THIS IS Part 2 of the series that started last Friday.
Retired UPV professor Celia F. Parcon is the recipient of the 2020 Peter’s Prize for Excellence in Literary Translation.
Her book of literary translations, tentatively titled “Nothing’s Lost” is forthcoming this year.
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FATHER OLAN, GOD, AND THE RAIN
By Peter Solis Nery
Translated by Celia F. Parcon
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Don Beato was followed by the Knights of Columbus, led by Grand Knight Eugenio and Chancellor Benjamin. They came to Padre Olan on Wednesday evening. With Knight Enying and Chancellor Ben were Sir Knight Caloy, Knight Paeng, and Knight Kiko.
Padre Olan had a strong suspicion that Don Beato bribed the members of the K of C. Three of the five were also farmers, and Chancellor Ben supplied Don Beato with fertilizer for his crops.
Grand Knight Enying was considered the “citrus king” of Buenavista because he owned the vast tracts of land planted in calamansi and lemoncitos. When everyone was seated in Padre Olan’s office, he was the first to speak.
“As we will be sponsoring this Sunday’s Mass, Father, we do not see a problem in making it a special celebration instead of the feast of St. John. Everyone also agrees on a special day for prayer for rain.” There was not a quiver in the voice of the grand knight.
“On Friday and Saturday, Knight Kiko and I will drive around with an announcement in order to inform the faithful from the barrios,” added Knight Caloy. “I’m sure many will want to come and pray because this hot season has extended far too long. Everyone’s brains seem to have dried up from the heat. Everyone now wishes for even just a drizzle.”
Padre Olan was not comfortable with the quickness and enthusiasm of the Knights of Columbus. They came with their minds made up. They did not come to ask permission or to seek his opinion; they came to demand.
“Don’t you rush. Wait until I can consider and decide. I need to consult the archbishop about your wish. I could not just change the calendar of masses and feasts of saints,” declared the priest.
“But Father,” said Knight Paeng, “we need to pray hard for the rainfall at the soonest time possible. We need to pray really hard.”
“Everyone has been praying ardently, haven’t they?” countered Padre Olan.
“But it makes a lot of difference when the entire congregation comes together and prays inside the church,” answered Grand Knight Enying.
‘The entire congregation,’ ‘in the church,’ ‘a special day for prayer’—these were Don Beato’s words. The Knights of Columbus confirmed Padre Olan’s suspicion that they were ordered by the don. The priest felt secretly angry. Not only was the don controlling a church organization, but also its members seemed to be ganging up on him. The priest resolved to stand his ground. He was not a minion who would take orders from any don. He was not a waiter taking an order!
The conversation went in circles. No one was willing to give in or to lose. Everyone had a point, everyone had his reason. Evening was falling but still the air was hot. It seemed to suck out all their patience, curdling all their brains. The Knights of Columbus wanted to set aside a special day of prayer for the rains to come, but Padre Olan had a lot of excuses. He did not wish to go against the church calendar, and—perhaps rightly so—he was uncertain if he could revise the liturgy in order to give in to the wishes of the faithful who now came to him for comfort and to plead with him.
The priest had the last word. He said that all the faithful should be of one voice in praying for important things that matter, like peace for the whole world and for the conversion of the hearts of all humankind toward the Lord Jesus. He added, we attend mass and pray so that we can give to God all praise, not to dictate what we desire. God is not a waiter taking orders.
The members of the Knights of Columbus could only shake their heads.
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It was only Tuesday when Padre Olan started to write down his homily for the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, but he seemed drained of good ideas. Words didn’t seem to flow. How could he talk about baptism and the Christ’s baptism at the River Jordan when the river of Barrio Navalas in Buenavista was itself dried up? How could he teach about water cleansing away sin when people could hardly bathe themselves to save water?
But the celebration of the feast of St. John was most important not only for the neighboring town of Jordan but for the entire island-province of Guimaras. St. John the Baptist was the patron saint of the whole island. How can celebrating his feast be set aside? Wouldn’t it be only proper to honor the saint who can defend and help the faithful in asking for rain from the Almighty? (To be continued) (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
