Was the move of Fr. Espiridion ‘Boy’ Celis, Jr., parish priest of Saint Anne’s Parish in Molo, Iloilo City in the Philippines, of calling for a press conference to voice out his rancor with Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, correct?

The press conference at the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) on November 28, 2017 came days after Bishop Lagdameo supposedly rejected Fr. Celis’ appeal to postpone his transfer to Saint Anthony’s Parish in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo effective December 3, 2017.

Fr. Celis lamented that his appeal during their private meeting “fell on deaf ears.”

Since the issue Fr. Celis raised against Bishop Lagdameo was intra-congregation, we suspect the move to call for a press conference was not only incorrect, but also a bad move.

We suspect Fr. Celis erred when he decided to bring the matter to the media instead of waiting for the result of his petition before the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome, Italy.

We respect though Fr. Celis’ right to seek redress of his grievances in the “proper forum.”

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Still, media can’t coax Bishop Lagdameo to change his heart. The glitzy publicity can’t swivel the bishop’s mind.

The public can’t help either. After monitoring the press conference, it can’t hold a “people power” to comple the bishop to favor Fr. Celis.

Any press conference of that nature, in fact, could produce a surfeit of belligerent scenarios, thus it would only exacerbate Fr. Celis’ enmity with the Jaro archbishop instead of appeasing the church bigwig.

The issue was about an edict for reshuffling of priests, which falls under the Roman Catholic Church authority.

In the church’s hierarchy and in its chain of command, Bishop Lagdameo is mandated to dispense the clergy’s reassignment.

Shall a professional police officer denounce his superior officer and get sympathy from the press for transferring him from one police precinct to another? If the police officer can’t stand the heat, he can always run to the kitchen’s nearest exit.

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Fr. Celis was quoted in the report as saying that “I presented the case as plainly, as lovingly, as quietly as possible, and it was just explaining to him (Lagdameo) why it was important to let me stay with my parishioners (in Molo) for a while. But, unfortunately, (his) ears were closed.”

Fr. Celis added that he was prompted to bring the matter to the church’s higher authorities in Rome after he was allegedly “dared” by the archbishop to do it.

He also compared his predicament to the historical Jesus Christ, maltreated by his fellow Jews despite his goodness, according to report.

From the way Fr. Celis expressed his sentiments, it appeared he was already exasperated. After being spurned by Bishop Lagdameo in what could have been his last-ditch effort to save his present post, he probably became distraught and must’ve thought that, by bringing the matter to the media, it would, at least, mollify his pain and frustration.

Our heart goes out for the good priest who is arguably one of the most respected and highly admired church authorities in Western Visayas today.

Ignosce mihi, pater, quia peccavi or forgive me Father for I have sinned./WDJ