Looking for a choir to sing at Mass on June 23, 2007 for the occasion of the 71st Annual Convention of the Camarines Sur Medical Society is a “ tough “ one. It isn’t a Mass only for the convention but more importantly, it is an anticipated Sunday Mass for the community of the faithful. It just so happens that in attendance will be mostly doctors and their families. To be denied three times in a row by three different groups is somehow exasperating! Why can’t people offer their ‘talents’ for the Lord as easy as A B C? On a personal note, I believe that serving at Mass is a ‘ plus bonus’ to one’s spiritual health -a way to be wholistic isn’t it? The reason the first group asked to be the choir gave was: “It is so hard to make the members present for practice…and we do not know choir songs.” Oh my, are we not Christian-Catholic who attend Mass every Sunday? Have we not gone to Catholic Schools who make us sing at mass every First Fridays of each month; during Baccalaureate masses; on school openings…at Masses of the Holy Spirit?? I can’t argue with you anymore because of the limited time left for me to look for others who can say “yes”… and sing for the Banquet of the Lord.
The next group I asked if they can render their time and talent also denied me this favor. So did the third one. Both have “rules” to follow. According to their “formators” they are no longer allowed to render commitments outside of the seminary. “ Entiendes…BUT…are we not symbiotic anymore?” I am not saying that you pay us back the services rendered to your institutions by some of us who served as seminary physicians: the likes of Dr. Salve Claros, Dr. Rose Borromeo, myself, and the others who had been there before us. I just can’t reconcile in my mind the “logic” behind your refusal to serve for a “community of the faithful.” Don’t you think it’s spiritually unhealthy?
Another task I have to do that day (June 18) was to ask the prime mover of the Ina Nin Bikol Foundation, Fr. Wilmer S. Tria, if he could somehow provide free copies of VoxBikol to participants of the 71st Annual Convention of the Cam.Sur Medical Society.
He replied quickly, “Sure. When and where will the convention be? What’s the theme or issue?”
I said, “It will be on June 23 and 24, at the Villa Caceres Hotel. The theme is, The compleat doctor : A Wholistic Approach to Medicine.”
I also informed him that I have written in my column, Doctor’s Nook, something about the convention.
He texted back, saying, “Ok and Thank you.”
Somehow, I felt happy of Fr. Wilmer’s assurance. My spirits soared to a higher energy level…after the three negations I had that Monday. Whew! ( Don’t forget your promise, Fr. Wilmer! ) Thank you very much. This “symbiosis” is healthy for all of us.