Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Archbishop's Legacy Lives


(From the Citation for Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legazpi, O.P., D.D., Archdiocese of Caceres
Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, 60th Commencement Exercises
of Colleges and Graduate School, Ateneo de Naga University)

Written by Rodolfo SB. Virtus Jr.

Who in fact is the priest, if not a man converted and renewed by the Spirit, who lives from a personal relationship with Christ, constantly making the Gospel criteria his own? Who is the priest, if not a man of unity, aware of his own limits and at the same time, of the extraordinary greatness of the vocation he has received, that of helping to extend the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth?”[1]
    -          Pope Benedict XVI

His vocation began, as in most stories of birth of priestly or religious vocations, from a sense of confusion and dissatisfaction with his life. After his high school graduation at St. Mary’s Academy in Meycauayan, Bulacan, the young Leonardo Legaspi - or Kading - did not have a definite idea of what he was going to be. At first, he planned to enter the Philippine Military Academy. He next considered being a sportsman as he got offered to play at a commercial basketball league. However, he ended up studying Civil Engineering at the University of the Philippines when he knew he was not a math and drawing person. Half-hearted in his decision, he earned disastrous marks in his major subjects, and then he felt homesick and got literally sick. His discouraging situation prompted his father to transfer him to the pre-Law of the University of Santo Tomas where he performed better, but not much.[2]

Kading’s first experience of his calling came upon him during the summer of his sophomore year in UST when he played basketball at a seminary facility.  He vividly recounted that he was struck by the awe-inspiring silence and peace that embraced him at the seminary. When asked by his father how his game was, he expressed instead his feelings of entering a seminary life. He was never extraordinarily religious in his youth, so his family and even his uncle who was a monsignor did not believe at first that he had the priestly vocation. But with the help of another relative, some Dominicans welcomed him under their formation. At 17, he found his way to the corridors of St. Albert Priory in Hong Kong of the Dominicans to study Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. The teenage Leonardo, unaware of his grander role in the future, thought that he was called to teach.[3]

The Making of a Priest-Educator
Upon completing his studies in Hong Kong, he returned to the Philippines and was ordained a Dominican priest in 1960. He continued his studies at the Faculty of Sacred Theology at UST, finishing degrees of Licentiate in Sacred Theology (1961) and Doctorate in Sacred Theology Magna Cum Laude (1962). In 1971, he was a grantee of the Asia Foundation and Alfred Sloan Foundation to a scholarship in the Institute of Educational Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration in the United States. In 1975, he finished Doctor of Philosophy at UST.

As a priest deeply involved in the teaching ministry, the young Fr. Leonardo helped facilitate the Filipinization of UST education when he was appointed as its Central Seminary’s first Filipino Rector, and later the Pontifical and Royal University’s first Filipino Rector Magnificus (1971-1977). Within the Order of Preachers, he was the first Filipino Vicar of the Philippine Dominican Vicariate. In both societies, he manifested his gifts of prudent and vision-driven leadership and management which earned him the respect and admiration of his fellow educators, priests and theologians. Fittingly, he received prestigious accolades like the Ten Outstanding Young Men award for education, Gran Cruz del Alfonso X El Sabio of the Spanish Government, Rizal Pro Patria Award and the International Association of University Presidents Award, to name a few.

He was drawn nearer to his destiny in 1977 when Pope John Paul II appointed him as titular bishop of Elefantaria in Mauritania and auxiliary bishop of Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin of Manila. Still mindful of his passion in the teaching ministry, Cardinal Sin allowed him to remain rector of UST. But with a heavy heart, he had to relinquish his post to his vice rector because holding the two positions at the same time was not compatible with the rules of the Dominican Order.

