Father Marty
Encyclopedia
Father Marty is a story arc
of the Philippine
comic strip series Pugad Baboy
, created by Pol Medina Jr. and originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer
. This particular story arc lasts 21 strips long. In 1997, the story arc was reprinted in Pugad Baboy 9, the ninth book compilation of the comic strip series.
after being ordained
a Catholic
priest
the past year. Capitalizing on his friendship with a man of the cloth, Bab assumes that he could get away with petty familiarity with Father Marty. For instance, he lazily proclaims, "The usual, my friend", as he is about to confess
his sins. Father Marty seems mildly shocked by his friend's behavior, as he is by little Paltik's irreverent questions, but he good-naturedly thinks nothing of these events. He, however, has no qualms participating in a drinking session with Tomas and Ka Noli.
Senator Cabalfin comes to confession one time, and Father Marty is hard put hearing of his sins, his hair becoming disheveled and also growing a five-o'clock shadow. They were indeed numerous and the Senator actually had several pages of notes on his sins, arranged in alphabetical order to help his memory. As the Senator hits "G" for "Graft
", Father Marty takes a break to have a bite to eat. Taking the opportunity for some mischief, Bab takes his place in the confessional
and hears out the rest of Senator Cabalfin's confession. The Senator later learns the truth (after trying to negotiate his penance
) and threatens to have Bab secretly executed. Bab, however, reminds the Senator that he, Bab, had his confession notes. Not content with the mischief he had caused, Bab next hears the confession of Tiny, not known if this took place the following day since before the Senator began his long confession, Father Marty instinctively requested everyone else to return the following day. Tiny obliquely intimates that she had seen a video of activities of a sexual nature. When asked to indicate who starred in the film, Tiny pushes the video cassette towards Bab, causing Bab to scream. Tiny then discovers Bab inside the confessional. Both she and Senator Cabalfin warn him not to spill their dark little secrets.
Taking his mischief further, Bab takes Father Marty to see a Marilyn Chambers
film. Reacting to Bab's inappropriate behavior, Father Marty opines that probably the reason why Bab had lost his respect for men of the cloth, was because he had seen the films Priest and Primal Fear
. He tells Bab that priests were men too, and that it was not reasonable to assume that since one priest may have done wrong, then all priests were evil. In the end, Bab changes his tune, and accepts the fact that he had to treat his friend with the respect accorded to a man of God.
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
of the Philippine
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
comic strip series Pugad Baboy
Pugad Baboy
Pugad Baboy is a comic strip created by Filipino cartoonist Apolonio "Pol" Medina, Jr. The strip is about a Manila community of mostly obese people - "fat as pigs", so to speak ....
, created by Pol Medina Jr. and originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Philippine Daily Inquirer, popularly known as the Inquirer, is the most widely read broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines, with a daily circulation of 260,000 copies. It is one of the Philippines' newspapers of record...
. This particular story arc lasts 21 strips long. In 1997, the story arc was reprinted in Pugad Baboy 9, the ninth book compilation of the comic strip series.
Synopsis
Marty, Bab's childhood friend has come home from RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
after being ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
the past year. Capitalizing on his friendship with a man of the cloth, Bab assumes that he could get away with petty familiarity with Father Marty. For instance, he lazily proclaims, "The usual, my friend", as he is about to confess
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
his sins. Father Marty seems mildly shocked by his friend's behavior, as he is by little Paltik's irreverent questions, but he good-naturedly thinks nothing of these events. He, however, has no qualms participating in a drinking session with Tomas and Ka Noli.
Senator Cabalfin comes to confession one time, and Father Marty is hard put hearing of his sins, his hair becoming disheveled and also growing a five-o'clock shadow. They were indeed numerous and the Senator actually had several pages of notes on his sins, arranged in alphabetical order to help his memory. As the Senator hits "G" for "Graft
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
", Father Marty takes a break to have a bite to eat. Taking the opportunity for some mischief, Bab takes his place in the confessional
Confessional
A confessional is a small, enclosed booth used for the Sacrament of Penance, often called confession, or Reconciliation. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church, but similar structures are also used in Anglican churches of an Anglo-Catholic orientation, and also in the...
and hears out the rest of Senator Cabalfin's confession. The Senator later learns the truth (after trying to negotiate his penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
) and threatens to have Bab secretly executed. Bab, however, reminds the Senator that he, Bab, had his confession notes. Not content with the mischief he had caused, Bab next hears the confession of Tiny, not known if this took place the following day since before the Senator began his long confession, Father Marty instinctively requested everyone else to return the following day. Tiny obliquely intimates that she had seen a video of activities of a sexual nature. When asked to indicate who starred in the film, Tiny pushes the video cassette towards Bab, causing Bab to scream. Tiny then discovers Bab inside the confessional. Both she and Senator Cabalfin warn him not to spill their dark little secrets.
Taking his mischief further, Bab takes Father Marty to see a Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress and vice-presidential candidate...
film. Reacting to Bab's inappropriate behavior, Father Marty opines that probably the reason why Bab had lost his respect for men of the cloth, was because he had seen the films Priest and Primal Fear
Primal Fear (film)
Primal Fear is a 1996 American crime drama thriller film directed by Gregory Hoblit and starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton. The film tells the story of a defense attorney, Martin Vail , who defends an altar boy, Aaron Stampler , charged with the murder of a Catholic archbishop. The movie is an...
. He tells Bab that priests were men too, and that it was not reasonable to assume that since one priest may have done wrong, then all priests were evil. In the end, Bab changes his tune, and accepts the fact that he had to treat his friend with the respect accorded to a man of God.
Trivia
- The video Tiny had seen was a controversial clip about Filipino talent manager Jojo Veloso, who made the headlines in 1996 over a series of video clips apparently fondling his male wards.
- Although he appears on the covers of the sixteenth and eighteenth books, this is merely due to a reunion of sorts of all entire Pugad Baboy cast, including certain minor and extra characters. However, Father Marty himself would reappear in strips of the nineteenth book, albeit as a background character without lines. A second reappearance in Pugad Baboy XX, this time in one whole strip with many lines, implies that he has moved back to Pugad Baboy and is carrying out his holy duties there. In this appearance, apparently, his has shown signs of the same wacky behavior as the rest of the residents, though is still forgivable for a priest.
- The primary gag of the arc is the EXTREMELY LONG list of Senator Cabalfin's sins, a reference to the corruption the Philippine government has, especially in recent times, been infamous for.
- Although it has not yet been verified with the author, the character of Fr. Marty gets his name from a real Filipino Salesian priest who is a friend of Pol Medina himself.