Cory’s ‘gospel of conversion’ still needed today - bishop

Traditionally celebrated every January 25, the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, once a notorious persecutor of Christians, tells of a vision that appeared to him on his way to the Syrian city of Damascus to arrest Jesus’ followers. On the road, he was blinded by a brilliant light and heard the voice of Jesus revealing the Gospel to him. In his homily on the occasion of the 77th birthday of the late President Corazon “Cory" Aquino, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas likened the country’s foremost democracy icon to that rare vision which became instrumental to the Filipino’s conversion, ushering in “a period of peace and freedom." “She [Mrs. Aquino] was God’s instrument of hope to bring out the best in the people, that it is better to light a candle than condemn the darkness," Villegas said in a memorial Mass Monday at the Church of Gesu at the Ateneo de Manila University. Mrs. Aquino, widow of slain Senator Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr., rose to power in 1986 following a street uprising that ousted then dictator Ferdinand Marcos. She died on August 1 last year after months of battling colon cancer.

“Gospel of conversion" The Mass, attended by Mrs. Aquino’s daughters Ma. Elena Aquino-Cruz and Pinky Aquino-Abellada, and her grandchildren, drew hundreds of Aquino supporters, composed mainly and nuns and students from across Metro Manila, wearing yellow shirts, pins and ribbons. Hers was “a gospel of confrontation, challenge and conversion," Villegas said, adding that Mrs. Aquino was “confrontational" as she was honest enough to recognize the tyranny of the dictatorship during her time and do something to change it. Villegas also scored the current dispensation for its alleged failure to curb the workings of “guns, goons and gold" especially at a time when the national elections are drawing near. “We miss you [Mrs. Aquino] because we feel the enveloping darkness. We are where God does not want us to be," Villegas said. He cited the massive cheating and violence that have characterized the country’s elections, saying that this early, political violence has already claimed the lives of at least 57 people in the massacre in Maguindanao, and that excessive spending by candidates on their campaign is already apparent. “Bring our prayers to God, to give us the boldness to be confrontational with evil, to send us another one like you [Mrs. Aquino] to bring us to real and definite conversion," Villegas added. iamninoy-iamcory Movement A tribute concert was held inside the Church after the Mass, with junctures in Mrs. Aquino’s life presented in song and dance numbers, as well as video presentations. The performances traced both the private and public aspects of Mrs. Aquino’s life, from being a young wife and a mother, to being the country’s first woman president. Performers included singer Jose Mari Chan, University of the Philippines College of Music Dean Ramon Acoymo, Noel Cabangon, and the Philippine Stagers Foundation. The concert also served as the launching of the second phase of the iamninoy campaign launched in 2008 in commemoration of Ninoy’s 25th death anniversary. Rafael Lopa, executive director of the Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Foundation (BSAF), said the second phase, dubbed the iamninoy-iamcory Movement, seeks to integrate into the campaign the “Cory element", which he described as “selfless sharing in the spirit of sacrifice." The iamninoy campaign first gained ground with the onslaught of commercial items, mainly statement shirts, up for sale in its partner retail stores such as Bench, Penshoppe, Mint, Analog Soul, Team Manila, i2i and Sarabia Optical. Apparently, its main supporters were middle-class citizens, such as students and young professionals, who could afford the items. “Everytime (sic) you buy an iamninoy item from our retail partners, a portion of its sale goes to various national charities that work for justice, freedom and the well-being of our countrymen," its website says. As of August 2009, the campaign has already contributed over P2 million to various advocacies. One such item is a commemorative car plate worth P2,300. A basic iamninoy shirt meanwhile would cost around P500 or higher. Other items include pins, rosary bracelets and bags. - KBK, GMANews.TV