diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

diocesan Ordinaries. This is strictly imposed, and usually it takes three months toexamine the register. If the government disapproves it, the chapter was useless.This government does not delay much on the physical defects [of the nominees],but concentrates especially on their moral shortcomings. As it constantlyreceives information from the three bishops and the alcaldes mayores, it knowsperfectly the conduct of everybody and God save us from electing someonewhose conduct is not, in its mind, at least average, lest it nullify the register.Worse if one has been brought to court, as unfortunately is the situation now withthe six pending cases before the government against six members of thisprovince. It is true that these cases are not always a dishonor to the order; on thecontrary, some redound to our honor. For example, take the case of Fray Benitode la Pila.16 In places where there are alcaldes, the parish priests are ordered tosupervise the alcalde's accounts. The one in Tayabas robs one half of theallocation for the prisoners. Fray Pila refused to sign the statement, thussanctioning the robbery, and the alcalde has accused him before the court andforwarded his case to the government. As all the governors are of Garibaldi'sschool, it is probable Fray Pila will lose his case,"' and in this instance; we nowhave to beware not to name him Provincial or assign him to a position of honor,for he will be disapproved since he resisted civil authority.This dispute, Very Reverend Father, is rather sad, but unfortunately quite trueand more frequent than appears at first sight."8The ilustrados frequently accused the provincials of the religious ordersof failing to punish duly the parish priests who infringed on certain rules orviolated their own religious vows. There are clear cases of this type ofnegligence. But we must not forget that no less frequent was the case of aparish priest victimized by libelous denuntiations by individuals interested inhaving them transferred from the parish or to discredit him.On many occasions, superiors sincerely tried to remedy an anomalous,even scandalous, situation of a parish priest; but their efforts were stymied bythe civil authorities themselves which refused to allow the transfer of anypriest without first checking the reasons before allowing such changes. Thatwas the case of Fray Salustiano Bus, parish priest of Borongan, Samar. Theprovincial chapter elected him librarian of the convent in Manila clearly toremove him from the parish for reasons we do not know, but which must havebeen serious. Fray Bus appealed to the civil courts which, after a lengthytrial, issued a sentence in favor of the Franciscan provincial. The friar askedpermission to return to Spain, but the governor refused it. Once in Manila, heapproached some influential politicians who pressured the provincial toreassign him to Borongan. The provincial yielded, and finally, Fray Bus wasassigned to the parish of Palapag, and later to Catannan."9169