Sanctuary of the True, Good, and Beautiful
By: Fr. Jimmy A. Belita, CM
As you gaze at the imposing façade of the Santuario of San Vicente de Paul on Tandang Sora Ave. , Quezon City, you cannot but look beyond the walls and pillars that constitute its structure. Then you see a building floating on clouds, as it were (the location being the highest point of the historic avenue), nestling on the green foliage of mahogany trees. What a sight! How transcendental; it makes me see beyond the obvious and think along transcendental categories of the true, the good, and the beautiful. For indeed, abstractions such as these are made real and tangible in the three-fold functions of the Santuario: formation, service and celebration.
Formation in the truth
The shrine’s location has always been associated with seminary formation: first, that of high school, and second, that of college. From 1979 – 1988, the minor seminary was the place of formation for young boys aspiring for the priesthood. Although not all became priests, those who passed through its portals consider their seminary training as having a lasting effect on their lives. Of course, the main menu of that formation was the truth as distilled from the Scriptures, the great Church traditions, the Vincentian legacy, and contemporary secular knowledge. The old seminary structure is gone but its spirit lives on among the priests and lay collaborators who today comprise the bulk of formators in the area, teaching the minds of theology students, aspirants, lay students, and the faithful from various sectors in the neighborhood.
The Santuario will continue to carry on the mission of formation for in it will be tested new interpretations of old learning and new knowledge coming from fresh paradigms. Well known is the Santuario’s warm welcome for groups that engage in their own continuing formation such as the Couples for Christ, Legion of Mary, Marian Circle, Divine Will Prayer Group, etc. There is ample space for everybody willing to be formed in the truth coming from the Bible, interpreted by the Church, and lived out by the faithful. Last but not least is the apostolate of teaching the kids coming from poor families who are given weekly religious instruction by lay volunteers whose dedication is greatly tested during summer catechetical programs. For the needs in the formation of these various groups, help is available in the nearby theology and philosophy library of St. Vincent ’s School of Theology , the Vincentian museum, and the Vincentian archives supervised by a world-class archivist, Fr. Rolando De la Goza, CM.
Service for the good of the People
St. Vincent ’s Seminary used to be a haven for those referred to by St. Vincent as “masters.” They were the poor and the homeless who swallowed the little pride they had in order to avail of the seminary’s largesse and generosity. Needy individuals of that kind still come today either to St. Vincent ’s Seminary or to the De Paul House, residence of priest-professors and theology students. The staff and administration of the Santuario will always be sensitive and responsive to these needy people. The Santuario will not be complete without this service for the material well-being of the people even as it does its other mission in the formation of its constituents. That is why it is committed to find more creative means of helping the needy in a systematic and organized way as St. Vincent did for the poor in France in the 17th century keeping foremost in his heart the innate dignity of those for whom he lived to serve.
In the same compound and only an incense smell away from the Church are the respective offices of the Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation, Inc. and the Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiative, Inc. which is an affiliate of the Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc. If you are looking for a systematic and dignified way of giving assistance to the poor, especially the homeless, visit these offices. These offices have a network similar to that established in foundations and federations all over the world especially in third world countries. Their share of experiences has enriched their counterparts here in Tandang Sora. It is worth noting that the offices of the foundation and the federation are under the shadow of the Santuario, physically and metaphorically. There is a mutual contagion between the shrine’s sacred air and the infectious commitment of the social services conducted in these offices.
As of now, the Santuario’s reputation for social services will benefit and learn much from the presence of two remarkable Vincentians who manage two equally remarkable offices in St. Vincent ’s Seminary. I am referring to Fr. Norberto Carcellar, CM (Fr. Bebot, to his friends), the feisty but charming director of the Foundation, whose international exposure on matters of the homeless will greatly add to the center’s expertise on welfare. Just a thin wall away from his office is the office of Fr. Atilano Fajardo, C.M. (Fr. Nonong, to his acquaintances and Fr. “Riles,” to journalists). He is a calm but intense hands-on “manager” of relocation programs, a dual project of both the government and NGOs. Let it be known, too, that these two Vincentian confreres are the contemporaries of Fr. Agustin “Gestie” Advincula, C.M. in the recent Lebanon conflict, whose risky and daring interventions may equal those of Israeli commandos and Hezbollah guerillas! By the way, it was in the Santuario that Fr. Gestie celebrated his silver ordination anniversary and reiterated his commitment to the OFWs in Lebanon , less than a year before the war broke out. Thus, the Santuario will always be identified with the much needed social services to be dispensed in keeping with the Vincentian spirit and mode of serving these needs.
Celebrating the Beautiful
The structure of the Santuario has to be beautiful (even) if only to match the beauty of the liturgy for which it is really being built in the first place. After teaching minds and touching hearts in the areas of formation and social services, the shrine keepers have to celebrate – celebrate the beauty of God’s love that envelops the holy ground and the holy people. After all the works are done, a beautiful celebration (in a beautiful place) to appropriately show gratitude to God is in order.
The structure is built in a way that optimizes participation and elicits awe for the beauty of the divine. Fr. Manuel Ginete, C.M., under whose superiorate the project was dreamed of, suggested that the altar section should be a high-ceilinged fan-shaped one so the worshipper would feel engulfed by that enormous space, and experience God’s own cosmic embrace. Its tapered body gradually descending from the door to the altar intimates the human journey from its narrow confides to the vast grandeur of God. But the beauty of the space will be enhanced infinitely by an equally beautiful liturgical celebration that will be the culmination of other activities related to formation and social services. These other two functions will make the celebration more meaningful, confirming that a liturgy is all the more beautiful because it is true and good.
The faithful participating in the liturgical celebrations at the shrine will be witnessing innovative liturgies courtesy of the liturgy students of the school of theology, mentored by an authoritative liturgist, Fr. Raul L. Pura, CM, second only to his own mentor, the archliturgist of the Philippine Church, Fr. Anscar J. Chupungco, OSB of San Beda. Expect also a rejuvenated choir trained by Fr. Venerando D. Agner, CM, and assisted by Fr. John V. Era, CM, both composers, musicians, and singers in their own right. Expect, as well, more of those musical presentations by the newly formed singing group, Luke 418 (derived from the Lucan gospel, 4:18), made up of young Vincentians whose first concert was actually held at the Santuario two years ago. The interior of the shrine is laid out ampitheater-like, so look forward to a lot of theatrical functions inside, including concerts, plays and the like. They constitute part of the shrine’s commitment to the celebration of culture, the celebration of what is beautiful about our Christian faith and our Filipino identity.
In summary, the three-fold purpose of the Santuario becomes a tripod that will support a worthy endeavor in the local church of Novaliches , under a very pastoral bishop, His Excellency, Most Rev. Antonio R. Tobias, JCL, DD. A dream that was first announced to a small congregation in the seminary chapel by yours truly and realized initially under the supervision of Fr. Nonong, will soon be a structure in brick and mortar through the able leadership of our young, energetic and ever optimistic confrere, Fr. Rizalino P. Garcia, CM, and with the blessing of Fr. Provincial, Marcelo V. Manimtim, CM.
Thanks to all these aforementioned personalities, the Santuario de San Vicente de Paul is rising and there is no turning back. The people are waiting. Indeed, it is true that if you build it, they will come.
