BACLARAN SHRINE: The National Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Rector forgives Baclaran Shrine critics
Thousands of devotees honor Our Mother of Perpetual Help in a procession. (Photo: James Benedict Malabanan)
PARAÑAQUE City, March 4, 2016 – The rector of the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, Parañaque City has finally spoken out on the malicious post that went viral on social media recently, saying that while it hurt and demoralized him and fellow Redemptorists, they are willing and ready to forgive the offenders.
“We were saddened by the comments. We were also angered by the unfounded remarks hurled against the church, its priests and brothers. These were accusations that were unfair and uncalled for,” said Fr. Joseph O. Echano, C.Ss.R. in an open letter Friday, March 4, lamenting the unverified incident involving a father and his son which had been blown out of proportion online at the expense of the whole Redemptorist community and all Catholic clergy.
Damaging post
The viral story was posted by Facebook user Jenny Arteta II on March 1 in which she called attention to the “plight” of a certain Jesus San Antonio and his son whom she spotted being “insensitively” escorted out of the Baclaran shrine compound by one of the guards on duty the midnight before.
According to Arteta, San Antonio told her they came from Trece Martires City, Cavite, and they were just dropping by the church enroute to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila to have the child treated of tuberculosis (TB) when she saw “Kuya Guard” turning them away on order of “Father.”
The post became a trending topic among netizens soon after, prompting many to pity the San Antonios and lash out at the “heartlessness” of the security guard and the clergy in charge of the national shrine, with some even offering to send cash.
‘Hurtful’ comments
Basing only on Arteta’s version of the event, one Facebook user criticized the priests and lay brothers of Baclaran in particular for being “inhumane,” and all Catholic priests in general for being “hypocrites” who “preach compassion but do not practice it themselves.”
Another dragged parties who had nothing to do with what happened like Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), and even Pope Francis.
“We had no idea where all these comments were coming from. While we noticed some were sincere in expressing sorry for the San Antonios, many more saw an opportunity to attack the Church and defame the reputation of her priests and brothers,” bemoaned Echano, who was quick to point out Arteta’s good intentions.
Scam?
It turned out, however, that the elder San Antonio was a regular beneficiary of financial aid who had been given employment opportunities many times previously by concerned individuals at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart and Don Bosco Parish in Makati City.
In a text message to Arteta, he gave a reference number to which donors could send donations, with a reminder that he could not entertain phone calls due to an allegedly damaged earpiece.
Unknown to her, at the time of the incident, San Antonio had already been endorsed to the social mission department of the church.
Just to be sure, a social worker from Baclaran checked whether a record exists proving San Antonio had his son admitted at PGH. There’s none.
‘Tactless, irresponsible’
According to Echano, there was no effort on the part of Arteta and the people who were following her thread to let the Redemptorist community confirm or deny the allegations against them.
“It was tactless and irresponsible of them to be saying those things. We have been given a sentence even before we had a chance to explain our side: my fellow priests, the brothers, and the staff,” he said, commenting on the online backlash.
However, despite the flak the Redemptorists received, Echano went on to extend forgiveness on behalf of those who were hurt… to Arteta and those who jumped on the Facebook bandwagon.
“We were really affected by the comments. But the best thing we can do now is to forgive Ms. Jenny and all who reacted negatively on her post. We forgive them if only because they did not know the whole story. Rest assured that in spite of all these we will continue to help and serve the poor and the needy,” he explained.
Helping poor since Day 1
For the sake of the public, Echano enumerated the programs and services offered at the national shrine, one of few churches in the Philippines open 24/7, as follows:
- St. Gerard Family Life Center gives guidance and counselling to strengthen family life;
- Crisis Intervention Center renders emergency assistance;
- Medical and Dental Services responds to basic health needs;
- Solidarity Assistance Committee provides calamity assistance;
- Redemptorist Education Assistance Program gives scholarship;
- Sarnelli Center for School Children helps street children readjust their lives and become responsible members of their families and communities;
- Redemptorist Skills Training and Livelihood Program gives skills training to the poor to help them improve their economic condition; and
- St. John Neumann Center for Migrants helps migrants and their families cope with the social costs of migration.
