MS. MICHELLE So’s narrative about Fr. Roy Bucag’s–of the Sto. Nino Roman Catholic Church in Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island–act of kindness must have struck a sensitive chord to everyone who’ve read it.
To recall, Fr. Bucag has ordered the return to a poor grieving family what it paid for a funeral mass for a beloved departed, after sensing the hard and difficult situation unfolding right before his very eyes. Not only that, he also gave to the profusely grateful grieving family the collection for the mass – maybe a not-so-tidy sum, but which could nevertheless be a big help to further cement his apostolic resolve to spread the words of God through an act of kindness and love.
In this lifetime, I’ve read and heard not just a few acts of kindness and generosity by private individuals, socio-civic and philanthropic groups–a number of these involved mind-blowing sums for much greater, nobler purposes–but nothing beats or is comparable to what Fr. Bucag has unwittingly shown given the spontaneity with which it was done and the apparent willingness to do it. The good priest may not have a complete idea that he would minister that day to one coming from the underprivileged class, so that the voluntariness or the ease by which he decided to do what he had to do made the act outstanding by any standard. Needless to say, that the decision to give at a moment’s notice could have evinced out of a genuine desire to help and only from someone with a good heart and pure intention to boot.
Hopefully, the path to kindliness and generosity laid down by Fr. Bucag would not get lost in the order of things, but should bear inspiration to everyone all the time - the men of cloth like him and all their parishioners. Thank you very much Fr. Bucag for leading the way!