“Never mind question authority.” I was triggered by this upon reading it written in a masking tape pasted at my study table. I do not know if it was intentional or accidental. Perhaps, it was made by a seminarian who was bored listening to his professor because mostly other students are using our study hall during classes. Anyway, it seems to me that it was directly intended for me. Questioning authority, questioning my superiors, questioning rules and regulations are my, I don’t know, strength or weakness? Now questioning became a hobby. To whether it is a strength or weakness, I have this ambivalent feeling . As a seminarian it is a weakness because we are practicing the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for our future ministry if ever. Living in poverty is hard, but the observance of chastity is harder, however obedience is the hardest. Sometimes I obey but deep inside me it’s protesting. Is not breaking the vow of chastity and poverty a greater form of disobedience? Disobedience, I find this word interesting. Though I guess, I am not a prodigal. In fact my Thesis’ title is “The Application of John Rawls Concept of Civil Disobedience in Philippine Democracy.” Anyway, skeptic, seeker of answer, and the likes is the real “I.” on the other hand I find it as strength because it gives me enlightenment and satiate my quench for answer. Now some of my questions in the seminary as regards my relationship with the means of mass media communication are as follows: why aren’t we allowed to have our cell phone? Why do they have to ban us from using MP4 or iPod? Why can’t we watch TV during free times? What for they call it free time? Why can’t we watch films more than once or twice a week? Why do they have to ban Friendster, Multiply, and so on and so forth (email ads are allowed)? Why can’t we watch movies according to our preferences? Or why do they have to scan it first? Are they the extension of the MTRCB? These are my questions. Until I read the church social document entitled “Guide to the Training of the Future Priests Concerning the Instruments of Social Communication.”
The document is very rich which would not enable me to comprehend it totally. But I want to focus on three basic messages of the document, namely, (1) to give the students/seminarians an exposure to the means of mass communication, (2) to make them knowledgeable about the purpose of these in their life and (3) lastly to train them for their future ministry. The students need to become acquainted with the real world about which they are being taught in class. They need to be trained to give ‘the witness of well-rounded and mature personality that can enter relationships with others without exaggerated precautions or naïve imprudence, but with an open-hearted and serenely balanced cordiality.’” These words coming from the document is understandable enough. One vacation somebody commented that we seminarians many times act differently from them, for example when we encounter shows which are very daring we can easily be triggered and sometimes out of overwhelmed feeling we act hastily. In the seminary, my superiors never fell short in introducing us to new means of social communications. So that at least will not become totally ignorant every time we go out from the seminary walls. The very fact that they are offering us a course Media Literacy and conferences as regards the modern technologies are proof of their concern for us to be well informed and exposed to such realities. But, they have to monitor us in our contact with new gadgets; otherwise we might fall into the deception of media. Now I know why we are not allowed to use cell phone. We do not have any business outside. Our main goal and focus is to study and discern on our vocation. We have the community cellphone anyway if ever there is an emergency that would require us to contact our family. “The initial introduction and basic training ought to enlighten the students, refine the critical sense, and form their conscience, so as to save them falling prey to the facile suggestions and manipulations perpetrated by the ‘mass media’ particularly where these offend against truth and morality.” Purifying our intentions, developing our conscience, upgrading our critical sense, enlightenment, are practically what our superiors centering on, when they have to tell us Friendster is not allowed, no TV during school days, no iPod or MP4. Lesser contract with these instruments or means of communication can help us to lessen as well our desire of wasting too much of our time. With our critical minds upgraded and conscientious feeling in dealing with them it could actually help me to always seek the truth and morality behind these realities and to avoid any desire that colud ruin my spiritual life. “The students are to be assisted toward Christian maturity, so that, by using the ‘mass media’ responsibly, they will then know how to live the whole of their priestly lives in a rich and productive way.” I believe that my superiors never cease to provide our need to be exposed in media, alongside with the proper principles which guided us to become responsible enough for our future ministry. Hence, the prohibitions, preventions and reminders that I was questioning are part of my formation to priesthood. The document is of great help both to me, in giving light to my questions, and to my superiors, in providing us measures in our personal relation with the mass media.
“There is always wisdom in these, you will understand them later.” This is always the axplanation of my good Prefect in the seminary. Yes! Really there are. Although I have not yet discovered totally the wisdoms he is talking about, yet little by little they are unfolding to my consciousness. I understand them now more than ever. But still I keep on questioning. I will keep on questioning. For there are realities in our human existence where skepticism and questioning could lead us to discover the wisdom and truth innate in being, especially man’s rationality is fallible. This is my purpose in every questioning, to be enlightened because truly I am a man, limited by essence. But the important thing is “when I question I never degrade the person.”
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