His two novels are Wages of Sin, which was published in Honolulu in 1988, and Rubrics and Runes (2013) which addresses various scandals by priests within the Catholic church.
He died due to complication of the coronavirus in Spain. For his body of poetic work in Spanish, he was posthumously awarded the Premio José Rizal de las Letras Filipinas.
The following poem is from Centina’s 1974 collection Glass of Liquid Truths.
Genuflection
I hear the choir-conversion
Wake senses through my ears,
I see heavenly vision
In the vista of a hymn.
I watch the gleaming chandeliers
Exude their hidden grace
Above the vigil candles
Incensed with fragrant flames.
This is the Cathedral of Silence
Where he has led me in,
How strong his Passion echoes
Inside these cloistered walls.
All things here trodden by the calm
Of yet unfathomed peace,
The sight is awed to stillness,
The soul to holier aims.
O choir-conversion that I hear
I breathe the wisdom of your tale!
Entry written by D.S. Martin. He is the author of five poetry collections including Angelicus (2021, Cascade) ― a book of poems written from the point-of-view of angels. His books are available through Wipf & Stock.