a world at peace

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

Hi there! It’s another weekend. A rainy one I should say. But that should be no big deal, it’s sweldo time and that’s what matters.

Weeks ago, TV viewers around the world were treated to the good news about the butcher of Bosnia being brought to The Hague. A few days ago, we were treated to the spectacle of the Chinese opening the Olympic games (I suppose anti-Chinese groups call that spectacle a diversion, you know, the issue on Tibet, human rights and what have you).

While the friendly competition among the world’s best athletes (well, as far as we see or hear in the news, it is friendly competition), competition of a different sort is being reported in the news: Georgia and Russia (hmm, reminds me of the Reagan’s U.S. and Granada, that nation no larger than Samar Island); and on the homefront, trouble in the Southern Philippines (my apologies, but what else is new?). Do we add in Darfur and Zimbabwe and Iraq and Afghanistan? Man never learned. One TV reporter said it right by saying that war does not result on who’s right, it’s always on who is left; and there was this memorable line from the Oliver Stone movie Heaven and Earth: Wars produce nothing but cemeteries, and in the cemeteries there are no winners or losers, only dead people.

So, is it a case of man never learning lessons of the past? I don’t think so. If my memory serves me right, my soc sci professor gave a very interesting analysis on the art, err, business of war. Yup business. There is money in war. You take it from there.

* * *

There is a war of a different kind going on in another part of the globe (well, it’s kinda near our part of the globe). It’s that friendly sports competition called the Olympics. Forget about the athletes, most of the gold medalists will end up rich with money that can outlast their lifetime.

How do you explain the issue about the cute girl lip-synching her part during the ceremonies? On the other hand, it was a spectacular spectacle (hindi ba redundant?) of telling Chinese history and of that country’s great contributions to civilization. And indeed they succeeded in telling that to the world in a span of three hours and in one giant venue using all those high-tech gadgets and what have you.

Now take this, did you notice that many parts of the ceremony had participants flying in midair in harnesses or whatever, the highlight of which was the torch bearer hanging on his side striding in midair to light the torch. Ahh, it’s that part which tempt me to say that the present Chinese culture is not one characterized by pirated stuff, but one that has the touches of or greatly influenced by John Woo and Jet Li. (Smile! It’s a weekend!)

And the Philippine Olympic team. I understand there is a cash prize of one million (in pesos? or in dollars?) for an Olympic gold medal. Whatever the currency is, there is something bothersome about it. Kasegurista man san naghatag. You think it’s a solution to whatever is ailing Philippine sports? If ever it is, it’s not a long term solution and if I may borrow a line said by a friend of mine, it’s a blind shot.

* * *

Local history. Last week, I featured in this column a report from the August 21 1920 issue of the Eco de Samar y Leyte. It was about the death of the first Bishop of Calbayog. Let me give you an account on the funeral of Bishop Singzon. The event happened exactly 88 years ago tomorrow. That account written by someone who took the name of PEOPE was entitled: The Funeral of Mgr. Pablo Singzon. My corrections / comments are in parenthesis.

“His precious body was removed from the epsicopal chapel to the cathedral last Saturday afternoon and buried last Monday morning, August 16.

If my pen could only transmit to the ears of my readers like when I speak and if I could only describe exactly the mourning of the faithful sons of these two sister provinces (Samar and Leyte) for the painful lost of our most Illustrious prelate Mgr. Singzon I could better express and transmit to my kind readers, but, though my pen is unusable to do so owing to the scarcity of my language, I would only limit to tell with the following description:

In the sorrowful afternoon of last Saturday, the precious body of our old and beloved Bishop was solemnly removed from the chapel of the episcopal palace to the cathedral headed by His Illustris the Apostolic Delegate Mgr. Petrelli, the Auxiliary Bishop Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang attended by the secular and regular clergy, the Paulist Priests with the Seminarians and collegians of Saint Vincent of Paul College, the Rev. Mothers of charity with the college girls of Medalla Milagrosa, the pupils of the public school, the prominents of the town (prominent Calbayognons?) and a great crowd of pious of different societies. The corpse was placed on a gorgeous and splendid tomb around which hanged different crowns with symbolic flowers as mementos of love and sadness. Then began the ceremonies, after which His Illustris the Apostolic Delegate faced to the public with a smiling face and addressed words of great significant like when the father advises to his sons. In a humble tone he said: “This symbolic crowns of flowers which perch around that magnificent tomb will soon be withered and disappear; but there is one thing that I would recommend you all and which I think (is) the best (way) to show your love; and that is to offer a confession and a holy communion for the better and eternal repose of the soul of our old and beloved Bishop”

The day was sad so (were) the hearts of all the loyal sons of the diocese, for if it is true that it is painful for the sons to lose the fathers from their eyes from whom we owe their precious lives it is true also that the lose (loss) of our old Bishop causes us pain and sadness, because in him we owe gratitudes (gratitude) so as (does) the country too. It was Monday – the day designated for funerals by His most Illustris the Apostolic Delegate. In the morning of that day the funeral strikes of the church bell began, the painful sound of which seemed to penetrate and awaken the sleeping hearts of the people. In the episcopal throne there was seated His most Ilustris the Apostolic Delegate, in his right side was Mgr. Sofronio Hacbang the Auxiliary bishop, in the presbyterium were the deacons and subdeacons of honor with the Seminarians; around the tomb were the representatives of the secular and regular clergy. What a sublime and painful occasion it was! The harmonious voices of the famous Aurora moved the hearts of the people into a painful feeling; the gaily song of the singers leaded (led) by the Paulist Priests caused to swell the palpitation of sadness among the crowd. The funeral oration was charged to R.F. Pedro Pampliega whose eloquence called the attention of the public. In his oration he touched the life history of our lost and beloved prelate and the meritorious labors he had done in his diocese. After the episcopal mass said by His most Illustris the Apostolic Delegate the precious body of our beloved pastor was taken to the burial place which is located on the left side of the episcopal throne. Tears rolled down from the eyes of the crowd whose hearts were touched with a painful feeling! MAY THE SOUL OF OUR FATHER IN CHRIST REST IN PEACE.”

* * *

The Social Scene. Zoie Casaljay Bernate, the newborn of John Rey and Salita Bernate will be baptized today at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

* * *

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