O... O... O...?

Sometimes, people come to me and ask whether I belong to a particular religious order, like SJ, CDD, OFM, OFM cap, OCD, CSSR, etc.

For those of you who do not know what those acronyms mean:

SJ - Society of Jesus a.k.a. The Jesuits

CDD - Congregatio Discipulorum Domini a.k.a. Congregation of the Disciples of the Lord

OFM - Ordo Fratum Minorum a.k.a. Order of Franciscans Minor or Franciscan Friars

OFM cap - Ordo Fratrum Minorum Capuccinorum a.k.a. Order of Capuchin Friars

OCD - Order of Discalced Carmelites

CSSR - Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer or The Redemptorists

I am not from any particular Religious Order as I am a Diocesan priest. That means I serve in a parish in a particular diocese (in this case, Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese).

However, some still ask whether diocesan priests have got some sort of initial like the religious priests, brothers and sisters do. The short answer to this question is NO. But an elderly padre who once taught us in the seminary did share with us that diocesan priests have got a hidden "sort of initial" which we don't normally mention. The padre shared that diocesan priests are known "unofficially" as "OOO" (that's 'oh oh oh' and not 3 zeros).

Anyone knows what "OOO" means?

In case you did not know, "OOO" means: Out Of Order!

Since Diocesan priests do not belong to an "Order" or a Religious Order, they are therefore "Out of Order"

Ramblings of a Parish Padre - Responsibility and Accountability

Seriously speaking, I do not wish to micro manage or keep on telling people what to do, but there are times where the persons affected or involved are unable to comprehend what they are supposed to do, or they seem to take quite some time to grasp their duties and responsibilities, and despite several attempts and reminders, mistakes are repeatedly made, incurring the wrath of affected parties; or some seem to think that the church should be lenient or some believe that compassion should be practised without compromise, come what may.

Also, finding persons willing and able to get the task done effectively and efficiently is not easy, especially when it comes to remuneration, where commercial rates are asked, though the church collection does not make such commercial rates viable. Besides, certain benefits that are to be expected in commercial circles, may not be entirely possible when it comes to a church setting. For example, how does the church deal with perks and bonuses demanded by certain folks, where such perks and bonuses are possible in the commercial world,

Moreover, I sometimes end up having to tell folks that a tree has grown too tall and should be trimmed, so that it does not cause damage to the awning above, as if no one else seems to be able to notice the offending tree involved; or certain facilities are damaged or need to be replaced, but folks are not being proactive or taking initiative or responsibility and informing the parish office; or even the door of the restroom is damaged, and somehow I end up being the one noticing it; or certain procedures are not being followed, and I end up having to do damage control or calm things down, and suggest solutions and viable alternatives.

So, how does one let others do their thing or maintain the status quo, when things are not being done properly in the first place? Do we just let folks do what they can, and let things be, even if it may cause neglect or serious problems at a later time? How do we ensure that roles and responsibilities are observed well, when certain parties are not "up to mark" so to speak, and finding "up to mark" folks is certainly no easy task? It seems easier to adopt a laissez-faire approach, but would that be a right or just thing to do?

Then when abuses, misconduct or malpractices occur; or when situations get out of control due to too much leeway or lack of accountability; who ends up taking the rap? Will the bishop go after the other parties affected; or would certain parties be willing to take responsibility and own up for what has come to pass? Of course not! You and I know whose head ends up on the "chopping block,"

The parish priest is the administrator and spiritual leader of a parish. Both areas need to be handled, and one cannot just focus on one, to the detriment of the other. If certain folks are consistently and faithfully doing their part, and doing it well, then certainly that would be a great help. But the reality is, not many of us are blessed to have such great help. So, though I may sound like a broken record or appear to be the "bad guy," it is not because I relish doing so. In a perfect world, everyone should be responsible, effective, efficient and dedicated, or as previously mentioned, "up to mark," but do we live in such a utopia?

Procrastinate At Your Peril

Father... please... hurry... come quickly... my mom/dad/whoever is in critical condition... doctors are saying she/he may not make it... she/he needs anointing... please help...

Such a scenario happens every once in a while and when asked when did the person begin having such a serious condition and/or is bedridden, or was warded in a hospital, the answer is sometimes: "Oh... about 2 weeks ago," or "warded last week," or "quite some time back."

Then when asked, "why did you not ask for the priest to come earlier, so that the person could have his/her confession heard, and then receive the sacrament of anointing and where possible, the Eucharist, some become emotional and blame the priest for being insensitive, or for not being caring or concerned. Some even think that the priest is to be called only when the last rites are to be performed, and calling the priest early would seem like taboo, or "pantang larang" (Malay word for "taboo"), or as if it were a death sentence for the person involved, or something undesirable unless absolutely necessary.

But the reality is this: when something important occurs, would one wait till the last minute then only do something about it? For example, if one has a toothache, one would not wait till the the pain becomes worse or even excruciating, then only go to see a dentist. Likewise, when one discovers that one has got a disease which has not yet reach a critical level, one would not hesitate to seek early treatment to improve one's chances of survival. When we have an exam coming up, we would not wait till the last minute to study and prepare for it. Also, when one discovers that one had left the fire on at the stove or the tap on at home, after coming out of the house and driven a short distance away, one would quickly drive back to the house to switch off the fire or the tap to prevent disaster from happening, or ending up with a hefty water bill.

If we can take precautions for such situations and many more, then surely we ought to take precautions and inform the priest early, so that the priest could provide the necessary pastoral care to the person while there is time and opportunity to do so. When we procrastinate and delay in seeking the priest, are we possibly jeopardising the person's spiritual well-being and putting the Lord to the test? Thus, let us not wait till the last minute, since by then, it may be too late.