Business Log
Monsignor Bitanga’s seminary, priesthood and retirement life
(Part 2)
By Eva C. Visperas
Readers appreciated the first part of our feature on Msgr. Leon Bitanga last week. A clear sign that there’s really a need to have a break from political issues, they say. Thanks most especially to our avid reader Brando Garcia from San Carlos City, Pangasinan who had long migrated to the US together with his family. Brando called me up last Wednesday to say how much he enjoyed our piece.
So, as I’ve promised, here’s part two.
Leon belonged to the first batch of seminarians (30 of them) that stepped inside the Mary Help of Christians Minor Seminary in Binmaley when it opened in 1930. But since he was already on his third year then (having moved from a minor seminary in Vigan, Ilocos Sur), there were only five of them in his class. (Speaking of his class, everyone became priests but he has survived them all. Maybe, the others never knew of Msgr. Bitanga’s secrets for longevity).
It was the late Rev. Fr. Isaias Edralin, his townmate and the then parish priest of Lingayen, who encouraged him to transfer to Binmaley.
He said Fr. Edralin advised him that soon as he was ordained a priest, he would be assigned in Pangasinan since there were already too many prelates in Ilocos Sur.
In 1938, Fr. Bitanga became the first priest ordained by Bishop Mariano Madriaga in Lingayen.
He was ordained priest at age 24. (In those times, no priest could be ordained unless he reached 25 so Bitanga had to be granted a special dispensation).
At age 25, he was appointed parish priest of Sta. Maria, Pangasinan “and again that was too soon”. He had shown me photos of those days.
He was handsome…and still is.
Six years later (shortly after the end of World War II), he was directed to move from Sta. Maria (where he stayed during the Japanese occupation) to Basista (then only a barrio of San Carlos City) to establish a parish and becomes its first parish priest. From there, he was assigned to many other parishes, even as far as Moncada (now part of Tarlac) which stil was then considered a part of the Lingayen archdiocese.
By the way, in between my questions, Msgr. Bitanga gamely sang Spanish, Ilocano and Pangasinan songs for me. He considers Spanish his second language.
Leon was the youngest in a brood of 10 and is now the only surviving Bitanga in the family. He describes his priesthood life as happy, active and lively.
He said despite his age today, he has no problem carrying on. His faith in the Lord is as strong as ever and he enjoys the company of many friends. He is an avid basketball fan of the Purefoods Hotdogs… and how! (My seminarian son Bryan Jeric told me that whenever Purefoods Hotdogs won, Msgr. Bitanga loved to regale the parishioners during the Mass how happy he was about how the game was played by his team). He beads rosaries on his spare time that he gives to friends, and is a voracious reader (from books to newspapers, including the PUNCH).
He said he has had no real difficult time in Pangasinan because he has managed to get along with almost everyone and especially so that he knows he is loved by Archbishop Oscar Cruz, his bishop no less. In fact, he proudly recounted that when Archbishop Cruz was assigned to the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese, he asked parishioners who among his priests preaches the best, and his name was consistenly mentioned. And I have to agree with the parishioners’ observation In fact, even Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan station manager Ging Cardinoza swore that it was only after attending Msgr. Bitanga’s Masses that he started to appreciate the real meaning of the Holy Mass.
Msgr. Bitanga, who has been a priest for 68 long years, has this advice for aspiring priests: “You must see to it that you are the most diligent in your studies, the most fervent in your prayers and the most enthusiastic in sports”.
He said there’s nothing more he could wish for “but I will just wait for eternity because there is an eternal life”
“Heaven is our eternal home. I hope to see you there,’ he said to this corner.
I hope so Monsignor.
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/business-log/)
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