[OPINION] Dear Rodrigo

This letter may surprise you. I know that you have repudiated my pastoral care for you, using rather spicy words, which I am made to understand is in congruence with Cebuano culture.

I understand that your anger at me comes from the the fact that I caused traffic during my last visit there. A more serious reason is your accusation that you experienced sexual abuse from a man of the cloth when you were growing up.

But I write in the light of your recent outburst.

At the onset I want to make clear that I regard all human beings as my sons and daughters. It comes with the calling.

And while you have called me names, my daughter Leila has never rejected me nor the Church. Indeed she has repeatedly stated that her strength and her peace in these months of her greatest trial is her deep faith. She views her imprisonment as a spiritual trial and believes that in enduring this, she grows stronger yet.

Thus when she asked me to pray for her and all other victims of human rights violations in the Philippines, it did not seem out of character for her.

You do know Rodrigo, that prayer is something I consider central to my person and to the role I play in this world? You do know as well that I pray for everyone – the innocent as well as the guilty, the weak and the strong, young and old, women and children, democrats and fascists, believers and unbelievers.

For millennia now, my predecessors have also given their blessings to those who seek it. We follow the act of Christ himself who, even if He took everyone into His heart, was particularly gracious to those who petitioned him. In case you feel that this is fake news that I just made up for the occasion, I invite you to come to Rome. Crowds come from all over the world to seek prayers.

I must also explain that I am guided by a book that is the definitive work on all matters as far as I am concerned. It is called the Bible. The Bible instructs me and all other Christians to have compassion particularly for those in prison. For example it says, “Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me (Mathew 25:36).”

Think about it. Rodrigo. I am supposed to pray for everyone regardless of their political beliefs, their guilt or their innocence. I am supposed to pray particularly for Catholics, for those who ask and for those in prison. Concentrate your mind then and think, Rodrigo. Does this not describe Leila? In praying for her, was I not just doing my job?

So you see, Rodrigo, when I prayed for her there was no need for you to feel personally affronted. You need not have taken it as a rebuke.

In fact I would pray for you too. I bring this up very gently because it seems you have rejected me. But I ask you to reconsider. After all, I pray for everyone. The humble and the narcissistic, the self-confident and the paranoid, the victim of extrajudicial killings and the mass murderer.

I even pray for my daughter Sylvia. She is an agnostic and an RH advocate and a feminist. And she does tend to get quite critical of some of the Church’s politics. She has also always fought for the victims of clerical abuse. So I pray for her. Of course, in some things she agrees and works with Catholics and the Church, but even if this were not true, I would still pray for her.

Now Rodrigo, I do not want to insult you by comparing you to Sylvia. I know how you are very sensitive about your status. And indeed, you are by far the more important person here. But there is one thing you might learn from her. You see, though she does not believe in my Church, she is very respectful of those who do.

And because she does not see herself as my daughter (just as much as you seem to reject the idea that you are my son), she doesn’t have temper tantrums like a scorned child who is suffering from severe sibling jealousy whenever I do something special for anyone.

God in his omniscience knows of Sylvia’s youngest sons when they 4 years old and two years old. During the birthday of the younger son, Sylvia would prepare a few gifts for the 4-year-old who tended to get really jealous of the gifts received by the two-year-old. It was cute really.

But even at that young age, the 4 year-old never had a full-blown tantrum. He was never mean nor angry at the two-year-old for getting more. He never cursed people who gave gifts to his younger brother, never threatened to shame his younger brother. Being omniscient, Rodrigo, God knows you are 68 years older than a 4-year-old.

Really Rodrigo, a sex video? You need not be omniscient to know that that was uncalled for. In fact a whole bunch of people with the mentality of adolescents (aka certain congressmen) had to withdraw their threat to show that very same video when millions of adult Filipino women protested.

One of the things Sylvia and I have agreement in is the need to redress the age-old misogyny of society. Slut-shaming has no place anywhere.

My dear, dear, son. I know you have not fully repudiated me because you were so hurt by my gift to Leila of a rosary. Don’t worry. I will send you a gift too. If it worked for Sylvia’s 4-year-old, it might work for you too. You are after all, more mature than that.

I am sending you the pen that I used to write to Leila. You might want to use it to sign something too. A letter of apology to all women, a letter of protest to me or a bank waiver. Use the pen as God moves you.

Prayerfully yours,

Francis

 

Sylvia Estrada Claudio is a Professor of Women and Development Studies of the UP College of Social Work and Community Development. This letter came to her during a psychotic break. She doubts its provenance and is certain she did not channel any living spiritual leader. Furthermore, any similarities to known personalities and events are a result of her psychotic reasoning. She prays Catholics will forgive her for any similarities they may perceive.