MussoLOLen is Always Right! |

At the anniversary dinner of KATIPUNAN magazine last night, one of my friends told us a story about a run-in he had at school with a certain Theology professor, who happens to be a Jesuit. Now, this professor is notorious for being difficult to please and his overall unpredictable, eccentric behavior. He’s the kind of guy who would bring down the wrath of God on you for making the smallest noise in class or for getting a panic attack during oral exams. I myself had the misfortune of taking his Theology class during my junior year. Man. I have never had a more miserable time in my life (not since high school, anyway). I pulled my first all-nighter because of that class – not because I was motivated to learn, but because I was deathly afraid of being humiliated by him during our final oral exams.

Anyway, this friend happened upon the Theology professor/priest while he was walking around the hallways at school. To my friend’s surprise, he saw that the professor was smoking. There’s a rule in Ateneo that says you cannot smoke anywhere else in the campus except for pocket gardens. But here he was, breaking the law for all to see.

My friend approached the professor and said in jest, “Father, bawal yan a!” (Father, that isn’t allowed in here!)

The professor merely smiled and said in reply, “I am a living, breathing institution at the Ateneo. I can do whatever I want.” Then he walks away.

At this point, everybody at the table cracked up at this seemingly heart-warming anecdote and started talking about what a great guy this priest was. I just sat there, pretended to find it cute, and said to myself: “Wow. This guy is a real asshole.” Think about it. He basically said that he is entitled to break rules that apply to all students, faculty, and staff members because he attained a certain level of godhood in school. I suppose that’s why he doesn’t think much of yelling at his students like a master would to his slave. What a jerk.