Happy Father's Day!

O God, You have given me the name of Father;
You have given me Your own name.
Help me to be true to it.
- taken from “A Father’s Prayer”

They have dedicated all their lives to the betterment of us, their children, guiding us and encouraging us to do good. They never ran out of good and sound advices to give and are always tireless in their effort to help those in need. They work everyday, especially on Sundays, to make sure that we have a place to gather around for a special meal.Inspite of all they have done, a lot of them are hurting and misunderstood. Whenever they commit a mistake, whether miniscule or major, by accident or wrong choice, we always try to prejudicially magnify it against them. We easily label them as unfit, undeserving or out of place. Criticism, gossips and disobedience are but few unpleasant rewards they receive from loving us.
Today is Father’s Day. And though the first thing that pops into our head are the heroes of our family lives, there are the other “fathers” worth remembering and honoring on this day as well.

They are our priest, our religious formators and counselors.
They are our spiritual fathers tasked by God to lead and give direction to our lives.
I have been blessed to have such inspiring fathers in my life.
I would like to honor them now.

Monsignor Andy Valera started the Knights of the Altar for the Parish of the Immaculate Conception when I was still in grade school where I was one of those proud pioneer wearing our red and white clothes during our investiture. I remember when we have our KoA meeting in your room with only a single bed, a table and an empty refrigerator with drinking water. Your simplicity and dedication to God’s service were actually the first seeds of my young vocation to be a priest also. Well, God did have another purpose for me after all, because I am now happily married. But the mustard seed of desire to serve never wavered and continues to grow nevertheless.

Fr. Esteng Mendoza was our seminary spiritual director (now a religious monk) during the short 3 years I have stayed inside. He was always the seminarian’s choice to be assisted with during barrio masses because there will always be an extra treat along the way – sweet cakes or bread, or even balut (a unique Filipino delicacy of duck-embryo boiled inside the egg). For those living “outside”, this would amount to nothing but to us insiders used to eating tuyo, pork maling and any mixed food viand (“experiment” is a more appropriate term) day in and day out, any sweet goodie can make us drool. But more than his kindness to us, he has helped us to develop a very good sense and positive attitude towards the sacrament of Penance which he imparted to us in every given opportunity. We felt comfortable (sometimes too comfortable for our own good) doing it knowing that our confessor is a kind and re-assuring personification of God. So even though I felt that he did not support my return for the 4th year, I now know that he was God’s instrument in letting me know that I was not meant to be one of His chosens one for this particular vocation.

Fr. Godofredo Atienza is our Salesian family-friend who epitomizes the Bosconian anthem of simplicity and loving the poor children. He was our priest celebrant and one of our god-parents of our wedding in the Basilica Minor of San Lorenzo Ruiz in Binondo. His mild-manner yet witty remarks and deep-knowledge can really bring out the thoughts inside us. He is the rector of Salesian seminary in Cebu and also heads the Salesian house catering to the poor youth by sending them to vocational schools, training them and educating them. One of our unforgettable moment with him was when he visited their Salesian office in Hongkong and he invited us to visit it at the same time. My wife, who was then a few months pregnant with our Maia, have to walk through a lot of elevated streets and footbridges looking for their place and yet she felt little tiredness. Fr. Godo, patiently waited for us before saying his mass with 3 participants – me, my wife and Zek. Yes, it was an exclusive Eucharistic mass for my family. We felt so blessed.

Fr. J. Orbos is my spiritual and virtual father whom I have not met and yet made a big impact in my nourishing my spiritual life. His weekly Sunday writings – Moments, has consistently been one of my favorite articles for reading. He always starts with a humor story or quote and expound deeply into the Sunday gospel reading and its messages, oftentimes exhorting his readers to seize each “moment” to follow God and to do good to every fellow man.

Fr. Mike Paez is the first and present parish priest of our Holy Spirit Parish which he helped to establish and improve through the years. He finished his BSChe and had a working experience before responding to the call of priesthood. He is also one of the spiritual advisers of our Maia Foundation. Fr. Ric Eguia is a parish priest in Marikina who I met in the internet (and almost met personally in Shenzhen China if not for the poor schedule of their tour guides). His inspiration to pusue priesthood came after finishing his BSEE degree in college (we have the same alma mater) and also working for some time. He is my consultant about Church matters and faith that are unclear to me. Fr. Oliver “Tegs” Ortega is our lone batch-mate who has successfully become a priest. I just recently have made contact with him after many years. He is now California-based. Fr. Gboi is another kind-hearted priest belonging to the senior seminarians during my short stint. Then there was Father Nas whose worse case of Parkinson’s never deterred him from saying mass. Fr/s. Narciso Sampana, Danny Bermudo and other seminary priests. Fr. Adams who is our regular guest-priest in the Sunday Eucharistic celebrations in Shekou China, was the first priest to offer not only his sincere condolences but his intimate reflection of death as well during the painful loss of our daughter a few months ago.

And lastly, I can never forget the father of all our fathers – our Blessed Pope John Paul II whose powerful and awesome presence during the World Youth Day 95 in Manila will always be one of the highlights of my Catholic life. Seeing his frail and old body, swirling his cane joyfully in the air during the praise-fest is a very humble candidness of him to show and make-believers among the youth that he is one in spirit and mind with the young generation of the faithful. Now succeeded by Pope Benedict 16th, he was the most traveled and arguably the most loved pope of his time for his huge effort to seek out others and make peace with those who were in conflict with the church before.

Let us pray for all our “fathers” that they may remain faithful to their vocation in the service of God and for the good of all.

Happy Father’s Day to all our Priests.