Angel Thoughts
Aug 11, 2007
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales who will turn 75 tomorrow, followed the Good Book and now has his vision for the Archdiocese of Manila down pat.
"Write down the vision.
Write it in your mind.
Keep it in your heart.
It is going to happen
No matter what."
- Habakkuk 2:2
(The Manila Bulletin Online, August 11, 2007) The Good Book has instructions how to make our visions and dreams come true aside from praying.
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales who will turn 75 tomorrow, followed the Good Book and now has his vision for the Archdiocese of Manila down pat.
As articulated in a two-day general pastoral assembly in 2005 among the priests, lay leaders, the academe and other "players" in the archdiocese and led by Cardinal Rosales himself, the Mission-Vision took shape and has since been formalized.
It states that we, (meaning all those who fall under the shepherding responsibility of the cardinal and his ministers, and hopefully all those who come to know and believe in living this vision) are:
"A People called by the Father in Jesus Christ to become a Community of Persons with Fullness of Life, witnessing to the kingdom of God by living the Paschal Mystery in the power of the Holy Spirit with Mary as Companion."
*****
The vision statement says it all — how to be better persons in whatever profession or calling we are in. But how many of us know that this is vision of our shepherd, the Cardinal?
Perhaps realizing that the vision-statement needed to be explained to be lived, the Cardinal has began to reach out to sectors, inviting them to Villa San Miguel, (previously called the House of Sin by its occupant, Jaime Cardinal Sin) now known as The House of Three Ps (Peace, Principle and Priests), for mass and a dialogue.
I felt blessed to have been one of those invited, together with people from broadcast media and advertising (Emily Abrera, Yolly Ong, Joey Avellana, Cheche Lazaro, Mike Enriquez, Bobby Barreiro, etc) to a breakfast with the Cardinal last month.
We were with a group of businessmen and tycoons, whose firms literally make the wheels of local industry run.
It was edifying to listen to the cardinal who explained his vision for his flock, very patiently and enthusiastically.
I looked all around me during his "lecture" and saw that every one was in rapt attention, absorbing and digesting his words, including former Chief Justice Art Panganiban, a devout Catholic.
(I asked him if he was happy about the SC court decisions under Reynato Puno so far and he smiled a Cheshire Cat smile and said, "Well, so far… we’ll see…")
We heard a simple mass officiated by the host in the small chapel, concelebrated by Bishop Bernardino Cortez, Msgr. Gerardo Santos and Fr. Vic Apacible.
We shared a breakfast of corned beef, "daing na bangus" and rice at the second floor library.
All of us, without exception, were all "primed" by the time we polished off the simple breakfast.
*****
The Cardinal’s "lessons" on values in these dark times and how to answer Jesus’ call to become "better persons" fell on fertile ground.
We are living in times of turmoil, he lamented, and principles have been cast aside. We all have to be better persons and find our way back!
The Cardinal’s 3 "Ps" or priorities in his ministry can be summed up in his mantras — Peace, Principle and Priests.
Stories on the simplicity and holiness of the Cardinal include his sorties in the darkest and dingiest squatter areas in Metro Manila have been shared by those privileged to have been with him in his "journeys."
How he goes without his entourage (and media) into hovels and says mass for the shocked "residents" there, how he has brought together people willing to help the poor without fanfare.
In Lipa, they also tell of how the Cardinal has gone off in public vehicles to other towns when his driver was not around.
How the horrified nuns who run his household have had to jump into the public buses themselves and go after His Eminence!
*****
Although born to an illustrious clan with a long history of men and women in public and church service, political power and private wealth, "Densie" Rosales chose the unbeaten path of priesthood.
He is passionate about living simply, decency in media, preserving peace, and preserving the environment.
Because of the warm response to Rosales’ values talk, His Eminence is now going to address a joint gathering of all business groups that matter in this country to be organized by Amb. Ramon "Boy Blue" del Rosario, Dick Romulo and Joey Cuisia of Philamlife.
Oil and energy watchdog Raul Concepcion was very enthused about having the cardinal’s vision and values taught to his employees.
During the open forum moderated by Amb. Tita de Villa, this was the general sentiment: "We are here at your behest. What do you want us to do?"
The cardinal informed them that the archdiocese had a team of formators that could be asked to talk to employees in companies that the business leaders would identify.
The business leaders that morning included Joe Concepcion, Cynthia Mamon, Tony Oppen, Noemi Saludo, Ric Pascua, Greg Montinola, Nandy Pacheco, Gerry Ablaza, Jess Estanislao, Polly Nazareno, Nabila Doctors Hospital medical director Dr. Dante Morales, George Winternitz, CFC president Joe Tale, and Greg Monteclaro, president of the Mary Mother of the Poor Foundation.
Advertising icon Emily Abrera agreed with Joey Avellana, and indeed, media could stand cleaning up. Precy Florentino could not agree more.
Unfortunately with the broadcast industry, the "more bastos" or raunchier the show is, the more advertisers put their ads in them! Figure that out, reformers!
*****
Well, the spark has been lit — let’s hope that those who can do something to keep the flame burning to be a conflagration will not let the cardinal’s vision flicker out. No "ningas cogon," please!
In that breakfast dialogue, copies of the Cardinal’s talks (February to December, 2006) to MAGPAS (Manila Archdiocesan General Pastoral Assembly) and instructions on how to see "faraway and beyond" and go where you are intended to go were given out.
If you care enough to know how the Cardinal’s vision took shape and how it should be carried out, get a copy.
I don’t promise you an easy time reading through it, but it should give a clear idea on what the archdiocese is trying to do.
The Magpas team is composed of Bishop Cortez, Msgr. Santos, Masgr. Roberto Espenilla, Msgr. Nestor Cerbo, Frs. Edwin Mercado, Anton Pascual, Francisco Ungria, Vic Apacible, Anita Castro, Gaines Marie Rosario, and Charito Santos.
Angel Thoughts