Furthermore, Echano appealed to netizens to be more responsible in exercising their freedom of expression.
“Let us use social media properly. Avoid posting things that can destroy the good name and dignity of one another,” he added.
For the whole text of Echano’s statement, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/omphbaclaran/posts/478165085718822.
(Raymond A. Sebastián / CBCP News)
SOURCE: http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=73835
STATEMENT IN FILIPINO:
Official Statement of Baclaran Church Official
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Opisyal na Pahayag Bilang Tugon sa Posting ni Ms. Jenny Arteta II sa facebook noong Marso 1, 2:25 pm
Una sa lahat, kinikilala namin na totoo ang naramdamang habag at malasakit ni Ms. Jenny Arteta II sa kalunos-lunos na kalagayan ni Jesus San Antonio at kanyang anak. Kung kami rin ay nasa katayuan nya, ganon din ang aming mararamdaman sa unang pagkakita kay Jesus at kanyang anak. Hindi rin namin ija-justify ang naging ugali ng guard doon kay Jesus at kanyang anak. May pagkakamali sa naging approach at aksyon ng guard. Nakausap na namin ang nasabing guard at napagsabihan at napaalalahanan na namin sya ng tungkol sa pangunahing policy ng simbahan—ang bukas na pagtanggap sa lahat ng tao lalong-lalo na ang mga nangangailangan at mga mahihirap. Sa ganitong reputasyon nakilala ang simbahan simula’t sapul nang ito’y itinayo.
Amin ding ni-review ang CCTV ng nasabing insidente sa loob at labas ng simbahan upang mabigyan kami ng kongkretong konteksto ng mga pangyayari. Ang buod ng nakita namin mula sa CCTV ay buhat sa labas ang mag-ama ay pumasok sa simbahan. Ang nakatawag ng aming pansin ay ang anak ay masigla at malakas, at masaya pang naglakad papasok ng simbahan. Pag-upo doon sa upuan ng simbahan saka lamang ito kinalong ni Jesus San Antonio na parang nagmukhang may sakit ang bata.
Pagkatapos na mabasa namin ang posting ni Ms. Jenny Arteta II, kaagad naming pinapunta ang aming social worker sa PGH upang i-verify kung ang anak ni Jesus San Antonio ay naka-confine sa PGH. Sa kasamaang palad walang matagpuang record sa PGH na nakaconfine ang anak ni Jesus San Antonio.
Samantala, naging viral ang posting ni Ms. Jenny sa pamamagitan ng maraming likes at shares. Nalungkot kami sa mga comments na aming nabasa. Subalit may galit din dahil sa maraming mga maling paratang na ibinato sa simbahan, pari at brother ng simbahan. Mga paratang na masasakit at di makatarungan. Di namin maubos maisip kung saan nanggaling ang mga comments sa posting ni Ms. Jenny. Ramdam namin na may halong awa ang ibang mga comments subalit mas marami ang walang habas na paninira sa reputasyon ng simbahan at sa dangal ng mga pari at brother sa simbahan. Wala kaming gaanong nakita na pag-iingat at responsibilidad sa pagbibigay ng komento. Sinentensyahan na ang mga pari at mga staff dito kahit na hindi pa nila narinig ang panig ng simbahan, ng mga pari, brother at staff.
Sa puntong ito ay nais din naming tanungin si Ms. Jenny kung naisip man lamang niya ang consequences ng kanyang posting sa facebook. Kung bago niya pinost iyon sa facebook ay nag-exert man lamang sya ng effort na tanungin ang mga pari o staff ng simbahan tungkol sa katayuan ni Jesus San Antonio.
Ilang araw ding kaming di matahimik dahil sa mga negatibong comments na aming nabasa. May galit pa rin sa aming dibdib subalit ang galit ngayon ay mas napapangibabawan ng pagpapatawad. Pagpapatawad kay Ms. Jenny at sa lahat ng nagcomment sa kanyang posting. Pinapatawad namin sila sapagkat di nila alam ang buong larawan ng pangyayari. Sa kabila ng lahat ng negatibong mga comments, buo at panatag ang aming kalooban na patuloy ang aming paglilingkod sa mga dukha at mga nangangailangan.
