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| Rolly Blas is the one with the crew cut on the left. |
High school memories bring back persons, places, experiences I tend to connect certain classmates with some memorable tiny vignettes of my life at St. James Academy in Malabon Metro Manila in the sixties.
During my senior year, I had a wonderful Physics teacher named Mrs. Bantay. I can still picture her round face with her black rimmed glasses standing in front of the class in her well starched yellow teacher's uniform lecturing in her straightforward emphatic style on topics such as force, energy, gravity and the equations that went with them. She was a great teacher and a taskmaster. She loved giving a surprise quiz at the start of the class which became the sometimes dreaded highlight of our afternoon.
During our senior year, the girls section's classroom was located right beside the quadrangle of the school while the boys section's classroom was in an adjoining room separated from the girls' by a huge wooden French door. I referred to it because of its formidable size as the wall of shame after the famous Berlin Wall in Germany that dominated the news in the sixties.
The girls section had their physics class immediately after the boys had theirs and Mrs. Bantay would enter through that door to get to our classroom. She, however, loved to chat with the teacher coming from our classroom. During this time a couple of the boys by the door would silently but enthusiastically motion to us with their hands that there was a quiz coming. I remember quickly opening my physics book to cram for the quiz.
I can still picture in my mind the cherubic face of one of the two messengers of this news to us. That face belonged to Rolando or Rolly Blas. I also remember him leading the line in the boys section since he was one of the shorter ones in our class. He was cute and innocent looking and was always cheerful and had a smile that lights up ones spirits. Despite his short stature, he carried himself with confidence like he was ten feet tall. He was not cocky though.
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| Rolly Blas is seated leftmost in the first row in front. |
Our class '65 had had several reunions through the years. In 2015, I learned that our class has the distinction of having two bishops among us who coincidentally have the same first names and nicknames, Rolando and Rolly respectively. They are Bishop Rolando or Rolly Blas (RollyB) and Bishop Rolando or Rolly Santos (RollyS). Bishop Rolly Santos has attended gatherings of our class including our Golden Anniversary in 2015. I have featured him in several blog posts (here, here and here) I wrote on the various activities that our class had for this grand reunion. He is presently the Bishop of Alotau, Papua, New Guinea. He has been in touch with our class even offering Mass during our recent two ZOOM meetings this year.
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| This is Bishop Rolly Santos during the Mass he celebrated at our Class '65 Zoom meeting last month. Thank you very much BP RollyS. |
Below is our Sixth Grade Boys Section Photos. Both future bishops are in the topmost row with RollyB third and RollyS fifth from the left respectively.
For the past fifty years, however, I never saw Bishop Rolly Blas. Last week, Paeng Robles, our lifetime class president. started digging into his files and photos related to our class. He shared with me the resume of Rolly Blas which he submitted when he nominated Rolly for the SJAAA EXEMPLARY ALUMNI AWARD in 2013 which he handily obtained. Boy G and Danny were also co-recipients that year of the said award. Paeng requested me to write a blog post on RollyB so our classmates will get to know him better.
From his resume I discovered Rolly Blas' life after high school was very similar to the rest of us. He attended college immediately after high school and went to the Jesuit run Ateneo De Manila University where he finished his AB Economics degree. He also took advanced courses in law and business management. at the same university. He got married to Nimfa David-Blas with whom he had one daughter. In the seventies till the early eighties, he worked in various positions at different business institutions.
In 1982, I noticed a big change in RollyB's life as gleaned from his resume. He answered the call from God to be involved in Christian Ministry. He co-founded the Corpus Christi Christian Community Foundation with Ronald Remy, a well known actor in the Philippines, and 11 other individuals. He held various positions in this organization including its spiritual director. He also was involved in various national and international Christian organizations as preacher, teacher and spiritual director. He traveled all over the Philippines, Asia and Israel to preach and teach.
