Revival of the Filipino faith

These past weeks had seen Filipino Catholics in a celebratory mood as they counted their “blessings” with the canonization of the Blessed Pedro Calungsod by Pope Benedict last October 21 at the Vatican. By now, most Filipinos have become very familiar with the story of the young Filipino Catholic missionary who was killed for spreading the Roman Catholic faith to the native Chamorros in Guam. Prior to his canonization, one of the miracles attributed to St. Pedro Calungsod involved a woman from Leyte who, in 2003, had been pronounced clinically dead by doctors, but miraculously recovered after two hours when one of her attending physicians sought the intercession of Pedro Calungsod.

Less than a week after St. Pedro’s official declaration as saint, Catholics found another “blessing” to celebrate with the elevation of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle to the rank of Cardinal — the seventh Filipino to be so appointed following Cardinals Rufino Santos, Julio Rosales, Jaime Sin, Ricardo Vidal, Jose Sanchez and Gaudencio Rosales. Vatican watchers say the 55-year-old Tagle — whom many say could even become the first Filipino Pope not only because of his youth but the fact that his messages strike a resonant chord ‑ had caught their attention because of his appeal to the Church to display humility and discover the power of silence, saying the Church has to be attentive, compassionate and prayerful especially during these times when people are earnestly seeking God.

Cardinal-designate Tagle, who was described as a “rising star among Asian bishops” by a well-known theologian and adviser to the Vatican synod, has succinctly recognized the need to revive the Catholic faith particularly among Filipinos, saying his appointment is a call for the Church to seriously take its mission to spread the faith not only in the Philippines but the whole of Asia and perhaps the world, through the millions of migrant Filipino workers spread out virtually in all parts of the globe who can act as modern-day missionaries.

Many devout Catholics see the elevation of both Cardinal Tagle and St. Pedro — who is now being called the patron saint of OFWs — as nothing short of miraculous, giving impetus to their faith and strengthening their trust and confidence in the Roman Catholic Church. The past few years have shown a marked decline in Catholicism in many parts of Europe including Spain, with many leaving the Church with less and less people entering the seminary to become priests. In the Philippines however, the Catholic faith continues to be strong as seen in the overflowing attendance in many churches particularly in Cebu, believed to be the birthplace of St. Pedro Calungsod.

Many Filipinos who are educated in Catholic schools recognize the big role that faith plays in their lives. In fact, it is no longer surprising to hear that even the prominent, the wealthy, the influential and the powerful go down on their knees and turn to God when they face difficult “challenges” going through the lowest point in their life. Three people of different political persuasions whom I met in my lifetime and have found renewed faith in God after serious “challenges” in their lives were Enrique Zobel, Ferdinand Marcos and Ninoy Aquino.

Businessman Enrique Zobel — EZ to his friends — accidentally fell from his horse while playing polo in Spain, causing him to be paralyzed from the neck down for 13 years. EZ would have given everything he possessed if God would only make him walk again, he once told me, but in the end, it was apparent that he had left his fate in God’s hands. While many would have turned away, his accident spurred a renewal of his faith, even building a church in Calatagan, Batangas as a sign of his lasting faith in God.

Ferdinand Marcos who started out as an Aglipayan (on account of his father, Don Mariano Marcos being one of the notable members of the Aglipay Church) became a Catholic. And in the last few months of his life while exiled in Hawaii, he would hear Mass everyday, in a three-piece suit, apparently looking for peace with his Maker.

But perhaps one of the most unforgettable encounters I ever had was with Ninoy Aquino, incarcerated for seven years — during which time he turned to the Bible where he found comfort and inner tranquility. I remember Ninoy telling me when I last saw him at his suite at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo (about a year before his assassination): “I have made my peace with God,” which ultimately gave him the strength and courage to go home. 

Perhaps it may be a coincidence that the country’s second saint is declared during another Aquino presidency, recalling that St. Lorenzo Ruiz was canonized 25 years ago during the time when Cory Aquino was president. That this should happen now with President Noynoy Aquino exhorting Filipinos to tread the straight path — the “daang matuwid” — could perhaps be taken in another context by all Filipinos to turn back to their faith in God — embracing righteousness and shunning corruption, greed, avarice and all other kinds of wickedness that have enslaved people in government.

Doubly significant is the fact that the country seems to be at a crossroad, what with the forthcoming May 2013 elections and the recently signed Bangsamoro Framework Agreement that could, hopefully, pave the way for lasting peace in Mindanao. In the end, it does not really matter whether one is rich or poor, weak or powerful, Muslim or Christian — ultimately we all pray to the same God — the one with whom we must finally make our peace before we pass on to the next life.

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