzword in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals -- deadma. Discussions would always end up, however, and oftentimes heatedly, on one issue: celibacy. Below is an article I wrote when I was still "inside." My position remains to date.

DE SACERDOTALIS CAELIBATUS
(Diary Entry: 02-14-93)

“Do I regret that I have never been married? Do I miss having children and grandchildren? Is there something absent in my life because there has never been a relationship of long term sexual passion with a woman? The answer to those questions is yes.”

Fr. Andrew M. Greeley, in
“Confessions of a Parish Priest”

I have just received a Valentine card from a lady and it was really touching. I really had a very pleasant time reading and re-reading her message. Some words which she had written started to bother me, however. May I quote the words thus:

“By Jove, are you really going to become a priest? You are so sweet and thoughtful – traits that are better found not among ordained ministers but among future husbands. For your sweetness and thoughtfulness are just as spontaneous as the flowing rivers and oftentimes your thoughts are just as immeasurable as the deepest sea. I know you could be a greater lover than a priest. And it is no wonder at all that you’ve made a special place for yourself deep in my heart.”

Very flattering words, they indeed are. Yes, seductive, too. Especially made tempting since they came from a very beautiful lady. But that someone would remark that I am better as a lover than as a seminarian - or as a future priest - really disturbs me a whole lot. While I admit that I am indeed flattered - and really tempted - with the remark, it nonetheless bothers me more. It offers me something to reflect on. I ask myself, why can’t I be both, a priest and a lover - especially in the emotional and physical sense - at the same time? Sayang, I could have enjoyed life more, couldn’t I?

This may sound apologetic but the question seeks a scape-goat, something into which it can lay the blame upon, something whose very nature could offer a possible answer or at least simulate one convincing explanation. And obviously, it all redounds to the issue of celibacy -- that priests are not allowed to marry and concurrently, that seminarians - those who contemplate of becoming priests - should not indulge in premarital relationships.

Albeit I have considerably studied the subject in the seminary, and albeit I have already consigned myself to the prevailing and accepted contention that it is an essential element of priestly discipline, still I cannot but entertain some questions that pertain to its nature, effects and relevance. Somehow, I cannot but ask myself, is the priest, by professing the vow of celibacy and by being entrapped by the clerical environment, also being put in the wrong place and is excluded from normal life, something like a square peg in a round hole? Is he deprived, bypassed and denied of one basic need and luxury of humanity? Does he outrightly reject his humanity or his masculinity for that matter by professing the vow of celibacy? Or does celibacy produce a good effect in him after all? And finally, what really is celibacy and why should it be demanded of priests?

Nominally, the word celibacy came from the Latin “coelebs” which means “single” or “alone.” Strictly speaking, however, this word applies to everyone who has not contracted matrimony regardless of his motivations. The Italians for instance, call “celibe” a man who is not married.

However, the practice of celibacy, strictly speaking, implies religious motivation. In this case, the word “celibacy” may be qualified with the adjectives “ecclesiastical,” “clerical,” or “priestly.”

Pope Paul VI, in his encyclical “Sacerdotalis Caelibatus” defines priestly celibacy as “the voluntary renunciation of the natural and lawful desire of man to love a woman and to raise a family for the sake of the kingdom of God.” In this light, the celibate ordained minister not only is and remains unmarried but also endeavors to forego all directly willful indulgence in the pleasures of genital sex, whether with others or alone.

The practice of celibacy can be seen already existing among the sacred ministers in Christian antiquity. Tertullian, Ephiphanius, Eusebius of Caesarea, Cyril of Jerusalem and many others can be cited as witnesses to the fact that innumerable clerics have remained unmarried for the Lord’s sake. From a biblical perspective, the New Testament foundations for celibacy as a Christian way of life can be gleaned from the example of St. Paul. Christ, accordingly, also did not marry.

But all of these are still highly debatable. To date, for example, no one could still authoritatively dispute the possibility that Christ had a woman, or more far out, even had children. On a biblical basis, the Church calls St. Paul to the defense of celibacy but she does not explain what the Saint meant in his first letter to the Corinthians: “Concerning celibacy, I have no commandment of the Lord.” Or, in that same letter: “Do we not have the right to marry a believing woman like the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?” Or in his first letter to Timothy: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife… one that rules his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.”

At the most, there is only one biblical passage that is brought forward in defense of clerical celibacy. It is the text of Matthew 19:10: “If that is the case between man and wife, it is better not to marry. Jesus replies: Not everyone can accept this teaching, only those to whom it is given to do so. Some men are incapable of sexual activity from birth; some there are who have freely renounced sex for the sake of God’s reign.”

But even so, it can still be argued that while Christ and St. Paul might have regarded celibacy as superior and thus embraced that life-style, still nowhere in the Scriptures did Christ or St. Paul demand celibacy of anyone. And of course no one will find in it any mention of recent studies that claim that St. Paul, unlike the other apostles, vouched for celibacy and remained unmarried because he might have been suffering from sexual impotence.