He was conferred many titles and degrees in his ministry. He was ordained Bishop of Take the Nations for Jesus Global Industries, Inc by the Philippines for Jesus (PJM) and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) on June 12, 2000. He was conferred RMTS of Ministry Degree on June 12, 2004 and a Doctorate Degree in Theology on July 4, 2004 by the Alliance of Christian Ministries Theological Seminary.
On March 24, 2012 he was ordained Apostle of the Spiritual Director of Joshua Generation Worldwide Ministries Inc. (JGWMI) by the leaders of the Philippines for Jesus Movement, Intercessors for the Philippines, Messiah Full Gospel Bishops' Council of the Philippines and Fire and Glory. He is still presently the spiritual director of this organization. RollyB is also referred to as Bishop Joshua Blas.
I live in the United States and luckily I was able to attend the organized Class '65 Reunions held in the Philippines in 1990, 2009, 2015 and 2018. I never saw RollyB in any of these reunions. Paeng who is our forever president however has attended informal gatherings of our classmates wherein RollyB was able to go to two of them. RollyB could not attend many of the get togethers since he is out of the country preaching or teaching.
He was able to attend a party at Danny's place on February 2, 2008 which Paeng remembers well since one of our classmates Jun Acab who attended it shortly had cardiac arrest and died. This was before our organized reunion in 2009 in which I remember several other classmates, Nestor, Rosario C, and two others whom I could not remember now passed away that year.
Paeng and Elvie Lagrimas were trying to set up prayer meetings or bible studies sessions for our classmates many years ago. The first prayer meeting was on August 30, 2010 at BoyG’s place. In this prayer meeting everybody was allowed to express their prayer intention, significantly, they prayed for Juancho, BoyG’s apo who then was to undergo a very delicate heart surgery in the US. Juancho’s procedure was a success. In their second prayer meeting at Manny and Dulce's place, RollyB was invited and was asked by Paeng to say something. RollyB took this seriously and preached. Some of those present were not however used to his preaching as some were closed Catholics. But this meeting was held several years ago and the Catholic church and the Catholics in general are more ecumenical in spirit now and more open. Paeng was happy that our classmates who were present then were baptized by RollyB with the Holy Spirit without them realizing it. In other words, every body present was blessed to be one with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fifteen years ago, Paeng asked RollyB to invite him to one of his preaching session in their Cubao Church and which Paeng was able to attend. During the service, RollyB asked the community for those who wanted healing to go forward to the front of the stage. Paeng went forward too and RollyB was actually surprised that he was there. He asked Paeng what he wanted healed and he requested to heal some apprehensions he had on some discomfort he was experiencing. Paeng wilted and fell down slowly on the floor. Paeng was slain with the Holy Spirit just like everybody who went forward! God had gifted RollyB with the healing power of the Holy Spirit. After the service, RollyB and Paeng had dinner and a longer chat in one of the restaurants in Cubao.
NARRATIVE ON BP ROLLY BLAS
(from Paeng’s point of view)
HIGH SCHOOL DAYS:
RollyB was one of first friends I had in high school. I was a newcomer in high school having spent my elementary schooling in public school. Add to that, my sister Rebecca was classmate and friends too with Salome or Sally, RollyB’s elder sister. I cannot remember how the parents of RollyB became close friends too with our parents. It was probably because the two Blas sisters, the aunties of RollyB, were co-teachers of my Inayand RollyB’s uncles too were friends of my Inay.
I frequented RollyBs place at University Hills`during high school, I can easily get the permission of my Inay to make pasyal if my destination is at RollyB’s place. We played basketball and siyempre, indulged in the sumptuous meriendaprepared by Mommy Isang, RollyB’s mom.
RollyB was an inglesero and this went to his advantage as he exploited it. He represented the class in the school’s oratorical contests. Later on in his Christian life, his gab prowess was the tool he used in preaching blessings and enlightenment here and abroad.
