My Memories with Muslims
Frt. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD
In the Eyes of A Child…
I once lived in a Catholic compound surrounded by Muslims. I was in grade two when my parents decided that I live with my grandparents to continue my studies. It was hard for me since it meant new acquaintances, new surroundings and new school.
My grandparents lived in a bank house and all our neighbors inside the compound were Catholics. Interestingly, I saw communities of people as I peeped through the other side of the wooden wall. Every now and then, one or two would get near the well inside our compound and catch a Catholic’s attention. There was a store catering to their needs for ice water, ice candy and buco juice. These people would ask the Catholic’s favor to buy them one or two of these products. That was the only relationship of our people and the people on the other side.
My friends told me not to go near these people because they were Muslims. My friends told me that Muslims were cruel and bad, aside from being traitors. I could not understand why they made such a judgment until, one time, when a group of Catholic children happened to play on the shoreline, the Muslim children at the other side of the compound saw us and they began to stone us! We panicked and also retaliated. We also stoned them. I remembered vividly a big stone hitting my foot. It was painful. I went home with hatred in my heart.
Much more in school. I had many Muslim classmates. How they liked to get things from my trolley! They even stole my snacks! I saw them!
That time all I understood why we Catholics lived in a wooden-walled compound separated from the Muslims was the fact that we could not live peacefully together. Muslims hated Catholics and we Catholics hated them. Even the long shoreline in our place was divided – Catholic shoreline between Muslim shorelines and the walls were clearly dividing walls. No Catholic should step on the Muslim shoreline as they did not also step on our shoreline. We did not fish on their territory as they also did not fish in our territory.
When World Views Collapsed!
I was not able to finish my schooling in that place. My mother took me back and I became a transferee in the school where I had my first grade. Lucky for me, there were no Muslims in my hometown. I grew up and eventually entered the seminary to become a religious missionary. Our congregation has been spousing inter-religious dialogue and I was a bit skeptic with our thrust since the Muslims I grew up with are quarrelsome. All I believed was that all Muslims should be under suspicion since they were cruel and bad, aside from being traitors.
Until I met John. He was a college student in Davao and he became one of my friends while I had my summer classes. We bonded very well, shared notes and talked everything under the sun – well, almost. I thought I knew him very well since he appeared to me very kind and friendly.
Then, that big day came. While we were having our regular stroll-in-the-mall-after-classes, I invited him in a restaurant. This time, I ordered chicharong baboy.
“Alam mo, hindi ako kumakain ng baboy (You know, I do not eat pork).” He said politely.
I cracked a joke, “Why? Are you Muslim?” I asked him.
“Yes.” He answered.
“Ha????????” I was very surprised.
That very moment, all my biases against Muslims collapsed. Lo and behold, before me was a Muslim, and I did not have even a slightest hint that he was among the people I hated, if not cursed. He was kind, friendly, charitable — characteristic I saw only in my more-preferred Christian friends. He turned my biases upside down!
“How come you have a Christian name – John?” I curiously asked.
“My real name is Janal. My nickname is John.” He smiled with a little laugh at me.
That day we started talking about our religions and it paved way for the start of a very beautiful story of friendship. John or Janal opened my eyes that not all of their people are bad. Many of them, in fact, are peace-loving and kind people. Muslims and Catholics have many things in common. We have good people and they have good people too. On both sides, we have problematic members of the society and no one really has the right to make harsh judgments against one another. I do not blame my friends who told me when I was young that Muslims are bad people. They are also shaped by other people’s biased worldview.
John had the same sentiment. He did not also have the healthy mindset of Christians, Catholics especially. He was being programmed that Catholics are cruel and bad, aside from being traitors.
With him, I learned basic respect for any person’s religion. It gave me joy that I know him because he also made me all the more appreciate the beauty of my own religion, as he also felt that his encounter with me made him love his religion more deeply.
A Child’s Prayer…
I went back to that compound two years ago and the wall that divided the Catholics from the Muslims was still standing tall and proud. As I conversed with my own people, I coupled it with a prayer that both sides may be more open and learn to extend a hand. After all, we are still brothers and sisters.
Witness to the Word,
fiel, svd
Early in the morning, I asked some seminarians to go with me to the nearest grocery in Cubao to buy some chichiria and some drinks. My idea was only simple. I just thought it would be best if we have something to eat while watching Pinoy Pacman and Mexican Morales.
Great moments like these were really unforgettable. You should see all of us screaming with our hearts swelling with pride as Sarah Geronimo sang the Philippine National Anthem! You should see us how we cheered for every left and right punch that Pacman gave to his Mexican opponent! The thunderous jumps and the loud shouts of seminarians were overwhelming! Our roaring sounds created a big bang that it even awakened the old priests in their deepest slumber at the Villa Cristo Rey (our home for the old priests)! We were unstoppable! 
As expected, Pacman defeated Morales as early as the third round. We joined the jubilation of all Filipinos around the world for his victory. His victory was also our victory. It made us proud when one person emerged from our race and proved to the world what a Filipino can do! Truly, our hearts leapt for joy for being Filipinos. Mabuhay tayong lahat! 
