When Our Eyes Grow Dim

by Tessa Mangahas

Filipinos are known for their extended families. Why is the Diocese of Cubao building a retirement home for its elderly and sickly priests? Won’t their families take care of them?

I think that after years of actively serving the Church in their prim, hearing confessions, saying Masses, and being with die faithful in their crisis, priests deserve a decent home to retire in.

We are seven children in the family. I also have pamangkins who are reassuring me that they will take care of me. But I don’t want to be a burden to them. We know our situations when we grow old—our bones are frail and our sight grows dim. We get cranky. We are sickly. We lose control of our bladder and make a mess. I think it is unfair to put the burden of caring for you on your relatives even if they are willing. It is good to retire with dignity.

Casa de Silencio is right smack in the middle of the busy city. Why not a quieter place to retire in?

Cuban is in the city. The diocese does not have its own spiritual or retreat facility. This is why the retirement home is also a spiritual center. Also, there are a lot of good hospitals within striking distance and that is reassuring„ especially in cases of medical emergencies.

Even if it’s not luxurious, the retirement home will cost a tidy sum. How can parishes in the diocese help raise funds for this project amidst their own pastoral needs and social action response for calamities and the poor?

This is the beauty of generous giving. Even with the fund raising campaign for Casa de Silencio, none of the existing parish projects have to be disrupted. Nothing stops the faithful from helping. Sometimes we have a second collection. Minsan mas malaki pa ang nakukuha kesa sa regular collection. Then, there are creative ways to raise funds like your Casa Setenta. And the giving is never fenced. The amazing thing is that people still support campaigns Ince Casa Setenta and also respond to calls to help calamity victims like Taal and Typhoon Ursula with the same fervor. Kahit na maraming gastusin ang mga kani-kanilang parokya. I am always surprised at the generosity. Siguro nagpapasalamat sila na hindi sila ang naging biktima. Plus the helping is sometimes simultaneous with different causes. I guess this is where the stewardship element comes in. We continually receive graces, (so) we also continue to give.

How will Casa de Silencio answer for its overhead? Will it be a purely spiritual facility?

Casa de Silencio will be income-generating through the retreats, pastoral planning„ and corporate events that it will have. We have gone around retirement homes for the religious and we have been planning this for four years. Medyo na-late na nga tayo. We are open to corporate activities, not solely spiritual. The rooms will be comfortable. I am sure that parishes and schools Will patronize our spiritual center, especially since we Will open it to social and corporate activities. It can also be used as a formation center for incoming priests or vocations. It will not be luxurious but comfortable and functional. And you won’t have to go out of town because a suitable center is right here.

On a personal note, what do you plan to do when yon retire?

I am supposed to retire in three years and the Vatican is supposed to replace you when you turn 75. Historically, the Vatican just accepts your resignation until they find a suitable replacement. I have already published two books. But I have mounds of manuscripts on hand that I can turn into another book of homilies or other topics. I also expect more free time for myself and say Mass where I want. I want to stay relevant by continuing pastoral activities—whatever I can contribute. It will really depend on my state of health.

Recently we lost one of our elderly priests, Msgr. Ben (Razon). He wanted to go back to his hometown in Guagua, but his siblings were also old. I am happy to have had the chance to take care of him for over a month before he passed on. I got to see and talk to his at least four times a day.

It is good to know that you don’t have to worry about getting old and frail because there Will be a retirement home for you. I would like to grow old with my brother priests. You will always have common things to share. You can bond and still be relevant by saying a few Masses. We would like to take care of our brother priests when they’re old.