Apology is Repentance

In last week’s Shalom I made mention of national healing through sincere repentance which is necessary for forgiveness. Without forgiveness there is no future for our country. Yesterday national media reported that President BS Aquino III will not apologize to Hongkong authorities for the Luneta massacre of Chinese tourists by a deranged cop. On the same day other media reports said Manila mayor Joseph Estrada will be going to Hongkong to extend the apology on the part of the City of Manila.

These news reports reminded me of an experience which can be a subject of reflection on the edifying behavior of Mayor Erap when he was under house arrest and of His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin when he was already sick. This happened in early 2004 when I was CBCP president.

With the permission of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo I accepted an invitation to bless the chapel of President Estrada in a military camp in Tanay, Rizal. The invitation was handed to me by the late Fr. James Reuter, SJ, who was then head of the CBCP Media Office. So one day accompanied by Father Reuter I was brought to Tanay. After the blessing President Erap gave me copies of a CD criticizing Cardinal Sin for “kicking him out” of Malacanang. I did not share the CDs to others. Instead I discussed with Fr. Reuter the possibility of helping to reconcile Erap with the Cardinal.

Three times Father Reuter and I motored to Tanay. I had a heart to heart talk with President Estrada regarding the need to apologize and to forgive as demanded by our Christian faith. Finally with God’s help, the Christian faith in Erap prevailed. In a personal letter he forgave Cardinal Sin and proposed that they could meet. The good cardinal replied in a personal letter of thanks and humble offer of mutual forgiveness but declined the actual meeting with the president because it would be misunderstood by the media. I have not seen the letters but Father Reuter assured me he was responsible for the exchange.
All I can say is, Jaime Cardinal Sin, who was my archbishop in the archdiocese of Jaro and for whom I had worked as a ghost writer of his speeches and public statements, and former President Joseph E. Estrada are so different from our present leaders who are Catholics and claim to profess the Christian faith. Their goodness and humility touched and edified me.