(Not) Losing my religion

In my old Catholic high school life, we did not just study Religion (which was later renamed Moral Guidance), we breathed it.

Every Licean can and will attest (and relate) to this - morning prayer after the daily flag ceremony, 3 o’clock habit, Angelus at 6pm, Our Lady of the Perpetual novena every Wednesday, and rosary prayer for the whole month of October. We can recite (and even sing) Salve Regina (Latin version of Hail Holy Queen) at a snap. We know the Magnificat, the 7 sacraments, the deadly sins, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit by heart. We know the Beatitudes, the Canticle of Simon, and the Ten Commandments kahit tulog o nakapikit. Studying in a Catholic school for 11 years made it so easy for me to breeze through my Theology subjects in college (ehem, the Royal and Pontifical university of the Philippines lang naman).

One of my unforgettable elementary teachers is Bro. Noe Laganson. I can’t remember the exact year when he was ordained as a priest, but I remember him visiting us and saying Mass in our very own home. Father Noe was eventually assigned in Sorsogon and we kept in touch through letters (now known as snail mails). I think it was in 2003 when the Vatican awarded him with a scholarship grant and he stayed in the US (was it Kentucky?) for quite sometime. The last time I spoke to him was in 2006 when he informed me he was a visiting priest in a parish church in Makati.

Then just this October, I received a letter from him. It was sent before Typhoon Ondoy and it took a while before it got to me. He told me he would undergo eye surgery. I was concerned that he must have thought I ignored his letter so I immediately got in touch with the parish office he is currently connected with. My siblings and some generous friends sent financial assistance and I was able to visit the Sampaloc-based parish church twice, although I have yet to see Father Noe personally again after so many years. It was coincidence that I was baptized in the same church – yes, the Most Holy Trinity Parish in Balic-Balic. In fact, we lived near Balic-Balic when I was a child and I stayed in the same area during my college years in UST. Well, miracles never cease, do they?

I will go back to Trinity one of these days if only to see Father Noe again. Never mind if it’s an hour or so drive from San Pedro.

Again, thanks to my fellow Liceans who extended help to Father Noe. May God bless you a hundredfold. And thanks to Alex who is behind me in this endeavor.