Faithful priests

A few weeks ago a concelebrated Mass was offered by a number of priests at the Cathedral of Cagayan de Oro. The main celebrant was Father Francis Chapman, an Australian missionary belonging to the Society of St. Columban, now in his 90s. The occasion was the 65th anniversary of his ordination.

Though advanced in years and with the handicaps of old age, he stood erect at the altar, resplendent in a chasuble of cloth-of-gold donated for the occasion by a wealthy benefactress.

Although Australian, Father Chapman was ordained in Ireland 65 years ago, in 1937, when he was a young man his 20s. He left Ireland almost immediately and came to the Philippines with the first group of Columban missionaries invited to Mindanao by the American Jesuit Bishop of Cagayan, James T. G. Hayes S.J. Except for a few years in Ireland and an occasional visit to Australia, Father Chapman has been here since then – 65 years of devoted priestly ministry.

At first he served in the parishes. Then he was a chaplain to several hospitals. The last several decades he has been the chief confessor at the Cagayan cathedral, and hundreds of people (rich and poor) go to him for confession.

As he stood at the altar on this 65th anniversary of his ordination, it occurred to me that Father Chapman is a symbol. He is one of thousands of missionaries of many nationalities who have come to the Philippines to supply the spiritual needs of our people.

Not all foreign missionaries have been helpful. Some would have served the Church better by staying home in their own country. Their coming to the Philippines was a mistake.

But the majority of foreign missionaries – Americans, Australians, Austrians, Belgians, Canadians, Dutch, French, Germans, Irish, Italians, Spaniards, Latin Americans – have made a real difference for good in the lives of our people.

Today, the focus of media attention has been turned on the misdeeds of priests. One priest after another has been accused of sexual misconduct, and one bishop after another has been punished for not being hard enough in punishing erring priests. But these cases are really very small in number compared to the thousands – hundreds of thousands – of priests – native and foreign – who in obscurity have been serving God and the people faithfully. They may not all be saints, but they have been faithful to their priestly commitments – and more important – they have been ministering to those who needed their services.