Death of a Bishop

(This column appears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Hi there! It’s another weekend. I would have wanted to focus on the “birth pains” being experienced by MIAA at Terminal 3. Well, it happened at Heathrow and Hongkong, so let it go.

And the Olympics? It’s all over the place, so that one I also have to let go.

But I can’t let go of this announcement (you can read that as greetings):Councilor Monmon Uy will be married to Ms. Angie Llever today.

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So, what’s with today’s title? Nope, no bishop died today. Or this is not a detective story of solving a mystery murder. Just wanna grab your attention on what I (or the history buff in me) got from some archival records. Let me take a few moments of your time today as we recall some sad moments in the life of one of the leaders who have served the Diocese of Calbayog, in his case, the Catholic faithful in the islands of Samar and Leyte.

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A few weeks ago I mentioned in this column about receiving photocopies of the issues of the Eco de Samar y Leyte. I thought it was a bundle of issues only from 1911-1913. Later on would I find an issue on August 14, 1920 and the English section contained an account on the death of the first Bishop of Calbayog. It’s the year (of the Bishop’s death) that made me wonder.

If one is to check the portraits of Bishops at the Bishop’s House in Calbayog (which many locales fondly refer to as the palacio), a plate beneath Bishop Singzon’s portrait states that he was Bishop of Calbayog from 1910 – 1922. And checking on his tombstone at the Cathedral, it stated that he returned to his creator in 1923. This obviously needs more checking. In the meantime, let me share with you (in its entirety) what I got from the Eco de Samar y Leyte.

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That particular issue on August 14, 1920 had this as its headline in the English section: “MGR. PABLO SINGZON, FIRST BISHOP OF CALBAYOG DIED LAST TUESDAY MORNING”

Taking a cue from that headline, it meant that Bishop Singzon returned to his creator on August 10, 1920. That’s 88 years ago this Sunday. Let me give you the details of that report which was written by someone who went by the name of PLOPE.

“It was a melancholic and sorrowful Monday at about six o’clock when our Illustrious Prelate Mgr. Pablo Singzon in the modest parlor of the Episcopal palace was attended by his familiars among whom was Dr. Tomas Gomez. His weary respiration and the paleness of his face moved the hearts of those who were present and caused them a painful feeling of separation. The pain of his sickness was becoming more and more painful which called him to stay in bed.

At 10:00 o’clock p.m. when Mgr. Singzon found out that he did not feel a better repose nor even a rest from the pain of his sickness in his bed, wanted to sit on a chair – the chair where he received the spiritual consolations last November when he was attacked severely by the same sickness. In this chair he decided to die. Tears that roll from my eyes prevent not my pen to communicate my pain!

When the clock knocked its eleven strikes Mgr. Singzon was becoming weaker and weaker. From the neck of our illustrious patient hanged a bead of rosary, the escapulary of the Third Order of Saint Francis and theMiraculous Medal. Around him were his favorite Auxiliary Bishop Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang, RR. FF. Jose Diasnes, Teodoro Robredo, Luis Egeda, Dr. Tomas Gomez, RR. FF. Pedro Pampliega, Santos Saldaña, the Seminarians Bernardo Bacsal, Lesmes Ricalde, and behind the chair were RR. FF. Felix Sabenicio and Crispin Singzon. It was indeed a sorrowful occasion! All those who were present observed firmly to the patient and watched his movements whose weary and painful respiration cooled their hearts. Mgr. Singzon was not as active as he used to be: his activity, attention and application were changed: Mgr. Singzon was transformed struggling between the existence of life and death.

Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang his Auxiliary Bishop and who had never left him read the profession of the faith, the recommendation of the soul; whose voice in the midst of that tranquility and in the midst of that struggling pain called his attention to listen. Rev. F. Jose Diasnes neared to the patient by order of the Auxiliary Bishop to give him a confession. How great and how sublime is to die in the name of the Catholic Religion, though in the midst of pain.

The illustrious patient was losing gradually his movements the coolness of his body began to cover him with its veil, his paleness was becoming more and more pale. Then all those who were present knelt down with lighted candles before a crucifix near the patient and said the following words: “PROFESU ERE ANIMA CRISTIANA”

Mgr. Singzon gave up his last breath in the morning of the sorrowful Tuesday when the clock knocked its 3:20 strikes” (PLOPE)

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This it for now. Have a nice weekend everyone! Ciao!