Non-composer Bishop Manlapaz composes song for diocese’s 30th year

Oct 14-20, 2010

Papal Nuncio Adams here in City of Palms

TAGUM CITY- Non-composer Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz has composed a good song dedicated to the priests just before the 30th anniversary of the Diocese of Tagum and the local culmination of the Year for the Priests, which were recently celebrated here with the presence of Papal Nuncio Joseph Edward Adams.

It was sung onstage by over 100 priests serving Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley clergies in a community singing as last encore during the awarding and culmination rites Monday night at the  Queen of Apostles College Seminary Gym, Seminary Drive, Tagum City.

Entitled “Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of the Priest”, the song with its good with its lyrics and rythm has a potential for hit.

The bishop in his talk during the culmination night admitted he is no composer but he said “maybe the Almighty God made me compose the song” just before in time with the 30th anniversary of the diocese and as they were about to have their local culmination of the Year for the Priests.

He said that the song hums in a message “that the priests are gifts of God to the Church” and it exhorts all the priests as well as to all by virtue of their baptism to be always faithful believers of Christ in words and in deeds.

When it was collectively sung onstage by over 100 priests led by the bishop and Rev. Monsignor Ulysses Perandos, who filled up the QACS Gym, the audience composed of the religious, laymen, apostolates, public officials and guests were observed to captivated by the song.

Bishop Manlapaz exhorted everyone to continue singing the song in continuing celebration over the victory of being faithful Christians.

The night had the last events folk dance and choral competitions vied by the Davao del Norte Clergy and Compostela Valley Clergy.

It has also QACS seminarians portraying a drama on the temptations, struggles and faithfulness of St. John Mary Vianney in tribute for his 150th year of sainthhood.

For almost a month ending Monday the Parilympics 2010, staged also in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the New Christ the King Cathedral and for 40th jubilee year of the first Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban (GKK) of the diocese, priests competed in bonding outdoor and indoor games, song, talent and dance competitions in various parishes including having them seen vying for a treasure hunt in San Miguel Mission Area in Mt. Diwalwal, Monkayo.

Davao del Norte Clergy bagged the top prize of P100,000 with 2,250 accumulated points from all events, while the Comval Clergy got P50,000 with their 2,000 accumulated points.

The celebration was guested by no less than His Most Reverend Papal Nuncio Joseph Edward Adams, who arrived Sunday and left back to Manila Monday afternoon. He slept at the Clergy House, where the bishop resides.

The papal nuncio concelebrated the 5th dedication mass for the New Christ the King Cathedral last Monday morning.

In his homily,  the papal nuncio stressed the importance of the Church as source of unity of the faithful and highlighted the apostolic succession after the Church’s founding by Saint Peter.

Moreover, Rev. Monsignor David Bell, vicar general of the Diocese of Palmerston North in New Zealand and tennister priests from various parts of the country came and joined the successful anniversary celebration.

Top-seed tennis players from among the country’s Catholic priests are competing for their national tennis competition of the clergy Oct. 12 to 14 at the Rotary Park tennis court, Tagum City. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

 

Filed under: Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz, Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz

NEWS: DavNor candidates sign PNP-initiated covenant for honest, peaceful, credible polls

By Cha Monforte, Rural Urban News

march 22

Davao del Norte candidates, friends and foes alike, trooped to the gigantic New Christ the King Cathedral Sunday morning to hear a mass celebrated by Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz and signed the peace covenant swearing them in to work for a fair, honest, peaceful and credible May 10 elections.

In his homily, five days before the start of the campaign period of local candidates, Bishop Manlapaz doubly called on all candidates in the province as well as the people to work for the success of the incoming elections.

He said that “there is a need of help from everybody” considering the great task of making the election free from mudslinging, violence, vote-buying, cheating, manipulation and other dirty tactics that had characterized the country’s past elections.

“Even those in the Comelec and poll inspectors are suspect (in the past elections),” he added.

“But the Comelec and accredited citizens watchdogs cannot do it alone but by everybody so that once and for all we can have an honest, peaceful and credible elections this time,” Bishop Manlapaz said.

As he prayed for the safety of the candidates, their families and followers, he reminded them that “public service is service to God, country and people. Politics in itself is good, it’s a service to God.”

After the mass, the covenant signing followed after they collectively pledged for the peace covenant in the presence of a huge crowd of church goers. The pledge was read by Governor Rodolfo del Rosario.

Manlapaz hoped that those who signed the covenant would make true their pledge.

Almost all of the Davao del Norte candidates attended the gathering which was jointly convened by Philippine National Police regional commander Police Chief Supt. Pedro Tanggo with the support of PNP provincial director Police Senior Supt. Jose Pante, and Bishop Manlapaz.

PSSupt. Pante thanked the candidates who attended the covenant signing.

He said that the activity only send a message that the PNP including the Armed Forces of the Philippines is “a non-political and non-partisan organization” committed to safeguard the constitutional right of the people to freely choose their leaders.

Also seen to have led in the attendance of candidates from the seven towns and three cities in the province were mayoralty rivals District 1 Congressman Arrel Olano, Tagum City Mayor Rey Chiong Uy and former Gov. Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza, unopposed District 2 Congressman Anton Lagdameo beside former Vice Governor and District 1 congressional candidate Anthony Rafael del Rosario, and his rival ex-boardmember Emily Alvarez, reelectionist Vice Gov. Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio Jr and rival boardmember Roger “Dangpanan” Israel, most of the candidates for mayors, vice mayors and councilors in varying political parties dominated by Liberal Party and Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Many sported attire and wristbands with signature color of their political parties and presidential candidates, while others chose to just wear just casual attire sans a political message. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz, Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz