SVD-Philippines typifies difficulties of priesthood

The NBI may find glee in ruining careers, but I’ll state a dampener: I don’t know Dr. Maria Niza Bermudez-Reyes or anybody at Asian Hospital whom it claims to be my sources of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s medical and cosmetic procedures. My info came from elsewhere.

The NBI witch-hunt at Asian aims to cover up Arroyo’s lying about her state of health and soothe her vanity. The victims must sue it for unjust prosecution. The case may not prosper now, but they’ll get justice after June 2010.

Meantime, Makati Med is treating Cory Aquino ever so reverently.

*   *   *

The Society of Divine Word’s Philippine chapter best exemplifies the ironies of priesthood in modern times. With 601 members, it is the biggest contingent of the SVD, a tenth of the total 6,102 SVD priests in 67 countries. Yet its yearly number of priestly ordinations is down fourfold, from 25 on average in the 1970s to only eight today. Still, the order’s headquarters in Rome leans heavily on SVD-Philippines for missionary work overseas: no less than 160 Filipino SVDs are presently proselytizing in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

“Yes, there is a general decrease in men joining the priesthood in the West,” Fr. Antonio “Tony” Pernia, SVD, laments. “It is also down in the Philippines.” His ordination batch in 1975 was among the biggest; these days few knock to be let into the SVD’s seminaries, although enrolment in its schools has trebled. Father Tony is quick to add happily that the decline in Filipino vocations is more than made up by increase in unlikely lands: Indonesia, Vietnam, India. Thus the SVD is today the world’s fastest growing congregation and its seventh largest. Among the ten major male congregations, the SVD is the only one notching annual boosts in vocations, although modest.

The SVD has three thrusts: education, formation, and mission work. In the Philippines it has ten academies and colleges plus one university, three seminaries, and dozens of missions to mountain tribes. Overseas Filipino SVDs also serve as educators and formation directors. But most are assigned as Gospel spreaders to the hinterlands. Fr. Roberto “Bobby” Ebisa, SVD, for one, has just returned from Brazil, to head Manila-based Radio Veritas-Asia that beams Masses and homilies in a dozen languages. Tireless Fr. Agerico “Jerry” Orbos, SVD, is Manila’s chief fund-raiser to send Pinoy missionaries abroad. Why Filipinos? It’s obvious, Fr. Tony Pernia explains: they have a strong sense of community, which makes them naturals for pastoral work.

Of the many overseas Filipino SVD missionaries, Father Tony beams, five have been elected to head their “province” (actually, country or region) of assignment. Three are presently provincial superiors of Kenya, Ecuador and Sri Lanka; two used to head the Congo and USA-West provinces. Father Tony is in fact the SVD superior general, the first Asian and Filipino to head a worldwide major religious order. First elected in 2000 by the SVD 15th General Council, he was tapped by the 16th in 2006 for a second six-year term. Incidentally, he was a classmate in Rome for doctorate (both in Liberation Theology) of Fr. Fernando Lugo, SVD, later bishop and now president of Paraguay.

The first SVD priests arrived in Manila from Germany in Aug. 1909. Fathers Ludwig Beckert and John Scheirmann trekked by raft and carabao to Abra, where the chapter’s main mission remains. SVD-Philippines has since yielded 12 bishops, among them soon-to-be-beatified Wilhelm Finnemann of Mindoro, killed by the Japanese in 1942.

To celebrate its centenary, SVD-Philippines is giving out six awards: to individuals and institutions that have excelled   in   missions in the islands in general, and in Abra and the Chinese community in particular. For more info and nomination forms, visit www.svd-awards.org or e-mail [email protected]. Or call Fr. Joey Sepe, SVD: (02) 735-6386, 735-6393. Nomination deadline: Aug. 30.

*   *   *

Too many people break the law too often that Filipinos are beginning to think it’s all right. Scores of motorcyclists don’t wear helmets, speedsters endanger other motorists’ lives and limbs, and public utility drivers block roadways. Homeowners and street hawkers throw garbage on streets and creeks, causing floods on rainy days, and encroach on sidewalks. Muggers and pickpockets abound around schools and malls as if its the norm. Inured to petty crime, most no longer care. Why, even the Malacañang spokesman says it’s okay to give Abu Sayyaf kidnappers P50,000 “cigarette money” since they freed their Italian hostage anyway.

 The 804 Rotary Clubs in the land don’t think so, though. Having had enough of public apathy to crime, Rotary’s ten district governors recently launched “Rotary Watch,” a joint campaign with the National Police. Under the drive, 21,490 Rotarians will act as eyes and ears of cops in their locales. They not only will report and help solve street crimes, but also teach communities to fight lawlessness. The 4,856 female Rotarians will focus on offenses against or involving women and children. Businessman Albert M.G. Garcia serves as Rotary Watch chief administrator.

 The idea started with the Rotary Club of Forbes Park and the Makati police. After a ten-year run, other clubs decided to go nationwide.

*   *   *

E-mail: [email protected]