To Know Is To Remember…

Multi-tasking is one brand of modernity. The modern man has to live a life of “the-one-

and-the-many”. We have more now as against before. Today has also become a highly

socialized society; present technology connects people in seconds where on earth. However,

these supposedly modern social cures have also engendered contemporary diseases. Fluid

infotainment has engendered ‘partial-attention disorder’, multiple connections have brought

about ‘fractional commitment syndrome’, and even our scattered activism has created a

culture of the fast and the furious.

Since the three-year preparation for the Diamond Jubilee of Palo was launched last

November, a myriad of activities have busied the priests and the laity alike. After the Christmas

merrymakings, there was the general reshuffling of pastoral assignments. Last January the

entire presbyterium went to Manila for the Second National Clergy Congress. February went as

swiftly as it came. This March we hit perhaps a record-breaker in rate of recurrence- for a many

important reasons we come together as presbyterium. If we go by Aristotle’s saying that

activity is a manifestation of life, then praise the Lord… ours is a most vibrant Archdiocese!

Constant reminder is now imperative for everyone never to lose sight of the main

theme, the main purpose, and the underlying intention of the whole gamut of these activities,

as once set by our good Archbishop, that is: “Growth in Holiness”.

 Accordingly, we aspire to embody such holiness, particularly, in a threefold

archdiocesan thrusts. Priests shall live up to demands of good stewardship, by recognizing the

vital role of the laity as a matter of right. All are to own and to work for the promotion of

BEC’s, vis-à-vis the backing of the faith communities in the parishes. Every priest has to belong

to the one family of priests; such fraternity may be expressed in one’s willingness to talk and to

think towards implementing the Standardized Living Allowance among the presbyterium.

So wisely it has been said that to know is to remember, for it is when we are reminded

where and why we have begun, that we appreciate what we do and understand what becomes.