THE CATECHIST OF
MANILA
a simple tribute
EARLY GLIMPSES
It was in the seminary that I
first heard about Ka Luring, the legendary catechist. Everybody in Manila’s
church circles seemed to know her. And she seemed to know everybody as well. On
top of that, she happened to be almost everywhere, too. I mean, you found her
when there were gatherings of the archdiocese, when you visited a parish, when
there were prayer vigils, rallies, conferences, name it. In short, where there
was action, there was Ka Luring. She was simply ubiquitous.
But she was not consistently
present like the other staples and permanent character fixtures in church
affairs. Normally religious ladies who gravitated around priests and frequented
the invitations to important activities of the church belonged to the well-off
sections of society. They sprayed their hair up to look dignified and serene.
They arrived neat and unruffled in cars with their own drivers, and sometimes,
with their yaya, too. These women glistened with flashy jewelry and emitted
enchanting aromas.
You will miss Ka Luring if you were
looking for her among people like the above. Ka Luring always entered the
seminary, cathedral or parish gates walking, for she always took every means of
public transport. With her signature big shoulder bag clutched closely to her
body, she came in with an umbrella and a towel to wipe her sweat, nevermind the
dishevelled hair blown by the wind and dust of Edsa. Beneath that humble
appearance though was a calm confidence to look priests in the eye, converse
with any seminarian, discuss with lay leaders and mingle with just anybody. She
was particularly careful to greet the simple people she found around her. And
she always appeared with a ready smile!
In our Philosophy days, Ka Luring
would come regulary each week to fetch a group of seminarians that taught
catechism in a small school in Taguig. She guided them on how to deal with
their classes in the public school. She patiently bore with the character of
every seminarian entrusted to her. I was never part of the group with Ka Luring
but I always heard happy stories about the catechism adventures of the group
she led.
CLOSER ENCOUNTERS
After I was ordained I began to
meet Ka Luring up close, on a personal basis. Because I was assigned to Villa
San Miguel, I saw her there often. She would greet and visit the great Edsa
Revolution spiritual hero, Jaime Cardinal Sin, who in turn delighted to see
her. When Ka Luring visited the Cardinal, the latter became joyful and at
peace. They talked in private, but you could hear the Cardinal bursting in loud
laughter in the presence of this unpretentious simple old lady before him.
There were moments when the
Cardinal asked me to call Ka Luring so he could talk to her, unburden some
concern, and ask for her prayers. Yes, even the famous holy man of God in Asia
believed and fully trusted in the secret power of the prayers of his lowly catechist.
In retrospect, I consider the times
these two spiritual giants spent together as like the moments of nourishing and
inspiring conversations between Francis and Clare, Benedict and Scholastica,
Francis de Sales and Jane Frances de Chantal – a friendship of saints.
HER POOR
The Poor Clares of the monastery
in Katipunan started to deliver extra eggs to Villa San Miguel, trays upon
trays of their excess poultry product. Remember how people would offer eggs to that
monastery in exchange for the favor of having the nuns pray for their
intentions? I asked the sister bringing the eggs why they were dispensing with
their treasure. She replied that if they kept and ate all the eggs, they would
all be hospitalized for high blood pressure!
I did not know how to consume all
the eggs either so I sent them to the seminary. But one day Ka Luring learned
about the eggs and she begged for a ration, too. What would you do with all
those eggs, I inquired of her. She replied that she would cook them into leche
flan and later, feed the leche flan to her waiting pupils in a slum area. In
those days, leche flan was for the rich, and the ordinary person could eat that
treat only during fiestas or grand occasions.
Ka Luring was not only busying
herself with her pupils. She was also serving the poor elderly in the depressed
areas near her house. What the relatives of these old people could not do, Ka
Luring offered as free service – bathing, changing, grooming them with love.
I began to like, and love, Ka
Luring because of her sincere kindness, her enviable selflessness, and her
genuine friendship with and concern for priests. She was a happy conversation
partner, not at all serious and solemn, as you might expect from someone
regarded as an authentic witness of Jesus Christ. Every conversation with her
was light and relaxing. It left you feeling peaceful and blessed. She leaves
you no impression of the prestigious awards she received as a recognition of
her service to the poor (she loved to say the words “poorest of the poor”, like
St. Mother Teresa).
In time, when Ka Luring became
more comfortable with me, she began bringing to me another concern, more than
her demand for eggs. This woman, never tired from serving the parish, the school,
the poor, tried her hand on helping poor college scholars! A poor, uneducated
woman with a scholarship plan! If
she found a student who was diligent and struggling to succeed, and learned
that the family was so deprived to sustain an education, Ka Luring took that
student under her wings.
