Stations of the Cross in rhythmic poems

In this inter-connected seasons of Lent, Holy Week and Easter, here is one unique and solemn way of reciting the Stations of the Cross with accompanying prayers in rhythmic poems read by Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, and lawyer Romy Macalintal which may be viewed and listened to on YouTube. Simply google: “Orbos Macalintal Stations of the Cross.” It was part of an episode in Romy’s previous radio program, The Law of the Heart is Love, over DWBR, 104.3FM.

From its first stanza alone of the first station where “Jesus is Condemned to Death” that reads: “Lord Jesus Christ, You died for me, You gave Your every breath; It was not Pilate — it was I, who sentenced You to death…” — so fervently read by Fr. Orbos, you will not stop listening to the presentation until its end. You are welcome to share it with your family and friends, according to Romy.

“The prayerful verses were lifted from the books of the late great American poet-lawyer James J. Metcalfe in the ’50s titled My Rosary of Rhymes and Garden in My Heart, which had the Imprimatur of Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York in April 1952,” said Romy who is an ardent Metcalfe fan. “During his lifetime, Metcalfe had written 10 books each with around 350 rhythmic poems described by one of his publishers as ‘vignettes about love, family, children, patriotism, sports, education, religion and specific occupations (that) you yourself have always wanted to capture in words’. His poetry also appeared in Hallmark greeting cards.”

I learned from Romy that Metcalfe was a devout Catholic. His books also included rhythmic poems depicting the lives of 100 saints, the Mysteries of the Rosary and The Ten Commandments which were all written in poetical lines hoping that his readers would find faith and courage in the rhymes that God has enabled him to compose. He was described as “a man who came up the hard way, studied law at night, served as an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), became a newspaperman, and was once a seminarian.”

For the benefit of the hearing-challenged or hard-of-hearing, the poems were presented with scrolling subtitles that could easily be followed. 

“While the Resurrection is not traditionally a part of the Stations of the Cross,” explained Romy, “it was also included in the production to remind us of the Scripture that ‘on the third day He rose again’.”

The presentation is a production of Romy’s brother, engineer Greg Macalintal Jr., owner and manager of Stritnet Computer Station (on C. M. Recto Avenue, Lipa City, Batangas).

“It is our hope and prayer that through the Stations of the Cross, we could achieve our quest for everlasting peace and unity among all nations and their peoples,” added Romy who has been a lector-commentator at Last Supper of Our Lord Parish in Las Piñas City since 1984.

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