FILIPINO FOCUS
Vol. XV
No. 11
December 2003
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No Foolishness Now
by Roberto C. Layson
The Muslims brought their “agong” and “kulintang”, musical instruments made of bronze, while the indigenous Manobo tribe brought their wind pipes. And they all came to attend a rare religious event - the ordination to the priesthood of Fr. Jay Virador OMI.
The last ordination that the parishioners of Pikit witnessed was twenty years ago- but that was purely a parochial affair. The ordination of Fr. Jay last August 15, 2003 was in a way unique. It had an inter-religious dialogue flavor.
Pikit Parish is one of the oldest parishes in the Archdiocese of Cotabato. The first group of Christians arrived from Cebu in 1913 during the American colonial period. They were at once welcomed by the Muslim inhabitants. Since then, the Christians have lived side by side with their Muslim neighbors.
At that time, the spirit of “bayanihan” was very much alive. They would help each other during planting and harvest season in what they called “alayon”. The elders whom I have interviewed, both Muslims and Christians, still cherish those days. For them, the past was the real thing. “When can we bring back those days, Father?" I remember one asked me a couple of years ago. He was one of the 24,000 evacuees who were forced to stayin evacuation centers during 2001.
The people of Pikit saw the disintegration of their community during Martial Law days, when Christians were pitted against Muslims. It was a bloody history that created a big gap between two faith-communities not only in Pikit but also throughout Mindanao.
The armed confrontations between government troops and MILF forces in recent years have all polarized these communities even further along religious lines. In the end, the psychological and social effects have been even more costly than the physical damage, more destructive than the wars themselves.
And yet, during the Japanese occupation from 1941-1945, Muslim and Christian guerillas in Pikit fought side by side with American soldiers against the Japanese Imperial Army. Brig. Gen. Salipada Pendatun, a Muslim, commanded the fierce resistance movement. Seventy percent of his troops were Christians who were former USAFFE soldiers who did not surrender to the Japanese Army.
Some of the Christians in the poblacion who feared Japanese atrocities sought refuge then in the interior of Liguasan Marsh. There, the Muslim residents took care of them like brothers and sisters.
Real healing and reconciliation may take a long time. But the parish of Pikit, armed with its new vision-mission that includes elements on peace-building and inter-religious dialogue, is determined to restore what was once a beautiful and harmonious relationship among the people of this town. It has already launched the first in a series of Culture of Peace seminars attended by Manobos, Muslims and Christians.
During difficult and trying times, the parish has found herself taking care of thousands of displaced people, many of whom were Muslims. Last February, the parish gym was home to Muslim families who were displaced by the recent armed conflict when government troops assaulted MILF positions in the Buliok Complex. Their leaders were teary-eyed as they bid goodbye when they were preparing to go back home in June.
The parish has also been engaged in the rehabilitation of several affected villages by assisting the people declare their communities as Spaces for Peace. Insulated from external violence, socio-economic projects were implemented in these communities with the help of NGOs. The 8-member staff composed of Muslims and Christians holds office everyday in one of the rooms of the parish.
All this formed the backdrop to Fr Jay’s ordination. It rained in the afternoon of the day before. So, until evening, the parishioners were still busy preparing the parish ground where the reception was to be held. Colorful “bandalas” decorated the gymnasium and the church compound.
Tables were placed under the trees. Some were marked “For our Muslim Visitors”. Tricycles arrived loaded with water jugs and electric fans to be used during the celebration. At the back of the church, the men butchered a cow, pigs and chicken. They cooked till dawn the following morning.
Not so far away, in another house of one our Muslim friends, Bapa Butch performed the “sumbali”, a Muslim ritual of sacrifice before an animal is finally butchered. “Halal” food that would be served to our Muslim visitors the following day was also being prepared there.
On the day of the ordination, the church compound was filled with people. Priests came one by one. Vehicles loaded with Muslim and Christian residents from Space for Peace communities arrived. The ordination ceremony lasted for two hours.
At the gymnasium during the program, Muslim and Christian students danced. Manobo, Muslim and Christian elders gave testimonies. During the reception, it was nice to see the tri-people sharing the food together in the same parish compound. They enjoyed the food and laughed as if no war had taken place in Pikit. The Muslims and Manobos came to share the joy of the Christians. And the Christians were just too glad to share that joy with them. Fr. Jay later said, “With what the people have shown, I don't think I can still have the guts to make foolishness as a priest.”<WM
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