Saturday, October 04, 2008 Legaspi: Tribute to a shepherd By Carlos Legaspi Jr. Questions that matter
AS THE day of the great diamond jubilee of our diocese is fast approaching, every militant Catholic is also busy making the event a memorable one. This is the 75th year of existence of the Diocese of Bacolod.
For those who attend the Sunday masses religiously, one could now have a concrete grasp of how our diocese has come into being. The missionaries had suffered all humiliation and poverty, only to bring to the shores of Negros the Word of God. After all other religious orders have left the province for more missions, the Order of Augustinian Recollects or Recoletos took over and founded many parishes and chaplaincies in the whole province. (For those interested in studying the contributions of the Recollects to Negros, one could obtain a copy of 'Handuraw'. Just contact the UNO-R Bookstore or the UNO-R Religious Education Department).
Enormous churches and chapels have been built by the religious. They also paved the way for the creation of the Diocese by evangelizing the people of Negros.
Padre Fernando Cuenca, ORSA, and Padre Mauricio Ferrero, ORSA, were two notable friars in the history of the Diocese. Fr. Cuenca did not only "give birth" to the sugar industry but also built roads that connected the different town and cities in Negros. Padre Cuenca was also developed the hydrotheraphy and many of the parishioner availed of his gift of healing. The lowly St. Ezekiel Moreno stayed with him at Talisay for his medication. Fr. Ferrero supervised the building of the San Sebastian Cathedral and also the Kuta de Bacolod (Provincial Jail). Other lowly friars did their best to bring the Word of God to the farthest ends of the island.
Then, the Columbans with helped built the church in the south. Those areas that the Recollects have failed to reach were invaded by the Columban Fathers. These missionaries were responsible for many vocations of the local clergy. While the Recollects took charge of the doctrine evangelization, the Columban Fathers integrated the social dimensions of faith. They brought with them the fire of the faith.
Last September 22, the bishop assigned the day to be a day of tribute to the first bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Casimiro Lladoc, D.D. Bishop Lladoc was responsible for the smooth sailing of the diocese through rough waters. The good Bishop borrowed more religious to help him in the evangelization. Many of the clergy, if not all, were imported.
September 29 was declared as the day of tribute to Bishop Manuel Yap, D.D. It was here that the schools were requested to pay tribute to the good bishop. A concelebrated mass was celebrated and was attended by the different sectarian schools in the city. Rev. Fr. Dimitri Gatia, my professor in Latin and other Philosophy subjects, gave a homily telling the congregation of who really is Bishop Yap. Rev. Fr. Ireneo Gordoncillo oriented the congregation with his beautiful PowerPoint presentation of the Diocese during the time of Bishop Yap.
Fr. Gatia told the congregation that although Bishop Yap is not that popular with the crowd, he takes pleasure in the youth. During his pastoral visits, he would often stay in the parish for two to three days and interact with the parishioners. He was a man of wisdom and principle. He was not only a Bishop but one of the respected Bible scholars. He was a very simple man and he died only with his bed and his mat (banig). He did not like to attend parties and socials. He knows all his priests and even the seminarians by their first names.
This Bishop will not sacrifice his principles. He even challenged Claro M. Recto to a national debate on the issue that Rizal's works will be taught in all schools.
Bishop Yap's time was silent but schools and establishments flourished in the diocese. Vocations to the priesthood and religious life grew during his time. The Sacred Heart Seminary was established during his time. Faith of the people continued to grow. The Recollects went back and run the first university in the province. La Salle Brothers established their school for the poor. The Chinese priests from the Mainland were accommodated in the diocese. Many lay organizations flourished in the Diocese, making evangelization easier.
The good bishop steered the diocese well. During the funeral march, as Fr. Gatia relayed, there was an unusual silence in the streets that even the weather seems to be saddened by his passing away. There was an aura of holiness in this holy man.
Pope John Paul II, Bishop Casimiro Lladoc, Bishop Manuel Yap and St. Ezekiel Moreno, pray for us.
