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BY LUIS BUENAFLOR
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Monday, December 4, 2017
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IT SEEMS all is not well in the Kingdom of God, not really in heaven wherever that is but here on planet Earth, and more specifically at the Parish of St. Anne in Molo district of “I Am Iloilo City.”
The parish priest, a certain Fr. Espiridion “Boy” Celis Jr., dared to defy an order of his superior Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro. The order was the regular reshuffling of priests assigning them to different parishes in Iloilo.
For most practicing Catholics parish priests, being transferred from one parish to another is a normal thing and usually taken for granted unless somebody would dare defy the order and refuse to transfer to his new assignment. In such case, it becomes an issue with potentials on becoming a scandal.
This Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr., who prefers to be called “Boy” and the parish priest of Molo, was to be transferred to St. Anthony’s Church, the parish of the Municipality of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, and the transfer should have taken effect yesterday, Dec. 3.
Of course, Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” flatly defied the good Archbishop’s order and refused to move his “fat behind” from Molo parish to Barotac Nuevo parish. That is, unless something happened, it is assumed that by the time this column sees print, Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” is still in Molo parish and has probably barricaded himself inside the church like the usual suspended Local Government Executive.
(According to the latest report yesterday, Fr. Celis has temporarily left the Parish of St. Anne as ordered by the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome while the latter is deliberating on his letter questioning his transfer. The Congregation for the Clergy ordered the Archdiocese of Jaro to temporarily appoint a parish administrator to the Parish of St. Anne. – Ed.)
It is assumed that in the process of entrenching himself in Molo parish church, Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” could tap the main weapon of suspended mayors – “prayer rally” and “candlelight vigil” in the churchyard.
Being an ordained priest, Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” should be an expert in organizing “prayer rallies” and “candlelight vigils” with matching sermons and the usual politicians capitalizing on the undue publicity this circus will generate.
This refusal to follow the Archbishop has created quite a stir with the makings of a full-blown scandal.
God forbid! A priest openly defying and refusing to follow an order by the Archbishop, it’s blasphemy in the first order, and this Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” deserves eternal damnation.
The question in the Faithfull’s mind, and this is not limited to his parishioners, is this: Why is Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” doing this? Why is he defying the Archbishop’s orders?
According to Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy”, he has been aggrieved and cited Canon 1737 of the Canonical Law which states that “a person who claims to have been aggrieved by a decree can make recourse for any just reason to the hierarchical superior of the one proposed before the author of the decree who must transmit it immediately to the competent hierarchical superior.”
Moi was raised a Catholic and studied in a Catholic University and from what moi remembers in Religion subjects (which by the way is from Grade 1 till senior year in college) only priests receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders and when they become priests they take these vows: Chastity, Poverty and Obedience.
Let’s assume that Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” is still a virgin and has never had sex with a woman and just practices “self gratification” and “self flagellation”; so far the Chastity vow seems to be holding; so far no issue has come out.
The Poverty vow seems to be in jeopardy as it is public knowledge that Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” is the owner of a pizza restaurant selling “Chicago-style pizza” somewhere in Mandurriao district.
It is also public knowledge that the pizza restaurant is for profit and not as a fund-raising venture for Asilo de Molo or his parishioners; so much for the vow of Poverty.
As for the vow of Obedience, what is happening now is certainly the opposite of that; so much for the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Now tell moi in what way was Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” aggrieved?
He’s a bloody priest for God’s sake. The church is not a democracy, it is a dictatorship. Nobody defies God’s representative on earth. The Archbishop takes his authority from the Pope and he, in turn, takes his authority from God.
Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” said he is doing this defiance for his parishioners who want him to stay longer in Molo after initiating several successful works in the parish i.e. establishing a soup kitchen feeding program for the poor, 24/7 confession services, weekly adult catechesis, Facebook live streaming of masses. Yeah right, it’s not like all these will disappear with him. Why, are they co-terminus like Jed Mabilog’s executive assistants?
On the other hand, more people are saying: “Really who cares?” That’s the problem of the Catholic Church and Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy.”
No self-respecting court of law will issue a Temporary Restraining Order or TRO for Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr.aka “Boy.” The Catholic Church will just invoke the separation of the Church and State.
Fr. Espiridion Celis Jr. aka “Boy” can be the “Queen of Xanadu” for all we care. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
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