Fr. Jerome's handshake; other notes of sympathy

You might justifiedly say I hardly knew Fr. Jerome Angulo, the late parish priest of San Antonio Church in Makati. When I was invited to sit down with the Francisfest 2008 organizers headed by Fr. Jerome, I begged off from the regular meetings, promising instead to help promote the musical event through materials they would send me. I did as promised.

Came the night of Francisfest 2008. I shook hands with Fr. Jerome at the reception line that evening just outside the San Antonio Church, then enjoyed the concert, later raving about it deservedly. It must have been Fr. Jerome who asked that my review, “A Rare Magnificence,” be reprinted in the Parish Bulletin.

Followed a warm thank-you letter from Fr. Jerome, with a super-imposed picture of me seated near him appearing in a later issue of the Bulletin, although I had not attended a single meeting! (I am awed by the wonders of hi-tech.) Meanwhile, I would pass on to Fr. Jerome bouquets sent me by friends, saying in each note that the flowers were meant for the altar.

When Christmas came, I received from Fr. Jerome a book, actually a calendar of the saints’ birthdays and brief biographies covering the entire year. In reciprocation, I sent him a philosophical book. Forthwith, he wrote me a thank-you letter which conveyed such affection, such refinement of sensibilities, such deep spirituality which made the letter one of the most precious I had ever received in my entire journalistic career.

Sometime after Christmas, during Sunday mass, I was seated at the end of a pew in San Antonio Church. Fr. Jerome had just celebrated the mass and as he passed by, I waved to him. He stopped and shook my hand, firmly clasping it for a long while. He profusely thanked me for my gift and I thanked him for his. That was the first and only time I ever talked with him.

I had shaken his hand only twice and had received only two letters from him during his two-year tenure in the parish. My association with him was of the briefest yet he left me with the enduring and indelible impression that I had met a keenly sensitive, caring, thoughtful and magnanimous human being.

Condolence to Henson, De Quiros

Although this may seem like nepotism, I must say in all candor that I am a fan of STAR’s Joaquin “Quinito” Henson and an avid reader of his column. Sometime ago, he mentioned in it the passing of his mother-in-law. The way he described her, she was the exact opposite of the usual mother-in-law who is the butt of amusing jokes and the object of ridicule.

My sincerest if belated condolence to Quinito on the passing of his mother-in-law whom he adored.

I am likewise a keen admirer and fan of columnist-dramatist Conrado de Quiros who described his mother and her demise in his dinstinctively eloquent and compelling style. My belated condolence to Conrado.

Tribute to Delfin Colomé

I was stunned by the sudden and untimely passing of Delfin Colomé, Spain’s former ambassador to the Philippines. He was only 62 at the time of his death. Besides being an astute diplomat, he was an eminent composer, pianist and conductor.

During his tenure, he gave concerts in Manila which demonstrated his many talents. I covered and reviewed these events and many others sponsored by the Spanish embassy, and eventually, we became close friends. He often sent me copies of the books he had written, one of them being on Spanish dance and dancers.

Don Delfin’s widow Doña Elena often comes to Manila to visit her daughter Marit who is married to Alfonso Yuchengco’s son Tito. It was on one of my many encounters with Doña Elena that she told me of Don Delfin’s passing, adding that in Korea, his last posting, he likewise gave concerts — conducting Korea’s symphony orchestra which interpreted his works.

As I write this, I am due to attend a mini-concert organized by Doña Elena, which concert —to be held at the residence of Tito and Marit — will feature the legendary pianist Nena R. Villanueva, the outstanding cellist Renato Lucas, among others, interpreting Don Delfin’s compositions. It will be an auspicious tribute to a distinguished diplomat and a magnificently gifted musical artist.