Behind a local parish lies a behind-the-scenes drama among its leading priests. These clashes could determine its fate: whether forgiveness will bloom or failure will bring the whole place down. Whatever the outcome, it’s all part of being human – something Teatro de San Pedro Calungsod (TSPC) masterfully portrays through its true-to-life stories on stage as a form of evangelization.
‘Tulo Ka Dagway sa Pari’ centers on the conflict between the young Fadz Elmert and the older Father Pio, while Padre Iko attempts to remain optimistic as he reaches his twilight years despite growing tensions inside the parish.
His oldest play to date, playwright and TSPC founder Msgr. Agustin Ancajas first wrote the play in 1993 as a seminary thesis based on the Enneagram of Personality – a concept that describes human personality through nine interconnected types defined by different motivations and behavior patterns.
After making revisions that included cutting nine leading characters into three, Ancajas directed the play in 2000 at the University of San Carlos-South Campus’ Rudolf Rahmann Cultural Center, with Fr. Eduardo ‘Daddy’ Villaluna as Father Pio, Fr. Isaias ‘Bobbitt’ Gerali as Fadz Elmer, and Fr. Murphy Sarsonas as Padre Iko.
The show had its restaging at the Marcelo Fernan Cebu Press Center last month, with Cornell Anthony Tudio playing the role of Fadz, Rennedy Cabaluna as Father Pio, and Florencio Villacorta as Padre Iko. They reprised their roles from the 2023 production at the same venue, which served as its 30th anniversary presentation.
Also joining them are supporting cast members Mary Ann Dumaran as the parish cook Conching, Eldryn Padigos as parish worker Pedring, Genelyn Aves as benefactress Lourdes, Alexander Sebalda as Bishop Leo, and Elbert Ydeme as mechanic Bodie.
Their recent performance coincides with the Jubilee Year, which encourages followers to go through spiritual renewal and reconciliation – the underlying themes of the story.
‘The play is very internal that it reveals an insider story of what’s going on in the leadership of the church,’ Ancajas told The FREEMAN. ‘A lot of people who served for their church can relate because they are familiar with the misunderstandings and conflicts. But at the end of the day, it’s always God’s grace that leads to reconciliation and redemption for everybody.’
Through dialogue-heavy scenes and monologues, the conflict among the priests stems from their contrasting personalities and differing views on how to lead their parish, fueled by egos and generational gaps. As tensions rise, particularly between Fadz and Pio, it raises the question of whether the church can continue to serve without resentment, which in turn affects their ministry.
‘We are drawn to our own issues in life. But we never lose hope because in the end, it can be resolved through communication,’ Villacorta said. ‘It’s always God’s grace that helps us go through our situations, and we never lose hope despite our differences.’
‘In spite of those differences, there is diversity,’ added Cabaluna. ‘The love of God reveals each one of us, and at the end, we have love and forgiveness and mercy from God.’
In a review of the 2000 production for a magazine, Amor Hernando praised the play for its eloquent portrayal of complex characters and how their psyches impact their parish.
‘Neither a satire nor a morality play, this play plumbs the depths of the human psyche by presenting the struggles of three priests within the context of the Filipino church, which is still concededly traditional, not excepting Cebu,’ the critic wrote.
‘It demonstrates how the emotional and psychological struggles of the three priests could affect their ministry at definite phases in their lives. The existential vulnerability constricts the quality of service, the givenness, the agility to become the pastors people expect them to be.’
While the play may have been written decades ago, its story remains timely – especially for its target audience, who may be all too familiar with such struggles.
‘This is a play that shows the human side of priests. What’s important is that the grace of God continues to purify the priests and their service, love for the church, and nurture their relationship with the people in their parishes,’ Ancajas said. ‘Even younger people who attended said that they could relate to a story like this. What’s important at the end is that there is openness for forgiveness and reconciliation.’