Dapat Kilalanin ang Kaibahan ng “Full time Chapel” sa “Multi-purpose Hall”

DAPAT KILALANIN ANG KAIBAHAN NG “FULL TIME CHAPEL”

SA “MULTI-PURPOSE HALL”

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

 

Ang kapilya o full time chapel ay isang maliit na simbahan, at ang Multi-purpose Hall ay isang gusali kung saan ay idinadaos ang iba’t ibang activities ng isang komunidad tulad ng purok, barangay o subdivision. Kasama sa idinadaos sa Multi-purpose Hall ay misa,  pagtitipon ng mga religious groups o sekta, birthday party, wedding reception, lamay para sa patay, graduation at malakihang miting at kung hindi maiwasan ay evacuation center. Professional ang turing sa mga activities na nabanggit, lalo pa at ang mga nagpapadaos ay nagbabayad ng upa maliban kung ito ay gagamiting evacuation center sa panahon ng kalamidad. Pwedeng lagyan ng altar ang Multi-purpose Hall subalit may pantakip o tabing upang hindi mahantad kung may iba pang pagtitipong idinadaos.

 

Ang full time chapel naman ay para lang sana sa misa subalit ginagamit din para sa lamay ng patay, miting, lalo na bilang evacuation center at walang bayad ang paggamit basta sasagutin ng nagpapadaos ang gastos sa kuryente.

 

Kung pinagpipilitan ng komunidad ang tawag na “Multi-purpose Hall” sa building nila, sa halip na “chapel”, ito ay dapat respetuhin lalo pa kung ito ay nakasaad sa “By-Laws”. Dahil diyan, hindi dapat ito pakialaman ng parish church dahil lang sa idinadaos na misa isang beses sa loob ng isang linggo. Ang mga bagay na naipon ng komunidad para sa “Multi-purpose Hall” ay hindi dapat pakialaman ng parish church dahil ang mga ito ay donasyon ng mga miyembro ng komunidad upang komportable sila kung dumalo, halimbawa, sa misa. Ang mga donasyon ay inaasahan ng nagbigay na nasa pangangalaga ng komunidad na may-ari ng Multi-purpose Hall, at hindi parish church. Hindi rin pwedeng sabihin ng parish church na ang iba sa mga gamit ay nabili mula sa kabuuhang kita, este, “love offering” kuno tuwing may misa, dahil ang bahagi o “share” ng parish church ay nakamkam, eheste, nakuha na nito,  batay sa pinag-usapang hatian ng pera. Kung ano man ang gagawin ng komunidad sa share nila ay walang pakialam ang parish church dahil hindi rin ito nakikialam sa kung ano ang gagawin ng pari sa kita nila. Maliban pa yan sa laman ng sobre na binibigay ng mga dumadalo sa misa, pagpasok nila….at para lang talaga sa pari.

 

Hind dapat idahilan ang misa upang makamkam ng parish church ang mga pag-aari ng komunidad na nakalagak sa Multi-purpose Hall sa ngalan ng Diyos o Hesus (na naman!). Kung ipagpipilitan yan ng pari ay para niyang ibinabalik ang mga pangyayari noong panahon ng mga Kastila kung kaylan ay naglipana ang mga prayle na mangangamkam ng mga lupain at pera ng mga Indio (mga ninuno natin)!

 

Dapat mag-ingat ang mga homeowners’ association o barangay na ang Multi-purpose Hall na pinagdadausan ng misa tungkol sa bagay na ito. Hindi sila dapat magbigay ng listahan ng mga gamit na nasa kanilang pangangalaga para sa Multi-purpose Hall na hinihingi ng galamay ng parish church. Kapag nahawakan na kasi ng parish church ang inventory o listahan ng mga gamit, magagamit itong pruweba o patunay ng pagmamay-ari. Kung magkaroon ng hindi pagkakaunawaan dahil lang sa bagay na ito, at nagbanta ang pari na ititigil ang misa sa komunidad dahil sa hindi pagpayag ng mga miyembro sa kagustuhan niya (pari), ang unsolicited suggestion ko ay tanggapin ang banta na itigil ang misa. Pwede namang magkaroon ng kaugnayan sa Diyos sa pamamagitan ng iba pang religious undertaking tulad ng Rosaryo at Novena. At, pwede namang dumalo ng misa sa kung saang malapit na meron nito. Kung araw ng Linggo, meron ring TV broadcast ng misa kaya hindi na kailangan pang lumabas ng bahay, kaya walang silang problema. Ang mahalaga ay nabunutan ng tinik ang komunidad!