TRIP TO BAGUIO CITY:
During the second half of May 1965, after our high school graduation (during that time when Cassius Clay fought Sonny Liston the second time in May 25, 1965), Mommy Isang, RollyB’s mom, invited my sister Rebecca and I to join them in their trip to Baguio. We were very excited of course because Beck and I had not been to Baguio yet at siguradong papayagankami ng parents namin. We had to plan a strategy for that tripbecause Mommy Isang, Sally and Beck had to proceed there ahead of us. Their subdivision neighbor invited (perhaps just a small group) to their Baguio house. So RollyB, his Lolo Ramon and myself had to go to Baguio in another day. We took the bus to Baguio and we spent the night in one of those rented rooms. The following morning, we visited Mommy Isang et al in the Baguio house. Their good neighbor saw us and invited us too to stay in the house. If my memory serves me right, we stayed in Bokawkan.
Some of the things I clearly remember during that first Baguio trip with RollyB and family:
The highlander boys down the slopes of Mines View Park that were asking for coins to be thrown at them serenaded us at the viewing deck con mucho gusto with the famous song of the time… “You by my side that’s how I see us, I close my eyes and I can see us…”♪♫ ♪
That ginisang young freshly harvested sayote picked from the climbers at the fence partnered with sweet fried Baguio langoniza were so delicious with sinangag cooked by Mommy Isang. It was served to us at practically all our meals and we never complained.
ROLLYB’s WEDDING:
RollyB was married to Nimfa “Baby” David-Blas at the Sanctuario de San Jose Parish (Greenhills). I was invited and was present in their wedding. Preceding their wedding was another wedding of an enlisted personnel, as evidenced by the military uniform he was wearing and the military regalia of his wedding escorts. After that wedding ceremonies, was the recessional march of the newly wedded couple, greeted by the lighting of the kwitis fireworks. This jubilation was marred by a wayward kwitis which wrongly ascended and exploded inside the church. Thank God nobody was harmed and nothing was broken…our eardrums, almost.
ORDAINED APOSTLE:
When RollyB was ordained the Apostle of the Spiritual Director of Joshua Generation Worldwide Ministries, Inc., he chose to be referred to as APOSTLE JOSHUA, consistent with the name of their ministry and the bible figure Joshua, the one who succeeded Moses’ leadership of the Israelites. Joshua’s faithfulness and obedience to the Lord had great importance and relevance to RollyB. Consequently, RollyB was succeeding the leadership of Bro Ronald Remy Kookooritchin.
As was shared to me years ago by RollyB:
Joshua Generation Worldwide Ministries, Inc. replaced the Corpus Christi Community Foundation International (CCCFI) which RollyB co-founded together with the late Bro Ronald Remy Kookooritchin and eleven others.
Below are significant insights on Joshua, the personal assistant of Moses in the period of Israel’s journey from Egypt to Canaan.
….God gave this promise to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
RollyB’s enlightenment and resolve to preach is the fulfillment of this word of God:
….Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Sendme!” Isaiah 6:8
During high school, I remember RollyB for religiously and often going to daily Holy Mass carrying his Black Maryknoll Missal. He was very close to the Lord even then. If my memory serves me right, RollyB was even entertaining the thought of priest hood. He was one of the several of us who went with the trip to the seminary to observe the life of the seminarians.
It was a right but difficult decision for RollyB to pursue Christian life and preach the word of God. We have solid Catholic foundation. Although RollyB is preaching the same word of God handed down to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Catholic traditions which is one of the basis of our beliefs, made it strange and difficult to be enlightened by the preaching of other, other than the preaching of Catholic priests. RollyB’spreachings are for those who have not heard of Christ and those who have not heard understood.
….“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” Romans 15:20-21
THE WALL OF JERICHO (see how God had been with Joshua all the time):
….Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” Joshua 6:2-5
….“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.” Joshua 6:20
THE DAY WHEN THE SUN STOOD STILL FOR ONE DAY(how the Lord listened to Joshua):
….“On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being.” Joshua 10:12-14
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