More “Popish” than the Pope

CEBU, Philippines - What a coincidence! Or was it intentional that on the front page of last Tuesday’s issue (July 8) of The Freeman the name of the priest who “humiliated” an unwed and still-a-minor mother during the baptismal rites of her baby and the name of Pope Francis who is coming to our country early next year? Another coincidental/intentional is on page 14 of the same TF issue re: the 29th anniversary of the disappearance of Fr. Rudy Romano, C.Ss.R. (a Redemptorist priest like the imprudent Fr. Romeo Obach) and the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination.

What irony that the “humiliating homily” took place at the Sacred Heart Chaplaincy, Jagobiao, Mandaue City! It’s really ironical because we Roman Catholics learn to recite this short invocation: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.”

What a contrast! At present, the highest personality for us Roman Catholics is Pope Francis who is known as “the messenger of peace, love and the apostle of the poor.” He even baptized the baby of an unwed couple at the Sistine Chapel in Rome in January this year.

Are Roman Catholics priests in our country equally considerate as the Pope? Just asking.

Without condemning Fr. Obach, lest I be guilty of the warning contained in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ referring to the woman about to be stoned to death for being caught in the act of adultery: “Let the one without sin cast the first stone at her,” I wish to agree with the Epispocal Vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu, Msgr. Esteban Binghay, that the priest’s advice at said baptismal rites was “inappropriate, un-brotherly and un-Christian.”

That minor unwed mother “humiliated” by a Redemptorist priest is really a Christian because when interviewed by Bobby Nalzaro over DYSS on Wednesday, June 9, she was willing to forgive the erring priest and was not suing him. And she expressed her unwillingness to leave the Roman Catholic Church in spite of her being humiliated by a priest.

Praise the Lord! A “sheep” has redeemed a “shepherd” from further embarrassment. A modification of the lyrics of the song “Dili Tanan” is a fitting conclusion to this write up: “Dili tanang pari pareha adtong pari-a.”