Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
My Tribute to our Parish Pastor: Rev. Fr. Leonardo R. Bagos
In a few
days our Parish Priest whom we fondly called Fr. Nards will be leaving us to go
to his new place of assignment here in the Diocese of Imus. How time flies. It
is as if just yesterday when he first set foot in our Parish (Saint Joseph’s
Parish, Carmona Cavite) but the reality of it all is that his six years term
will be over in a few days.
I would
like to write here the many positive improvements that he instituted in the
parish. First is the positive change that is very visible and that is the
church’s edifice. When He took over the church was in the infancy stage of its
construction now it’s done already. I credit him for tirelessly thinking of
ways on how to raise funds for the church’s completion.
It seems
impossible to me that he was able to achieve it considering that nowadays money
is hard to come by due to the economic crisis. But he persisted, he never
waivered in his firm faith in God that He will be able to realize his vision of
a beautiful church.
The next
visible positive change is the very orderly process of Communion wherein
communicants would orderly fall in line per pews. He meticulously instructed
the parishioners how to fall in line and how to properly receive Christ with
respect and reverence.
There
were a lot more positive changes that he instituted to name just a few: Clean
and green church environment, inventory of the church’s properties. He put in
place an excellent sound system to ensure that the Word of God is clearly heard.
But for
me one of the few that would be forever etched in my mind is how he made sure
that proper respect and reverence is given to the Eucharistic celebration and
to the Body of Christ itself. For example during Communion whenever there’s a
communicant who does not say Amen after he says: “The Body of Christ.” He would
politely ask short and probing questions to the communicant once he finds out
that the communicants doesn’t know how sacred the Consecrated Host that they’re
about to receive. He would just place his hand over their heads and pray over
them instead of giving them the Body of Christ. Every now and then he would
also give short catechesis before he gives his final blessings and it often
focuses on the proper respect and reverence to the Body of Christ.
Just like
Jesus during His three years public ministry, Father Nards had also his own
share of persecutors in the parish. If Jesus had the Pharisees and the Scribes;
Father Nards had a few parishioners who wanted to embarrass and malign him. It
pained him I’m sure of it, however being an Alter Christus and knowing him to
have a soft and forgiving heart I am very sure that he had already forgiven
them and even prayed for them too.
Now that
you will soon leave the parish, I’d like to say that I will miss the
friendship, the occasional exchange of ideas, the discipline and the frequent
instructions for the Lay Ministers.
My
prayers will forever be with you Padre. God bless you always!