Father Geremia forgiving Norberto Manero

ICC Note:

An intimate look at the life and meditations of Father Geremia after a recent story on his decision to forgive recently released Norberto Manero for the murder of his friend, Father Tullio Favali.

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2/6/08 Philippines (Inquirer) Fr. Peter Geremia, a man so outwardly driven yet so inwardly drawn, had written in a diary his experiences, thoughts and more importantly, his painful prayers during his years of missionary work in this country. I was fortunate to be allowed to read his diary which was later published as a book (“Dreams and Bloodstains: The Diary of a Missioner in the Philippines”). Long before the book came out, I did a magazine feature, titled “The Diary of Fr. Peter Geremia.”

Through his raw diary he very reluctantly, almost wearily, let some of us see his core, the shreds of his life and whatever was left of himself. His diary was also an oppressed people’s bitter story, distilled and kept in one man’s prayer cup.

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He should have been dead by now. It was he who was hunted and supposed to be gunned down by paramilitary fanatics who blew off the brains of fellow Italian Fr. Tullio Favali, his co-pastor in Tulunan town in the southern province of North Cotabato, on April 11, 1985.

Geremia’s diary of the 1980s is littered with dead bodies, punctuated with bullet holes and drenched with people’s tears. Blood oozes and embers fall. But like unseen fire, his prayers rise above the wailing, the gun smoke and the ashes.

Written unguardedly, the diary sounds like letters to the God he so loves, fears and hungers for, a God so loving but sometimes painfully silent and devastating. There are moments of peace and humor, and one can see the priest riding on a crest of joy. The next moment, he is mercilessly smashed against the rocks.

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“Manero seeks, receives forgiveness from Italian priest he planned to kill.” This was the headline of a story in the Inquirer’s Across the Nation section.

The story said that convicted priest killer Manero who was recently released from prison met last Monday with Geremia, the priest whom he had planned to kill 24 years ago. (Fr. Tullio Favali was the one who was gunned down by the Manero brothers, Norberto and Edilberto.) Manero, along with his wife Evelyn, relatives and lawyer went to the bishop’s residence in Kidapawan City and met with Geremia.

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“Manero seeks, receives forgiveness from Italian priest he planned to kill.” This was the headline of a story in the Inquirer’s Across the Nation section.

The story said that convicted priest killer Manero who was recently released from prison met last Monday with Geremia, the priest whom he had planned to kill 24 years ago. (Fr. Tullio Favali was the one who was gunned down by the Manero brothers, Norberto and Edilberto.) Manero, along with his wife Evelyn, relatives and lawyer went to the bishop’s residence in Kidapawan City and met with Geremia.

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