(Look who's hiding as usual? Find out whose rehearsed smile is missing! Kasi, nawala sa daan.)
August 21, 2006: For this year, PCF priests gathered together somewhere near the famous Dingmans Ferry Bridge that crosses the Delaware River and connects New Jersey to Pennsylvania. Fr. Rey Adalid with the couple Deacon Rey and Edna Trinidad (the ones who made it possible for us to converge here in Poconos) welcomed the young summer “Roman” priests. For the first timers, only two were absent. Those present were Frs. Melchor Braga, Oscar Cadayona, Nemer “Peping” Chua, Archie Faustino, Joselito Jopson, Venus Suarez, William Santiago, and the new capo Richard Tan. The old timers were Frs. Gio Argarin, Benjamin Calsado, Jimel Varela, Arlou Buslon, RJ Pinero, Raul Dael, Gregorio Uanan, Antonio Ricarte, Nars Minion, Freddie Billanes, Alberto Uy and Julio Gaddi. This group greatly missed this time the company of Frs. Wagner & Rodel who were lost on their way and decided to return to New Jersey, Frs. Dodong Billones & Edison Escario & Oliver Yalung who were tied to the parish, and Frs. Marvin Mejia & Rene Retardo & John “Luningning” Brillantes who were left behind in Rome.
The Holy Mass started at 1:30 in the afternoon with Msgr. Stude Santos, the PCF Rector, as the main celebrant. In his short homily, he dwelt on the related terms of acceptance, hospitality, and family. The liturgy was made alive through the diva-voice-like of Frs. Nars, Gio, and Jimel and through the electric guitar of Fr. Lito Jopson. After the Mass, there were twenty kinds of Filipino food ready to be gobbled up by the “reunioners”. You name it, you have it! The sharing of experiences followed after the late lunch at the cabin down near the creek. Each one’s sharing was very beautiful and mutually enriching. With the moral tones of Fr. Abet’s and spiritual tones of Fr. Raul’s, the sharing was getting more interesting as Fr. Arlo pointed out the importance of the health insurance which, according to Msgr. Stude, is supposedly part of the agreement between the PCF and the Archdiocese of Newark. This is the wisdom of a biblical scholar – to see the practical sides of things. The words of the Father Rector summed up everything we said during the sharing.
The beautiful waterfalls and surrounding trees and hills didn’t fail to attract our eyes to flip over one after another. The beautiful sceneries served as the background and added beauty and perhaps glamour to the person as he posed for posterity- which Frs. Nars and Tony actually acquired. We parted ways to return to New Jersey and New York after thanking Deacon Rey and Edna Trinidad and the rest of the owners of the cars who brought us to the memorable place. It’s wonderful. Grazie tante Msgr. Stude and Fr. Rey Adalid, OP. Ci vediamo a Roma questo primo giorno di ottobre!
