This 25-year-old Filipino was born into a family of six children. He entered the seminary despite initial family opposition. He is now in his seventh year of formation as a seminarian in Rome, thanks to a scholarship from the CARF Foundation.
How did you discover your vocation to the priesthood?
-I did not grow up in a religious family. We were not the type to go to church every Sunday although we did attend Mass on special occasions. I guess my vocation was born out of my desire to be an altar boy. When we went to Mass I wanted to wear the vestments that altar servers wear, but I didn't know how to start. I didn't know who to talk to or who to consult about it, so for many years it was a dream in my heart.
When I was in the last years of high school, there were some extraordinary activities that happened in our school and we were all obliged to attend Holy Mass on Sundays. I went along with my friends. After going to Mass several weeks in a row, a friend invited me to join them in the youth ministry.
After a while, my pastor asked me if I wanted to become a priest in his congregation, but I refused. The question was repeated several times and I was also asked the question by some parishioners, but I constantly said no. I did not want to become a priest. One Saturday night, however, I told my pastorFather, I will not be able to go to Mass tomorrow because I am going to take the entrance exam for the seminary. He was shocked, but he supported me anyway. At that time I did not tell my parents that I had gone to the seminary because I was sure they would not agree. But in the end, when I received my exam results, I told them that I had passed.
What was the reaction of your family and friends when you told them you wanted to become a priest?
-When I told my family about my decision, they didn't agree. They told me that I could do whatever I wanted, but that they were not going to support me. I went to the seminary alone, with no one to accompany me, unlike my other classmates. But I stayed and stood firm in my decision. As the date of my investiture approached, I told my parents that they had to come, but that day was also my grandfather's funeral. I thought I would not see them, but 10 minutes before the Holy Mass, they showed up still wearing their funeral dresses, which gladdened my heart.
My parents were moved to tears and that was when they accepted my decision. They hugged me tightly and from then on they visited me in the seminary. When I returned home one day for a visit, the whole community of my town knew that I was a seminarian.
How would you describe the Church in the Philippines?
-With God's grace, I would say that the Church in the Philippines is alive in the religious and devotional sense. Although not all Filipinos know the faith or delve into the doctrines and dogmas of the Church, the faith is alive and active. The Philippine Church is a Church that loves to have processions. Devotions to the Virgin Mary and other devotional practices sustain their faith in the Church.
What are the challenges facing the Church in your country?
-I believe there are two challenges facing the Church. The first and most important is the lack of religious vocations. The second challenge, in my view, is that many other Christian denominations use the name of the Catholic Church or act like the Catholic Church for profit. People put on the trappings of the Catholic Church and create their own churches. Because of their imitation of the Church, the faithful can easily become confused and some fall into these false religions.
What do you appreciate most about your education in Rome?
-Going to Rome for my theology studies was part of my dream when I entered the seminary. In fact, it was a surprise for me when my bishop asked me to come.
Rome and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross offer education not only through books, but also through the reality of life. I remember on my first day here in Rome, during my Italian class, the professor told us that we not only learn Theology inside the classroom, but also in the city itself, because the center of Catholicism is here.