Ang aming galit ay napapangibabawan din ng pasasalamat kay Ms. Jenny at sa mga nagkomento. Ang pangyayaring ito ay nagbigay sa amin ng isang window of opportunity upang ilahad ang mga programa at serbisyo ng simbahan lalo na sa mga di nakakabatid dito.
Una sa lahat, maipagmamalaki namin na ang aming simbahan ay ang tanging simbahan na bukas 24/7. Tanging ang simbahan namin ang may staff at madre, na katulad sa mga call centers, ay may pang graveyard shift upang tumugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga tao. Marami pa kaming ibang programa.
Nariyan ang St. Gerard Family Life Center na nagbibigay ng libreng counselling patungkol sa mga isyu ng pamilya at mag-asawa katulad ng marital infidelity, homosexuality, pre-marital sex, drug addiction, sexual abuse at iba.
Nabanggit ko kanina ang Crisis Intervention Center na nagbibigay ng kagyat ng tulong sa mga lumalapit sa aming sa pamamagitan ng medical, hospitalization, food, transportation, temporary shelter, educational, atbpa.
Mayroong kaming medical/dental Clinic na nagbibigay ng libreng serbisyo sa mga nangangailangan lalo na tuwing Linggo at Miyerkoles.
Mayroong kaming Solidarity Assistance Committee na binubuo ng mga volunteers mula saiba’t-ibang ministry ng simbahan upang tumugon sa mga biktima ng kalamidad katulad ng bagyo, baha, landslide, maging sa mga nasunugan.
Marami kaming pinapag-aral sa kolehiyo sa pamamagitan ng Redemptorist Education Assistance Program.
Marami kaming mga iniligtas na mga bata mula sa lansangan sa pamamagitan ng Sarnelli Center for Street Children. May dalawa kaming center ang Sarnelli Drop-In Center na nagbibigay ng agad na kalinga at programa ng rehabilitation. Pangalawa ay ang Sarnelli Residential Center na nagbibigay ng pangmatagalang serbisyo sa mga batang lansangan katulad ng edukasyon, kalusugan at pabahay.
Nakagpabigay din kami ng vocational and technical training katulad ng food processing, computer at cellphone repair, dressmaking, atbpa, sa mga out-of-school youth at mga walang trabaho sa pamamagitan ng Redemptorist Skills Training and Livelihood Program.
Tumutugon din kami sa mga pangangailangan ng mga OFW at mga migrante at kanilang pamilya sa pamamagitan ng St. John Neumann Center for Migrants.
Sa kabila nito, aaminin namin na may pagkukulang doon sa pangyayari—may pagkukulang sa guard, at may pagkukulang sa mga pari at brother upang matugunan ang lahat ng pangangailangan ng lumalapit sa amin. Sa laki ng problema at sa dami ng mga taong lumalapit sa amin, hindi namin kayang tugunan ang lahat ng kanilang pangangailangan.
Panghuli, nais naming umapela para sa pagkakaroon ng etiketa at responsibilidad sa social media. Matuto sana tayo ng wastong pagpopost at pagbigay ng comment na hindi nakakasira sa dignidad ng ating kapwa. Maganda ang magpahayag ng ating sarili at magpakita ng malasakit sa ating kapwa ng walang sinisiraan na tao.
Sa diwa ng kuwaresma nawa ang pangyayaring ito ay magbukas sa atin ng kahalagahan ng pagbabago sa ating lahat. Pagbabago na nanggagaling sa biyaya at awa ng Diyos.
Maraming salamat sa pagbibigay sa amin ng puwang upang mailahad namin ang aming panig.
Pagpalain nawa tayo ng mahabaging Diyos.
Ipanalangin nawa tayo ng Mahal na Ina ng Laging Saklolo.
Para sa Pambansang Dambana ng Ina ng Laging Saklolo,
Fr. Joey Echano, CSsR
Rector