A Gift Richly Given to Bikol
Seven years later, there was a prospect unfolding for Msgr. Legaspi at Caceres: the old Archbishop Teopisto Alberto just announced his retirement. He was nominated to take his place. His friends and parishioners who knew his effective leadership rightly described this event as “Manila’s loss, Bikol’s gain.”[4] Indeed, on January 17, 1984, the Bikolano faithful received him as gift upon his installation as the 33rd Bishop and third Archbishop of Caceres. On his way to Naga, he was greeted by jubilant crowds along the streets of Daet, Villazar, Sipocot, Mambulo, Tambo, San Fernando and Milaor. As he received they keys of the province from Governor Felix Fuentebella, he described the Bikolanos with these words:

On my way to Naga from Daet this afternoon, the beauty of Mt. Isarog caught my attention. “What placidity! What serenity!” I told myself. And I could not help thinking of that other mountain of the Bicol Region, the fiery Mt. Mayon. How fittingly, I thought, these two mountains portray the two sides of the Bicolano character, vigorous and fiery yet sober and peace loving.[5]

Initially, the Archbishop’s confinement in the academe for 14 years posed some challenges for him. Except for the occasional Masses in a parish, he practically had no experience of parish life. To overcome this, he utilized his management experience and looked at Caceres in that light. While the many bishops before him had administered the Archdiocese as a parish priest, he viewed it from the perspective of a university. He introduced planning, organization and assessment of resources.

Nourishing Seminary and Priestly Formation in Caceres
At the onset of his episcopacy, the Archbishop recognized the local Church’s lack of understanding about its prophetic role vis-à-vis the reality of the world. To respond to this, he knew that he had to start right at the seminary where priestly formation begins. Quite logically, among his first accomplishments was the introduction of major development in the formation program, faculty development and direction of the seminaries. Specifically, the three stages in seminary formation (preparatory, minor and major seminaries) have been delineated and endowed with their particular facilities.

Although a macro-manager who trusts seminary formators, he still personally looks over the development and concerns of the seminarians. He would know each one of them, have breakfast with them, assist in their financial concerns, and help formators guide them in their journey to priesthood.

He has also given equal attention to the continuing formation of priests. As he stressed in The Diocesan Priestly Life and Ministry Formation Manual, the formation of a priest does not end in his ordination, but needs to be continuously nurtured in his priestly life and ministry.  To the Caceres priests, he resembles the typical Filipino father who impresses strict discipline on them and places call of duty above any personal matter. But he can also be very understanding and sensitive to their needs. He once described his relationship with the priests:

“The priests are my sons and friends. In virtue of sacred ordination we have in common, we are bound together in the intimacy of brotherhood which should be spontaneously and cheerfully demonstrated in mutual help, spiritual and material alike, pastoral and personal. That is why one of my chief anxieties is the welfare of my priests, and I believe that my first responsibility is to look after, care for the priests.[6]

The creation of programs like the Caceres Clergy Security System, for the priests’ insurance benefits; ‘Kapwa ko, Parroco’ (My Fellow Pastor), a fund-building campaign for priests; Gaudium Sacerdotale (Joy in the Priesthood) Fund, a program for priests’ renewal; and Pro-Seminario Collection, provision of subsidies to poor parishes; and Madrigal Foundation scholarship grants manifest his care for the priests.

Revitalizing Catechism
Being a former Catholic educator, the Archbishop has made catechesis his first priority. In fact, one of his first decrees as Archbishop was the establishment of the Caceres Catechetical Ministry. Consequently, the ministry opened in 1987 the Caceres Catechetical Center which trains catechists who would assist the parishes and provide religious instruction in public schools. Today, this ministry claims to have formed some 1,300 volunteer catechists, and extends beyond Caceres as model and inspiration.

To expand the reach of catechism, the archdiocese utilized the media through the creation of the Caceres Commission on Communications (CCCom). By serving as the liaison between the Archdiocese and media practitioners, the teachings of the Church are promoted through the local media. And to further encourage the media to promote Christian spirituality, the CCCom has even organized six St. Peter Baptist Catholic Mass Media Awards to recognize media organizations and practitioners who live up to the motto, Christian Values Make Good Media.

