No fancy car for Father Jaime
FATHER Jaime Quinto of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese could very well be the Vatican’s poster boy for humble transportation as Pope Francis recently called on Catholic priests around the world to refrain from using, much less owning, fancy cars.
Quinot, fondly called Father Jimmy by the community, goes around his area and carries out his ministerial work in a garong, a motorcycle with a sidecar that is traditionally used to ferry live hogs, and is mighty proud of its practicality.
He said with his garong, which he bought second hand for P3,500, he can conveniently load his paraphernalia for a Mass in the communities or even carry up to six people, particularly members of the parish pastoral council who would accompany and help him locate homes usually for anointing of the sick calls.
The garong also allows Father Jimmy to easily navigate narrow streets, especially in the sitios.
For fuel expense, he spends just an average of P270 every week.
“People can better associate themselves with the priest with this kind of ride than using a car,” said Father Jimmy, who is currently the chaplain of the Blessed John Paul II chaplaincy in Barangay Aponit in San Carlos City and director of the St. Charles Academy School owned by the archdiocese.
When it’s raining, Father Jimmy would borrow the school van for his pastoral ministry to avoid getting soaked.
But when the sun is out, garong is definitely his choice of ride and he said he does not mind at all going to the people in the community with a “sun-smell”.
Quinto, 43, said he feels more associated with the poor in his pastoral ministry using this vehicle.
His parish covers the area of Aponit, which is about four to five kilometers from the city proper, and he also visits the remote barangays of Antipangol, Mabalbalino, Tamayo, Salinap.
The chaplaincy covers about 13 barangays in the western side of this agricultural city.
Father Jimmy said he never told his superior Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas what vehicle he was using and he has never been ashamed of it.
The children in school had long associated him with his rather unique ride but people in the communities who meet him for the first time are often surprised to find the priest they have invited arriving in a good old garong. —Eva Visperas
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