She went around town looking for
priests who shared her advocacy. She visited priests in the seminary and in the
parishes to tell them her stories of the lives of these poor scholars and to
entice them to lend a hand. At times, she had pictures of her students in her
bag. With her way of convincing people, she got the money for the tuition and
other needs of her scholars. I wonder how many of them finished high school or
college, how many of them now have better lives because of Ka Luring’s begging
expeditions? I often joked with Ka Luring that she only remembered me when the
enrollment period comes, and she loves that part because it was true.
HER SEMINARIANS AND PRIESTS
It was not a secret that Ka Luring had a soft spot in her
heart for her special men – the seminarians and priests she met. She even had
favorites among them, with whom she developed deeper friendship and showed
intense loyalty.
Seminarians knew they could rely
on Ka Luring to pray for their perseverance. She also never failed to encourage
these boys to be strong in their commitment and to treasure their vocation. She
rejoiced at every vocation to the priesthood and she attended ordinations of
new priests regularly.
There were priests Ka Luring visited
regularly in their assigned posts, even travelling on foot at times, because
she did not have money for transportation. There were priests she prayed for in
a special way, although she admitted praying for all the bishops and the
priests of the archdiocese. And if
one joked with her about her favorites, she would shyly smile or laugh without
protesting. She simply defended herself by saying that some priests were also
very kind and supportive of her and her advocacies than others.
At times, in the parish, Ka
Luring would just make a surprise visit on a priest. She just wanted to greet
the priest, hear about what was happening in his life and assure the priest of
her prayers and concern for his good. She would of course successfully leave
with some generous donation for her beloved poor.
HER PRAYER
In 2001, I was tasked together
with Fr. Greg Gaston, to lead the Manila clergy in a spiritual retreat.
Cardinal Sin was experimenting then on having his young priests, the ones he
sent to Europe for studies, to facilitate the spiritual exercises. I was so
nervous upon learning of the Cardinal’s wish that I thought of asking the
opinions of others who led the retreats in previous years.
One such person I consulted
immediately said that after much preparation in prayer and study, the next big
step was to ask Ka Luring to pray for the success of the retreat of priests.
This he did, he said, and the fruit was enormously positive. Ka Luring prayed
and fasted for the facilitators and the participants of the retreat.
When I was able to track down Ka
Luring, I told her of the retreat Greg and I were to lead. She was so ready to
join me by becoming my prayer partner for the entire duration of the retreat, a
whole month, for the priests would be coming in 4 batches, a different group
each week of July. She promised to
pray and fast for all of us.
The retreat was over after 4
weeks, and I was so relieved and jubilant that my Calvary was finished for the
Manila clergy were a very challenging audience, with different personalities
and characters, wisdom and competencies, and endearing and irritating
traits. And they could be
sometimes merciless to their retreat masters.
But it was over, and I went back
to regular teaching in the seminary. About a month after, I met Ka Luring in an
event. She looked pale and weak. I thanked her for her prayers and in jest, I
commented on how miserable she looked. She replied that she was physically weak
because she was still praying and fasting for the priests on retreat. This made
me laugh. I told her that the retreat was already over almost a month ago. She
wondered aloud why I failed to notify her, because she was really waiting for
my call so she would know when to stop her penance for us! What humility,
obedience and love for priests! And until now, I claim responsibility for
having that woman fast and pray more than necessary. When I apologized, again
the response was an understanding laughter.
Years later, I met a religious
sister in whose retreat house Ka Luring stayed during the period she interceded
for our retreat. Indeed, this sister testified, Ka Luring remained secluded in
a tiny corner of the retreat house, praying the whole day and taking very
little food. She even showed me the room where Ka Luring stayed that whole
time. I never before knew how seriously she took the challenge to pray for us
so that we could focus on our relationship with the Lord.
HER GOD
We were on our way to a priests’
retreat when I heard that Ka Luring was in serious condition in a hospital. A
group of us came to visit her there. This was the only time I saw Ka Luring
lying down in bed, in contrast to the countless moments I saw her rushing to a
place, busily doing something, speaking animatedly and happily, joking or
telling stories, or kneeling in silent prayer in a chapel or church.
Each priest who came to the
hospital that day had a chance to speak with Ka Luring. She clearly remembered
the name of each of us and personally, in a weak voice, thanked us. I was glad
she recognized me. When I assured her of my prayers for her healing, she told
me that she would also be praying for me in heaven. What a beautiful promise, a
final touching gesture from a person who knew what it meant to dedicate her
body and soul for the holiness of the people she knew and cared for, out of
love for Jesus.
Are there really catechists in
heaven? Well, Ka Luring is already there now praying for us even if we cannot
see or feel her. On earth she was the Lord’s catechist and heavenly glory can
only enhance, not erase that identity. There the servant joins her Master’s
eternal banquet, ever mindful of those she left behind still struggling for the
soul of Manila, for the poor of Manila, for the priests and people of Manila.
Ka Luring, as you promised,
continue to pray for me, for us, to your spouse and eternal Lover, Jesus!
