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FEATURES (August 25 – August 31,
2008) Pardanon Samtoy Jose “Pepito” Alvarez Cultural heritage of the Church (This writer wishes to
ask apology from the readers of this column for the momentary suspension of
the fourth in a series with regards the Christianization of the North to give
way to a very important subject which is very much relevant to the ongoing
series.) The
clergy of the Diocese of Laoag Convened
on Aug. 18, 2008 to Aug. 20, 2008 at the Playa Tropical Beach Resort in
Currimao, Ilocos Norte as part of their ongoing formation. Said convocation
was centered on the Basic orientation on the Cultural Heritage of the Church.
This was made possible thru the initiative and approval of our beloved Bishop
Sergio Utleg D.D. It was indeed a very
rare opportunity for me to have been invited by the good Bishop. The
discussions were centered on our needed active participation in the caring,
preservation and restoration of our Heritage. This Heritage does not only
mean the tangible, like the buildings and images but also the intangible
which is considered as the soul of our heritage. The movement in a dance, the
rhythm of music and the fleeting moment in a presentation is what is called
the intangible. Bishop Sergio L.
Utleg delivered the statement of purpose in his Opening Remarks which was
followed by a power point presentation on the initial perspective on the
Cultural Heritage of the Church in the Diocese of Laoag by Fr. Ericson Josue. Those who were
invited as resource speakers were Fr. Milan Ted D. Torralba who discussed
“The A.B.C. on the Cultural Heritage of the church.” Followed by: Fr. Harold
Rentoria, O.S.A; Head of the NCCA National Committee on Archives who
discussed “The Pastoral Function of the Ecclesiastical Archives in the life
of the Church.” The fourth speaker was Ms. Corazon C.
Alvina, Director of the The last to speak
was Prof. Alexandria I. Chua, Professor of Heritage Musicology, UST
Conservatory of Music who discussed “The Place and Function of Heritage Music
in the Life of the Church.” One does not need
the required detailed knowledge of a heritage site or of an archeological
find or of poems, folk songs or folk tales to lay claim of ownership over
this great wealth. The seminar taught me a new word, “beneficial owner” (all
of us; Catholic or non-Catholic; Christian or atheist; rich or poor) and
because of this ownership, we can have a link with the past and the future.
It provides a nickname for a particular feeling of Pride: “a rich cultural
heritage” which makes one proud being a Filipino or Particularly; “Proud to
be Ilocano,” I was delighted to have observed the energetic attention to the
lectures for three days of Bishop Utleg and the members of the clergy and as
a positive response, the bishop immediately recommended the creation of a
committee on Culture and Church heritage to be headed by Fr. Danny Laeda. Points to Ponder:
Much of what we know of the past, we have learned them from historians and
artists. Visual artist have always been intentional chroniclers. They have
also been unintentional historians, showing us through their art the intimate
details of life long ago. One of them was our very own Juan Luna whose works
have become our priceless heritage. You and I are beneficial owners of his
works. The Builder, the
musician, the chronicler, the poet and the painter as historian has not a
good name says John Russel of the New York Times. History-painting for
example was a drudgery as often as not, and all too often it showed. “But the
painter as newsman!” That is someone quite different. It was the painter as
newsman who gave us not “history” but our first unforgettable drafts of it.” Whether
or not the painter himself was present at the event, says Russel, “He makes
us feel that we have been there.” His eyes become our eye, and our hearts
beat with his. Now you can imagine what it means by “beneficial owner.” When
I was listening to the lecture of Prof. Alexandria Chua, on heritage
musicology, I was smiling inside of me because I remembered the verbal
mistakes in our prayers and liturgical songs. Just how easily verbal mistakes
or verbal misunderstandings can blossom is demonstrated in our “Amami”; I
always hear “Isalakan nakan ti (sic) dakes” instead of “isalakan nakam iti
dakes.” Wrong syllabications have so proliferated into our songs. Certain
words in loco change entirely their meaning when you change their
syllabication. Indeed, there is wisdom on the Bishop’s creation of a
committee on “Culture and Church Heritage.” This committee will be tasked
with a multi faceted job to polish many of our existing knowledge on our
tangible and intangible heritage. Ilocos Times copyright 2008 |
Features Cultural heritage of the
Church Sprouted pigmented rice a
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