Van Vugt: Kudos Fr. Joe Cabantan!

ACCORDING to a news report in a national daily, the diocese of Malaybalay (Bukidnon) will have a new bishop following the appointment made by the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, which was announced two weeks ago in Manila by Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines. A report from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said Fr. Jose Araneta-Cabantan is the newly elected bishop of Malaybalay in Bukidnon province.

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Father Jose, fondly called Joe, is the parish priest of Lumbia Parish and is in charge also of the social action program of the Archdiocese. It is ironic, Fr. Joe is one of the few non-monsignore among the clergy in the Archdiocese. Now he will be the only real monsignor among the clergy.

Fr. Joe is soft-spoken and low key. I am sure he never has aspired to become a bishop. That is why, I believe, he is the most qualified to become a bishop, and thanks to our Archbishop, Tony Ledesma, who must have recommended him to the Holy Father for the episcopate. Congratulations Joe!

Now that I am at it, let me talk about Edsa. It was Cardinal Sin who played a prominent role in this event by calling the people to an open revolt against the Marcos regime. Not long after the Edsa Revolution Cardinal Sin made the laconic remark: Ali Baba is driven out of the country, but the 40 thieves remained behind. We have experienced how true this has been under the presidency of Erap Estrada and moreover under that of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The latter has become the most corrupt president in Philippine history. However, we should not forget also that the Edsa Revolution never would have happened if it were not for the hundreds of activists who had joined the anti-Marcos resistance movement. Many of them even gave their life or were jailed and tortured by the Marcos- controlled military and police. Among these activists were also many religious priests and sisters and social action priests from different dioceses. But the official stand of the CBCP during the 14 years of martial law has always been: critical collaboration with the dictator Marcos.

Not much has changed in the Church since that time. There are still quite a few priests and religious who are openly protesting against the abuses of the GMA regime but among the bishops there is hardly anyone who is raising his fist against Gloria and the other thieves. In the coming elections it is very likely that we can expect an Edsa III, a People Power Uprising, in order to install a true leader of the people as the new President of the Philippines. It is obvious who will be that leader, no other than Noynoy Aquino. Let us hope and pray that Noynoy will be duly elected through a clean and honest election and that he won’t have to be installed by people power.

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