For our discussions here, I would like to point out that based on present ecclesiastical setup, there are two forms of clerical celibacy. The first is clerical celibacy as an option. Here, celibacy is freely chosen and freely accepted particularly for the love of God. This we may see in the lives of Mother Theresa, St. Benedict, St. Francis of Assisi, Padre Pio, Pope John XXIII and St. Theresa of Avila. This form of celibacy is the true celibacy for it is a gift and gifts are not always given to everyone. The text of Matthew 19:10 is very clear: “Only those to whom it is given…”

The second form of clerical celibacy is the compulsory celibacy. Here, celibacy is not a gift but a mere form of discipline, something which is imposed by a system or a superior order. This form is introduced and developed by the Church throughout its history. And this form of celibacy is, I believe although I am quite afraid to accept it, the kind of celibacy that most of our priests now seek to profess.

As we may see, the distinction offered above is very important for our understanding of the subject not only because it is thought of before that there was only one form of celibacy, but more importantly, because the two were often confused and muddled. I believe, for instance, that in the text of Matthew 19:10, Jesus was only referring to the first form of celibacy (for there was only one form then), that is, celibacy as an option and gift, although it will be seen that the Church would later use it to address also the second form of celibacy, that is, celibacy as a compulsory discipline. In other words, what Christ has excluded, the Church later on included.

Of course, as already mentioned, in the beginning, there was only one form of celibacy, that is, celibacy as an option and gift. It is said that the communal practice of celibacy entered Christianity via monasticism. It appears that the first attempts to legislate celibacy on the clergy may be traced back to the practice of instituting common life among ordained ministers on a more or less monastic pattern. However, according to Edward Schileebeeckx in his book “The Church with a Human Face,” celibacy originated in a partly pagan notion of ritual purity. Accordingly, in the fourth century, a law forbade a married priest from having sexual intercourse the night before celebrating the Eucharist. When the Western Church began to celebrate the Eucharist daily, this abstinence became a permanent condition for married priests. And a priest was obliged to live with his wife as if she were a sister, which became more and more intolerable. Finally, in 1123 at the first Lateran Council, the Church forbade altogether the marriage of priests and declared such marriages null and void. It is the first recorded ecumenical council to require celibacy of all the clergy. Thus, enters the second form of celibacy, i.e., as a compulsory form of discipline.

It is noteworthy however, that the first recorded case of a law on celibacy occurs in the Synod of Elvira in Spain (c. 306). Likewise, while the Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 did not impose celibacy on all priests, it nonetheless forbade marriage after diaconate.

A different but parallel and equally convincing account on the origin of compulsory celibacy as imposed by the Church is likewise raised by Sidney Ehler in his book “Twenty Centuries of Church and State” wherein he states that celibacy was imposed in the eleventh century during the ascendancy of the Church in the feudal society. Accordingly, the feudalization of the Church involved the selling of benefices to the highest bidder by the patrons of various churches. Since there was a tendency to make the church benefices hereditary because a great number of the clergy were married and had children quite openly, clerical marriage became the root cause of such evil. Reformers formed in Rome, headed by Cardinal Hildebrand. Their principal aim was the dematerialization of the Church, concentrating on stamping out the two greatest evils: clerical marriage and simony. Then, in 1073, Hildebrand was elected pope under the name of Pope Gregory VII. And that was the beginning of the Gregorian Reformation, considered as one of the most glorious chapters in the history of Christianity.

Parenthetically, it is highly significant that throughout these centuries of canonical legislation on clerical celibacy, the popes of succeeding generations promoted, defended and restored ecclesiastical celibacy even when they met opposition from the clergy itself. As A.M. Stickler observes in his book “Priesthood and Celibacy,” “it was solely the Roman primacy that succeeded in regaining full observance of the ancient discipline as a rule of life (p. 550).”

Now, in the foregoing discussions on the historical development of clerical celibacy, it may be noted that the Church’s canonical legislations on the subject were concerned merely with the second form of clerical celibacy – celibacy as a compulsory discipline. It willfully neglects to acknowledge the first form, that is, celibacy as a free option and gift. At worst, it willfully presumes that aspirants to priesthood are already endowed with and have already been “gifted” with celibacy by the Holy Spirit and therefore ordains to have such “gift” enforced and made compulsory.

It is with such a history that, no longer at ease in the old dispensation, thousands upon thousands of priests are now rising and walking out of the ministry. The records say it all: more than thirty thousand priests have walked out of the priesthood since 1975! If all priests in earlier centuries could marry, why can’t they now? Isn’t it that celibacy from the very beginning was merely optional and never compulsory? Isn’t it that Christ Himself merely referred to celibacy as a gift and hence, optional rather than a compulsory discipline?

And they’re there, and they’ll wait it out, pushing every system and every person concerned to change the whole thing.

A question is thus left for us – yes, for us, and not just for the Reverend Fathers - to ponder on. Two options are clear: Celibacy as a free option and gift and celibacy as a compulsory discipline.

Which one would ye choose?


Postscript: “I made the vow of chastity, but did nothing to remove the strength of desire, to which I have succumbed in passing fashion.” – Abbe Pierre, 93-year-old Roman Catholic priest and one of France’s most revered public figures, suggesting he has had sex, in a book excerpted last week.

- Time, November 7, 2005 issue, page 9.

SOURCES

1. Msgr. Antonio Rañola, DD, “Priestly Celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church,” Boletin Ecclesiastico de Filipinas, ed. by Vicente G. Cajilig, OP, Manila: Santo Tomas University Press, Vol. LXVI, nos. 728-729, July-august 1990, pp. 395-400.

2. A.M. Stickler, Priesthood and Celibacy.

3. ______________, Valentine Card, 4 February 1993.