Monday 1 February 2010

A challenging priesthood life...



I got a copy of the book personally from the author himself. James (Jim) Kennedy had the opportunity to work and live in the Philipppines as a priest more than 30 years ago. The book accounts his personal struggles to serve God, his survival against the political and social system in the country. It is a human journey of facing difficulties and challenges to uphold his faith and beliefs while helping Filipino communities (north part of Metro Manila) with their daily lives.

Religion was an intellectual as well as an emotional experience. It had to be offered as something which could be accepted and rejected, and that meant that there should be dialogue about it.


Filipinos in general don't go in for 365-day-a-year or 52-weeks-a year religion. They do go in for 15-days-a-year religion - Easte (five days), Christmas (nine days), the town fiesta (one day) - and when they celebrate them, they do it in style.

... If you're clear in your mind about what you're going to paint, there's no sense in painting it. Our work should always be uncovering surprises, new options, new necessities. We should gear ourselves to life so that its Pandora's box confronts us, teases us, frightens us, awes us and shocks us into becoming bigger and better, albeit a bit more furrowed.

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