St. John the Baptist Chapel in Roro, Sorsogon City

Last October 2009 I went to the Comelec to be registered in my new voting precinct. From OLV-Pangpang Elementary School to Aemilianum College in Piot, Sorsogon City. I was accompanied by Gabby Valdez [picture below] and Peter Avancena, two young men under our guardianship who are both first time voters.

When I reached the Commission on Election Office the personnel immediately recognized me as the priest speaking on local TV and they ushered me inside the office and helped me be registered with ease and comfort. The two boys, however, followed after me and it took time for them to finish registering. Mine was not that demanding because I was only for transfer of precinct.

While the boys were busy I decided to roam around the place. I remember that nearby there is a chapel that is old and decapidated. What captures my attention is the architectural design of the Chapel. It looks like a house made in Germany or Holland. Typical of those countries using pointed rooftop in order to easily bring the snow down from the top. I was wondering why they chose that design since there is no snow in this part of the globe. Most probably they were influenced by Protestant or American Architecture who are fond of such design also for houses and chapels.

The chapel is dedicated to St. John the Baptizer. Its iron roof is already battered by rust and the entire chapel is magnificent in its simplicity and poverty. Yet despite this material nothingness reigning over the Chapel, the people in the area are rich in Charity.

It is rich in Catholic Charity because adjacent to it at the left side there is the one floor building with the name LADIES OF CHARITY. It is a home for the aged. Neglected old folks are being given love and care by the lay Catholic people administering the institution. The persons abandoned by their own blood are being taken into the arms of people not their own yet have given a room in their hearts.

I know many of our students who have volunteered to serve in this Home for the Aged and when they returned they speak highly of how touched they were during their experience in this poor yet wonderful place. Just two weeks ago I was summoned by the administrators of the institution. I was told that a grandmother died with no relative at all and there is no priest available to bless the coffin. I told them that "The High Priest has sent at least one priest to give the blessing!" O really? Who? I responded: "I am! I'm Fr. Abe Arganiosa and am willing to bless the grandma."

When I arrived through trycycle with Mrs. Mella I found the grandma in simple but dignified coffin. The staff of the Institution and the other old folks are around the coffin praying the Holy Rosary. When they finished I started giving the long blessing with a Homily. I wanted to give comfort to the old folks but instead the more I made them cry. As I was living a reflection was fomenting in my mind: Where do they got their strength of the Spirit? Their unbounding charity and their sense of self-sacrifice to care for these abandoned? The answer is in the faith. Their Catholic Faith urges them not to stifle the Spirit instead to be open to Him and allow Him to touch as well as move their hearts. We praise and thank you Lord for these people who are serving your people: the poor and the needy even though they are neither priests nor nuns. They serve on conviction that in doing so they serve THE LORD JESUS.