Day One

Prologue

PROLOGUE

EVERY BOOK holds an interesting first line to pique a reader's interest, and the one Erik is holding at the moment certainly has one of the most amusing entries.

Wala naman talaga siyang plano (at oras) na magbasa. He was in the middle of checking old documents in the archbishop's office when a book tucked at the far corner of a cabinet caught his eye. The cover title did intrigue him for a moment—since it didn't look like the type to be held in the archbishop's little library—but he wasn't that interested enough to deep dive into it.

Until he saw the preface—the book's first line.

What an interesting way to start. 

Though initially skeptical of the book's introduction, Erik soon finds himself drawn into its pages. It does not take a while for him to fully grasp the central theme of Leaving the Priesthood. It is a sociological study that focuses on the challenges faced by priests—one of which is navigating romantic love. Each page is filled with stories of former clergymen who candidly shared their experiences that led to their eventual departure, and each story concludes with an insightful analysis from a third-party perspective. While the focus is on departures, a significant portion of the book also delves into the experiences of those who contemplated leaving but ultimately chose to stay. 

Parang Nueva Castallon lang 'to lahat, Erik mumbles when he reaches the third life story in the 'Those Who Left' section. Tungkol ito sa isang pari na nabuntis 'yong anak ng kasambahay nila sa rectory. Parang narinig ko na 'to sa kusina, e.

He wouldn't be surprised if the characters were truly from Nueva Castallon. The province is immensely Catholic, priding itself as the Vatican City of Asia. It serves as a powerhouse of the Philippine Catholic Church; boasting the largest Catholic population in the country and producing the most number of clergy, bishops, archbishops, and cardinals in Philippine history. Yet unbeknownst to some, Nueva Castallon is also the powerhouse of very questionable clergy: the number of safeguarding issues  and clerical attritions have increased through the years, making it slightly challenging for the diocese to meet the spiritual demands of the population.

Kaya nga siguro dito na rin siya napunta, half a year ago when he decided to run away from his former diocese and its very questionable bishop who contested his ordination. He has always held firm to the belief that his car breaking down in a small town near Nueva Castallon City was nothing less than Divine Providence. God truly brought him—someone who harbors a strong desire to become a priest, yet was always hindered from becoming one—to a diocese grappling with clerical attritions. A place where he might be needed, kahit papa'no.

"Ano'ng binabasa mo?" a low voice immediately interrupts Erik's focus on the page. Before he can even close the book and return it to the cabinet, the man snickers. "Oh, you're reading that?"

It takes a few seconds for Erik to turn his attention to the other person in the room, who is unfortunately buried behind a pile of incomprehensible paperwork. Erik swallows a lump when he realizes that Vitorio Mangosin's focus is no longer on the papers that almost devoured him; instead, the man's gaze is fixed on Erik and the book he's holding (and trying to hide behind his leg, for some reason). 

Mangosin clicks his tongue menacingly. "Tinatago ko 'yan e," he says, pointing at the little book. "You really have keen eyes."

Erik feels his cheeks grow a little warm with embarrassment. "Pasensya na po," is the only correct response, and it seamlessly ran out of his lips. "Nakita ko lang talaga kasi interesting 'yong title." Saka 'yong laman.