Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Speaker Therese Terlaje – the two heads of the political branches of the government who often are at odds – sat in the front pew of the cathedral Friday as Mass-goers erupted in applause following a sermon by Fr. Eric Forbes, who implored Guam’s leaders to fight for the truth, but to never taint the island with hatred.
The context of the homily by the Franciscan priest was a history of the Chamorro people’s triumph over adversity since the occupation of Guam by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II; a liberation made possible almost entirely by the U.S. military. The liberation of Guam began on July 21, 1944, and was followed by a U.S. Naval government, replaced by a system of self-government that began on August 1, 1950 with the signing of the Organic Act of Guam.
“På’go i podet politika gaige gi mismo na kanai-ta,” Fr. Forbes said in the homily, given entirely in Chamorro. “Nihi ya ta fan banidoso na hita ni Chamorro. Ta cho’gue i maolek, ta cho’gue i dinanche para i taotao-ta.” (Now, political power is in our own hands. Let’s be proud that we Chamorros did the good thing, the right thing, for our people.”
Fr. Forbes addressed two often-lacking virtues of the civilian government:
- Healthy and open debate among leaders to arrive at the truth; and
- The ability for elected officials to separate a disdain for what is wrong from contempt for each other as differences arise.
Differences are good to have, the priest said.
“Maolek na ti man pareho todo i hinasson-ñiha i man må’gas,” Fr. Forbes said. “Sa’ ti siña i un taotao ha’ para u tungo’ kabåles i remedio I tinemtom ti propiedåt-ña i un taotao ha’.” (It’s good that our leaders don’t all think the same. Because one person alone cannot fully know the solution. Wisdom is not the property of the one person alone.)
You may read the full homily below. It includes a translation to English.
Ta tungo’ na guaha na biåhe na maipe i politika gi tano’-ta
We know that at times politics in our island is fiery
Para håfa ta puni na måtto gi mala’et i atgumento siha entre i man ma’gås-ta
Why deny that arguments become bitter between our leaders
Ya debe de u maipe i politika
And they should be fiery
Maolek na ti man pareho todo i hinasson-ñiha i man må’gas
It’s good that our leaders don’t all think the same
Sa’ ti siña i un taotao ha’ para u tungo’ kabåles i remedio
Because one person alone cannot fully know the solution
I tinemtom ti propiedåt-ña i un taotao ha’
Wisdom is not the property of the one person alone
Pues, hamyo ni man må’gas, diskute maolek entre hamyo
So, you leaders, debate well among yourselves
Na’ maipepe i kuentos-miyo, lao sångan i magåhet, suhåye i dinagi
Be vehement in your deliberations, but speak the truth, avoid the untruth
Defiende i hinengge-mo yan mumu para i hinengge-mo, lao annai esta monhåyan ma diskute todo, fan a’konfotme ya ta fan hånao mo’na
Defend your stance and fight for it, but when all debate has ended, come together and move forward
Sa’ i taotao este na isla – I taotao ni man masåså’pet – man man angongokko giya hamyo
Because the people of this island – the people who suffer – are depending on you
Ya masea ti pareho i hinasson-miyo, lao mungnga ma chatli’e’ i kontrariu-mo, sa’ un tåno’ ha’ tano’-ta
And while your thinking differs, don’t hate your opponent, because we have but one island
Kulan mohon un båtko ha’ nai man gaige hit gi tasi
It’s as if we are all inside one boat in the sea
Yanggen uno måtmos, todos hit man måtmos
If one drowns, we all drown
Eståba na taigue gi kanai-ta i gobietnamienton i islå-ta
It used to be that the governance of our island was not in our hands
Eståba na man gaige hit gi papa’ i US Navy
We were under the US Navy
Despues eståba na man gaige hit gi papa’ i banderan Japón
Later we came under the Japanese flag
På’go i podet politika gaige gi mismo na kanai-ta
Now, political power is in our own hands
Nihi ya ta fan banidoso na hita ni Chamorro ta cho’gue i maolek, ta cho’gue i dinanche para i taotao-ta
Let’s be proud that we Chamorros did the good thing, the right thing, for our people.
