Killing our priests
AN Indonesian SVD priest studying in Manila shared a remark of a brother priest in Indonesia, “Why do people in a predominantly Catholic country kill their own priests?”
* * * A bit embarrassed, I replied, “Well, there are evil people everywhere.” Remember what Jesus said? “The bad grass grow with the good wheat. But at the end of the world, the bad grass will be thrown into the furnace to burn.”
* * * Recall, too, that during Jesus’ time, his own apostle Judas Iscariot betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver, a dastardly act which led to Jesus’ arrest and eventual death on the cross even though he was innocent.
* * * The killing of Fr. Mark Ventura is the second that happened in Cagayan province. In 2007, an Indonesian SVD missionary, Fr. Francis Madhou, was shot dead while preparing to say Mass on Palm Sunday.It was provoked by a minor altercation.
Five months ago in December 2017, Fr. Marcelito Paez was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jaen, Neva Ecija.
* * * The recent killing of Fr. Mark Ventura drew condemnation from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). “We condemn this evil act,” the CBCP president said. “We are totally shocked and in utter disbelief,” he added.
* * * Archbishop Valles appealed to the authorities “to act swiftly in going after the perpetrators of the crime and to bring them to justice.”
Let’s hope and pray that the killers will feel remorse of conscience and surrender.
* * * We pray, too, that the mastermind of the killing will come out in the open since the killers were hired to silence Fr. Ventura’s denunciation against the illegal logging and the exploitation of the indigenous people happening in their place.
* * * If the perpetrators won’t come out and confess their crime, the God of Justice will exact divine retribution.
“Vengeance is mine; I shall repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12,19).
* * * ANSWERED PRAYER. Let me share the experience of our employee, Riemon Voilon.
Last week Riemon went to the Department of Foreign Affairs Office in Cubao housed at Ali Mall to apply for a Philippine passport.
* * * Before going, I told him to pray to St. Jude Thaddeus for help, telling him the Patron of the Impossible had always helped me in difficult situations.
When Riemon reached the window for the interview, he showed his documents like valid IDs. The officer, however, was unimpressed for unknown reason. For that, he was turned down.
* * *
Distraught, he wanted to go home already but a thought struck him. He decided to queue in another window and remembered my advice to invoke St. Jude’s help. When he presented the requirements, to Riemon’s surprise, the officer didn’t ask anymore questions. “No problem,” he smiled. “Your passport is approved and it will be delivered to your address in a couple of days.”
* * * Wow, he was beside himself with joy.He could not believe what had happened. He could only thank St. Jude Thaddeus, the Saint of the Impossible for the answered prayer.
* * *
BY THE WAY...I wonder why the former officer turned Riemon down when he had the required documents? Was it because he was not good-looking enough or not welldressed? Or, are some of the DFA officers at Ali Mall biased, subjective or heartless?
* * * ST. JUDE. Today, join our novena to St. Jude Thaddeus at the Divine Word Shrine, Christ the King Seminary, on E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Quezon City, after the 6 p.m. Mass.
A healing and anointing of the sick follow.