The Archbishop has also provided monumental leadership in shaping catechism in the nation. When he was chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education (ECCCE) from 1977 to 1978 and 1994 to 2003, new catechetical tools were designed like the National Catechetical Directory of the Philippines and the Manual for Family Catechesis, and remarkably the Catechesis of the Catholic Church, which is the first national catechism document published by Vatican after the Universal Catechism. It was also through his leadership that ECCCE established the National Catechetical Week and forged close collaboration with the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP). These achievements have made the country a subject of admiration and imitation even in other parts of the Catholic world, bestowing him the reputation as the “Architect of Philippine Catechesis in Our Time.”[7]

Making Pastoral Care Accessible to All
In his book Light to all (2004), Archbishop Legaspi underscored his duty as the one most entrusted with the responsibility to keep the local church under his care in the grace of God’s visitation, so that in its midst, the visit made ‘once-and-for-all’ in Jesus Christ becomes present anew from age to age.”[8] Evidently, he brought about significant initiatives and changes which have resulted in the greater access of the faithful to pastoral services and have empowered both the clergy and the laity in Caceres and in the country.

From 1987 till 1991, he served as president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. In his term, he convened the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II), which Pope John Paul II described as one of the most significant events in the ecclesial life of the Catholic Church in the country.[9] Some of the Church’s continuing pastoral priorities emerged from PCP II’s acts and decrees: the preferential attention to the poor and the engaged role of laity in carrying out the Church’s mission in social transformation.

At Caceres, the growth of the Church has been on continuous rise. The number of parishes dramatically increased by more than 100 percent, from 38 in 1984 to 75 parishes today. Where the government cannot provide even the basic services, Caceres has a priest to take care of the people, especially the poor. The map of Caceres dramatically expanded in 1989 when, through a petition of the Archbishop, Rome approved the Prelature of Libmanan as a new ecclesiastical jurisdiction. And a decade later, Libmanan was recognized by Pope Benedict XVI as a new diocese, which now has 27 parishes.

To be closer to homes, the Archbishop created the Family Ministry in the Archdiocese of Caceres, a major pastoral strategy towards the promotion of marriage and family as a domestic church and the locus of new evangelization. This ministry has made counselling services available for married couples and families, leading the family towards social participation and apostolate. In one of his pastoral letters, he made clear the importance of this ministry, declaring that:

 “... the family is where the Gospel is first heard and witnessed to by the members. The family has to be a true school of evangelization, where every member first learns to participate in the evangelizing mission of the Church”[10]

With parishes now closer to homes, the lay faithful have been inspired to participate in the ministries and assume responsibilities. One concrete articulation of the laity’s participation was the establishment of the Caceres Social Action Foundation (CASAFI). Through CASAFI, the laity and other church-based groups engaged in social apostolates have been coordinated to sharpen focus and impact on Bikol development. This is consistent with the archbishop’s social action vision, articulating that:

“... the challenge of our church is to make it truly the ‘home for the poor.’ The Church shepherds her flock not only by nourishing their souls with the Eucharist but by creating an environment that ensures human development.”[11]

Young people also found opportunities for self-expression within the church’s organizational structure. With the creation of the Caceres Youth and Campus Ministry, the archdiocese has seen the energies of the youth in various youth encounters, vigils and camps. To widen the reach of this program, he strategically established continuing relationships with schools such as the Ateneo de Naga University and the Universidad de Sta. Isabel, but also the non-sectarian ones. The University of Nueva Caceres and Naga College Foundation can confirm how he has generously helped in shaping their respective campus ministries and provided them priests for their students’ sacramental and spiritual needs.

The Archbishop’s pastoral achievements have provided a highly encouraging environment for religious and apostolate communities. In fact, Caceres witnessed the increase in the number of religious communities from seven in 1984 to now 28 religious congregations, pious associations and secular institutes for men and women. The archdiocese is home now to more than 300 religious persons. This growth has also been complimented by the rise in the number of apostolates: for the sick and the dying, the elderly and the disabled, the abused and the abandoned and other disadvantaged sectors; and the apostolates in counselling and retreat ministry, pre-school and non-formal education, livelihood programs and even native tribal promotion.


