Valentine Tribute To Retired Priests
Valentine’s is also for retired bishops and priests.
The Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation, Inc last Saturday organized a pre-Valentine’s Day tribute for some 40 retired men of the cloth at the Villa San Miguel in Mandaluyong City.
Msgr. Sabino Vengco, Jr., who founded the foundation 18 years ago, said the tribute was intended to express their concern for the old priests.
“While the world talks and dreams about love this Valentine’s Day, we focused on that love but is concretely expressed on our concern for the elderly… the retired ministers of the church,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.
“If only for a very short moment on this day we can make them feel loved and treasured,” Vengco added.
He said even ordinary Catholics have a “very special mission,” and that is to deliver to the old priests the message “that we treasure and we care for them.”
“We want to make this a day of love that makes a difference… that makes them feel lighter in their sufferings and pains more bearable,” said Vengco.
“So we just call on others to join us… let us love the elderly and the sick,” he added.
Among those who attended the tribute were retired bishops Nestor Cariño of Legazpi, Cirilo Almario of Malolos, Pedro Bantigue of Sab Pablo, Francisco San Diego of Pasig and Manuel Sobreviñas of Imus.
Msgr. Steve Mosuela from the Diocese of La Union was the oldest priest who attended the gathering. He is 95.
According to Wikipedia, many early Christian martyrs were named Valentine. One of them was a priest in Rome “who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia.”
Another Valentine was a bishop in AD 197 “and is said to have been martyred during the persecution under Emperor Aurelian,” the Wikipedia stated.
Valentine’s Day will be celebrated.
By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO
MB.COM.PH
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