This is a copy of open letter sent to Father John Sim of
Church of the Risen
Christ, Toa Payoh Central;
I am sad as a Filipino
because instead of a sermon of compassionate for all the filipinos
affected by the floods, Father Thomas Lim was complaining about his
10 hrs delay from Manila to Singapore.
AN OPEN
LETTER TO HIS REVEREND, FATHER JOHN SIM
(Church of the Risen Christ, Toa Payoh
Central)
Dear Father Sim,
It may not be common for a Filipino to write to your
good office to provide feedback. However, because of what
transpired during the Children’s Day celebration 1130am mass, I
couldn’t possible ignore it.
I will try to discuss the issue with objectivity and
humility. So allow me to discuss it in this letter point by
point.
Saturday, 27 September 2009 –
Philippines
Residents of both the posh villages and common
residences bravely evacuated the heavily-flooded portion of Ortigas
Avenue, Quezon City and Makati City desperately to find a safer
place for their family.
PLEASE WATCH THIS HEART WRENCHING VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=923IKL9Lij4
Filipinos around the world were frantic because back
in their country, they were unsure if their love ones were safe.
Having heard from the news that there was no electricity and
communication lines were cut.
In Singapore, we couldn’t sleep well worrying about
our families, relatives, and friends. I have friends who were
crying because their elderly parents where trapped inside the house
and frightened with rising water. I was also informed that there
were families who were sick and had to climb on the roof top and
stay there helplessly until Sunday, shivering in cold, frightened
with the darkness, hungry for food. All of these, we had to cry off
being away from our families and unable to provide
help.
Sunday, 28 September 2009 - Singapore
Full of hope that things will get better, we all
woke up earlier than usual to hear mass. I was anticipating that a
short prayer for the Filipino people who are still suffering the
effect of Typhoon Ondoy.
Then Father Thomas Lim started the homily with his
unfortunate experience in the Philippines.
He said, and I quote in the best way that I can
remember
“There was a typhoon in the
Philippines….”
“I checked in at around 11am ….then we were informed
that there was a delay”
“I prayed very hard because I have to reach
Singapore for the Sunday mass”
“At 430 pm, everyone is moving…..but we were
informed that crew is not around yet!”
People in the church, including the children were
all laughing.
“…. Then we were informed that the pilot is not
around yet!”
People started to growl, sharing the priest
disappointment. The children were laughing and overheard the kid in
front of me saying “That is stupid! Then what? The co-pilot is
missing?” and laughed so loud.
I really can not comprehend why a catholic priest,
who is supposed to fulfill the role as a mediator between us and
God and should teach the ways of God and His Church, can deliver a
homily intended for the children with such negativity and
selfishness.
If he wasn’t able to see the big picture or simply
be sensitive about what happened, then for me and in my opinion, he
was the biggest disappointment of all.
Allow me to visually and literally explain why I
felt this way.
While Fr. Thomas was safe, dry and with unlimited
source of food inside the airport terminal, thousands of Filipino
people outside the terminal were suffering and some may even be
dying.
When the crew and the pilot arrived late, I was
hoping that he will say, “I thank these people’s effort because in
spite of the heavy rains, they were brave enough to leave their
family who might also be in danger, and courageously make it thru
the 5ft deep flood outside just to fulfill their obligations.
(Remember, the time this incident happened, it was during the time
when our country was dumped with the heaviest rainfall in 4
decades.)
Instead, what we heard from him was, and I quote
again with the best of my ability to remember “Philippines and
Singapore are 2 different world! Tsk tsk tsk…. Can not
compare”
Father Sim, whatever happened to the teaching that
says, “We are all one in Christ?”
Am sorry but I wanted to ask him these questions,
Father Thomas, you were very proud of having travelled to different
Asian countries. During your visits, were you able to touch the
lives of the unfortunate people or were you just busy thinking
about the difference between Singapore and the 3rd world countries
in Asia? What about the culture? Did you even find time to learn
and understand the culture in order for you to appreciate and
grateful (not boastful) of your life in Singapore
more?
For you to question why you felt disappointed that
Filipino people calls you Father Thomas and not just Thomas? Didn’t
you know that Filipino people were instilled to respect people in
the church, the elders, government officials and what have you? You
should have been grateful! I bet my life that you were welcomed
warmly and well taken cared of during your stay in the Philippines.
I am sure that his most Reverend Fr. Gaudencio Rosales, did his
best to give you the most comfortable accommodation only to
criticise Filipinos in your sermon for respecting you by calling
you Father?
I would have walked out and called on other
Filipinos to walk out during the mass and lobby against you. But I
said to myself, if Father Thomas can not be mature and sensitive
enough to human feelings, it doesn’t mean that I have to be like
him. So I just prayed for His intercession and asked the Lord that
if He wanted me to relay what we felt, He would arrange ways for me
to talk to Father Sim.
In the mass for children, Father Thomas could’ve
just capped his unfortunate experience in the Philippines with the
following virtues which we all hope that our children will be
instilled with:
GRATITUDE
1.Thank the crew and the pilot for being brave
enough to fulfill their duties even if it means that they have to
survive the 5ft deep flood and leave their families amidst the
calamity.
2.Thank God because Singapore does not have to
suffer the effect of heavy rainfall which they said was the effect
of climate change (This is the first time that posh villages whose
got good drainage system and elevated lands were fully submerged.
The highest recorded rainfall in Metro Manila since about 40 years
ago).
COMPASSION
1.Offer sympathy and kindness to those who were
affected by the calamity (As of Sunday night, the National Disaster
Coordinating Council reported 240 persons killed and nearly 470,000
families displaced due to floods caused by tropical storm
Ondoy)
2.Show consideration and sensitivity amidst conflict
and chaos. Isn’t he, as a priest, supposed to demonstrate this
virtue?
POWER OF PRAYER
1.Let the children understand that prayers can move
mountains. Isn’t that in spite of the heavy rainfall, Father Thomas
was able to arrive in Singapore safe and sound? Yes, there was a
huge delay, but there was a huge reason behind that. Did he fail to
look into the other side of the story?
2.Ask the children to offer a short prayer for those
who are still suffering… hungry… drying and sick…drenched overnight
because their homes were submerged into the ocean like
flood.
Father Sim, it was just 3 simple virtues that the
children were supposed to hear during the mass. Highlighting the
inefficiency of Philippines and comparing it to Singapore is
UNCALLED FOR! We may have a lot of flaws. I am not stopping Fr.
Thomas to talk about his disappointments with our country and our
flaws. He can share this to his friends for all I care. However, in
front of the children? Did he really think that the church was the
appropriate venue? Not to mention that it was during the Children’s
Day? He failed to exercise respect.
My heart, together with the rest of the Filipinos
who were present during the 27 September Children’s ,1130 morning
mass, sunk. We were physically battered by the typhoon and Fr.
Thomas made it even more painful for us.
MY PERSONAL REQUEST:
I originally intended to demand Father Thomas to
give a public apology. However, all were said and done. There is
nothing else we can do.
I just want to request from you Father Sim, if we
can offer the 1130am mass on 4th of October 2009 for all those who
were affected. I hope that you can also show this video to the
church goers so that they know what happened in our
country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bCW7IkICKA&feature=related
Father Sim, I know that you want to promote
compassion and unity. We believe in you as our parish priest. I
hope that you will not take this for granted. Just please relay my
opinion about this matter to Father
Thomas.