 

Yong mga Katolikong talagang dismayado sa ugali ng parish priest nila, humiwalay ng may buong pagpakumbaba at walang anumang kiyaw-kiyaw, sumali sa El Shaddai o alin mang new Christian communities, Protestant Church, Orthodox, Islam, o di kaya ay diretsong sumamba sa Diyos. Huwag siraan ang nilisang simbahan…alalahanin ang kasabihang, “buntot mo, hila mo”. At, hindi kabawasan sa pananampalataya sa Diyos ang pagsuway sa isang tiwaling pari na nakakasira lang sa imahe ng simbahang Katoliko….kaya galit din ang santo papa sa uri ng mga paring na paulit-ulit niyang binabalaan! At, higit sa lahat, dapat huwag pansinin ang mga paring nagiging dahilan ng hindi pagkakaunawaan at pagkakahati-hati ng mga miyembro ng isang komunidad dahil lang sa pinapairal niyang makasriling patakaran!!!

 

 

 

Volunteerism is in the Heart of my Neighbors, Angie and Hector Garcia

Volunteerism is in the Heart of my Neighbors,

Angie and Hector Garcia

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

Just like the rest of the pioneers in our subdivision, the couple, Angie and Hector Garcia went through the expected hardship of living in an unfamiliar new-found home, which in our case is Cavite, used to be known for notoriety – unsafe as many alleged. Add to that the difficulty of commuting to Manila because the only way was via the Aguinaldo highway that passes through buzzling public market of Zapote. The Coastal Road during the time was not yet even in the drawing board of the Department of Public Highways. That was during the early part of the 80’s.

 

A “short cut” to our subdivision from the Aguinaldo highway is traversed by a creek, deep and wide enough to be classified as a river. Several bamboo poles that were laid across the creek served as the early bridge, that was later “upgraded” to a safer one made of two electric poles floored with planks. During the early years the creek did not overflow, however, the constant reclamation of both banks constricted the flow of water that resulted to flash floods which did not spare our subdivision. These instances brought out the innate character of our neighbors that hinged on volunteerism.

 

As the home of Angie and Hector Garcia is situated right at the western entrance of the subdivision where the creek is situated, the homeowners’ association’s heavy duty rope was used to be left in their custody. They would bring it out when flood occurred so that those who would like to take the risk of crossing the bridge would have something to hold on to as they gingered their way through waist-deep flood. A heavy rain for three to four hours would put every homeowner on the alert as the heavy downpour usually triggered a flood. Angie and Hector would miss precious sleeping hours as they waited for the right moment to bring out the long heavy rope, one end of which would be tied to the post of the bridge while the other end would be entwined around the iron grill of their fence or gate. If the flood occurred at night till dawn, we would wake up in the morning with the rope already in place to serve as our “life line” to the other side of the overflowing creek.

 

The couple also took pains in cleaning the vacant area behind the subdivision’s Multi-purpose Hall and planted it to medicinal plants and mango tree which also provided shade. Vegetables were planted, too, aside from medicinal herbs for everybody’s taking in time of their need. The early morning as the sun rises would also see them sweeping the street in front of their house.

 

The leadership qualities of the couple, made their neighbors trust them. Hector had a stint as the president of the Homeowners’ Association, while Angie kept in her custody whatever meager earnings of the association from renting out the Multi-purpose Hall and monthly dues, aside from the collected Mass offerings, until clear-cut procedures were finally established during which she turned over the responsibility to the Homeowners’ Association’s Treasurer.

 

Angie is a cancer survivor having had a mastectomy, but despite her situation, she patiently endured the rigorous travel to Naujan, Mindoro with Hector to regularly check their “farm” which they planted to fruit-bearing trees. When I asked them one time why they take pains in maintaining such far-off farm instead of purchasing another either in Silang or Alfonso, both in Cavite, they confided that they have already “fallen in love” with their investment. Their love for the farm truly shows in their robust physique despite their age of sixtyish. I just imagine that perhaps, if they stop commuting to and from Naujan, Mindoro, weed their farm, and take care of the growing saplings,  their health would deteriorate as usually happens to people who cannot stand being idle.

 

The couple has three daughters, all successful in their chosen fields of endeavor. And, one of them is serving the Homeowners’ Association as Treasurer.