Protecting the Peñafrancia Devotion
Before he even came to Caceres, Archbishop Legaspi had been conscious of the filial relationship between the Ina and the Bikolano. He aptly described the Bikolano people as “inheritors of a past where being a people is interwoven with being Church. And at the heart of this convergence of culture and faith is Mary ... Ina is Bikol; Bikol is Ina.[12]

Nonetheless, he was also aware of the mounting challenges of secularization and commercialization to this Marian devotion. This awareness helped him appreciate more clearly his special role in Bikol: to protect the Marian devotion and, through her, bring the people closer to the Church and to God. And through her, animate the Church’s flock towards empowerment and change.

To fulfil his special role, his first step was to set up structures to safeguard the image of Ina by renovating the Basilica where she dwells and the Shrine where she stays during the Peñafrancia novena. He designated personnel such as the rectors of the said churches who are responsible for helping promote the devotion. He also directed the making of the image’s replica which has been used in the annual traslacion and Fluvial Parade so that the original image would be preserved.

At the eve of the Tercentenary Celebration of the devotion, the Archbishop introduced essential changes in the fiesta like the establishment of religious zones for devotees and pilgrims, and formation sessions for the voyadores to ensure peaceful and orderly processions and more meaningful novena. Most importantly, he moved to redefine the devotion and free the novena from the many secularized and commercialized fiesta activities like pageants and street parties. The Ateneo de Naga University and other schools under the Bicol Association of Catholic Schools heeded to his call for discernment on the actual values involved in the fiesta activities, and overwhelmingly supported his cause. His move may have brought him and the entire archdiocese into tension with the local government, but he knew that it was the right and moral thing to do to protect the Peñafrancia devotion.

Today, as he continues to work for a more meaningful Marian devotion, the Archbishop expresses his hopes for more socially engaged devotees: This must be our hope, to have faith that goes beyond the traslacion and the fluvial procession. And this means a conversion for mission, that is, an active responsibility for the past failings of society...and total renewal of the Church towards a better future for all.[13]

The Archbishop’s Legacy Lives
This 2010, Archbishop Legaspi reaches the 25th year of his episcopacy. Remarkably, he also celebrates his 75th birthday, which would normally mark his retirement as foreseen by church law. Sooner or later, the Pope may have to assign a new caretaker of Ina and the Archdiocese. But as he leaves the episcopacy, the Bikolano will be forever grateful to him for selflessly and faithfully shepherding the Bikolano faithful, and for protecting our shared story of devotion to Ina and faith in God.

Therefore, as a fitting tribute in recognition of his promotion of the Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, purifying it of aberrations in its external manifestations; for drawing the Church closer to the Filipino and the Bikolano people, especially the poor, through catechesis, pastoral care and good governance; and for his defense of the Catholic Church and Christian values against the threats of secularism and materialism, the Ateneo de Naga University is most privileged to confer upon His Grace, Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P., the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, in this City of Naga, this twenty-seventh  day of March, in the two thousand and tenth year of our Lord.




[1] One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Not Alone, by Pope Benedict XVI, www.cbcponline.net.
[2] Responses of Msgr. Leonardo Z. Legazpi during The University of Santo Tomas Varsitarian Interview, 2009.
[3] The Caceres Experience: A Bishop’s Story, Ina nin Bikol Foundation, p. 2.
[4] Tribute to the Architect of Philippine Catechesis in Our Time, by Msgr. Gerardo O. Santos, http://eccceonline.org.
[5] Leonardo Z. Legazpi: A Shepherd Among Us, by Rex Andrew C. Alarcon, p. xv.
[6] The Caceres Experience: A Bishop’s Story, Ina nin Bikol Foundation, p.20.
[7] Tribute to the Architect of Philippine Catechesis in Our Time, by Msgr. Gerardo O. Santos, http://eccceonline.org.
[8] Light to All, by Leonardo Z. Legazpi, 2004.
[9] http://www.cbcponline.net.
[10] Pastoral Letter, by Msgr. Leonardo Z. Legazpi, January 2004.
[11] The Caceres Experience: A Bishop’s Story, Ina nin Bikol Foundation, p.31.
[12] Ina and the Bikol People: A Journey of Faith, Ina nin Bikol Foundation, 2004, p. 5.
[13] Ibid, p. 196-197.

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