Every time I share my vocation story, I am filled with joy and gratitude to God. I come from San Juan, Bato, Camarines Sur, and I belong to a very simple and religious family. As a child, I learned the value of prayer, the importance of good relationships within the family, and among friends, kindness, encouragement, humor, and cheerfulness, to mention a few.
As a young boy, I was taught that hard work is essential for a productive life. My grandparents had a sari-sari store in our town, where I developed my ability to interact with different people. I witnessed people queuing for rice due to limited supply. Many would advise me to take up commerce, saying that it would secure my future.
I was very active in both school and Church. I was awarded the President Ferdinand E. Marcos Cocofed Scholarship and pursued a degree in Agriculture. After graduation, I returned to my region and earned a good job in a government agency. I enjoyed helping the economy by working to increase coconut production, organizing communities, and issuing permits for copra traders.
One day, I found a World Mission magazine left in my office by one of the traders. On the back, there was an invitation: “Are you a young professional? Would you like to spread the Gospel to the world? Come and follow me!” I was deeply moved by these words and pondered their message. I prayed about it and sought spiritual guidance from my parish priest. I remained active in my work and later shared my aspirations, doubts, and fears with an American Jesuit priest during our Archdiocesan youth gathering. He said to me, “You must nurture what God wants for you. Follow His will, and you will never be deceived.”
COMBONI CHARISM
I contacted the Comboni Missionaries by phone, and the rector invited me to “Come and See.” For a year, I attended monthly recollections and a five-day retreat. Through deep prayer and discernment, I eventually made my final decision. I realized that missionary life was truly what I wanted. I was drawn to the Comboni charism–first evangelization, serving the poor, and most abandoned, and living in an international community. Though it seemed difficult and challenging, it was also fascinating.
In May 1995, I left my home, job, family, and friends to begin my postulancy formation at St. Daniel Comboni Seminary. At the same time, I pursued my philosophical studies at Christ the King seminary in Quezon City. In 1997, I entered the novitiate, where I developed patience and understanding. In those quiet moments, I opened my heart to God, and He constantly gave me direction, wisdom, and courage. I learned that the greatest challenge is to be honest with myself. God’s love and mercy see beyond our shortcomings and imperfections.
In 1999, I took my first religious vows and was assigned to Nairobi, Kenya, for my scholasticate. Alongside my studies, I was involved in an apostolate, visiting people in Korogocho–one of the largest slums on the outskirts of the city. They taught me to be more compassionate. Through listening to their struggles and offering them hope, I came to understand the value of redemptive suffering.
GOD’S GREATEST GIFT
In 2003, I returned to the Philippines for my priestly ordination and was assigned as the vocation director of our congregation. The ministry of presence–accompanying young people and giving retreats at universities–became a great avenue for fostering vocations. As St. John Paul II once said, “The Church looks to the young in a special way. Their enthusiasm, zeal, joy, and energy are special gifts from God.” As a missionary, I sought to channel these qualities in meaningful ways.
In 2010, I was assigned to Brazil as a missionary in the Amazon region to indigenous communities for evangelization. From them, I learned the beauty of simplicity and the value of a communal way of life.
In 2016, I was assigned to a parish in Pequia de Baixo. There, we accompanied and empowered local communities to defend their rights and address the environmental damage caused by mining and steel operations in the area.
Looking back on my vocational journey, I realized that things do not just happen by chance. God has a specific plan for each of us. Leaving everything behind, to follow Jesus as a Comboni missionary priest, has been the greatest gift I have received in life. The joy of serving and sharing God’s love with others is immeasurable. I often say that before, I worked in the coconut industry, but now, by God’s love, I work with people who rely on coconut farming for their livelihood. Simply put, our values, when centered on God, determine the decisions we make and the direction our lives take. To share our Christian faith is not just an obligation–it is a dynamic and overflowing way of life.
