Ed. Note: This is a homily from last night’s mass at San Carlos Seminary, celebrating Fr. Mon’s 60th Birthday. Happy Birthday Fr. Mon! Thank you always, for the gift of your words, which have touched so many of our lives.

Just last week we attended a conference on seminary formation in Iloilo. The experience nationwide of the different seminaries is similar: 

• First, many seminarians do not come from the traditional family. It does have an effect on their human development.
• Second, social media has a great influence on the seminarians’ lives. We cloister them, but with just a cellphone their minds and attention are out of the seminary and are all over the world.
• Third, their value systems are very different.
• Fourth, they tend to want things fast, easy, and convenient.
• Fifth, what was considered discipline by the older generation is now considered abuse – you cannot anymore tell a seminarian to stand in the corner. 

Yet amidst all the changes in the world, the desire for seminary formation is still the same throughout the generations – to not only produce priests but more importantly, produce SAINTS.

As we celebrate All Saints Day, we remember the Gospel which features the Beatitudes. Simply put, a saint is one who trusts God in all things.

Today, thank you for joining me in thanking God for the gift of life, 60 years, and the gift of the priesthood, 18 years. As I look back… yes, there were occasions when I had to trust God, three of which are as follows:

• First, family life. I grew up in a family of five boys. Being the middle child, who always has to be different to be noticed, I was the only one who graduated high school at Don Bosco Makati. The rest were “passed out”, not “kicked out”, and ended up at the Prince Charles University, not in England, but in Malate. Otherwise known as Philippine College University. Just to show you how colorful our growing-up years were: When I was a newly ordained priest, after celebrating Mass in St. Alphonsus Church in Magallanes, a parishioner approached me. He asked, “Father, how are you related to the Merinos of San Miguel Village?” I recognized him when we were as young as thirteen-year-olds in the Makati Intervillage Basketball Tournament, he was such a good basketball player. Naturally, we made him work hard for his points – legally and illegally as long as the referees did not see it. I had to answer the question, “Those brothers are so notorious that one had to become a priest to pay for the sins of the rest of the siblings”. That is why, when the thought of priesthood came up, it was a big puzzle. “Can anything good come out of the Merinos?” Trust in God’s mysterious call. 
• Second, Letting Go of a Professional Career. I spent 14 years in PLDT. A few years ago, I was speaking with Gina Ordonez, the head of Human Resources who came into the group around 2018. She said, “Why is it when your name is mentioned, it brings a smile to the faces of people?” I said, “Gina, I moved out of PLDT in the year 2000.” It was already 2022 then. “Am I supposed to be (gulp) a new creation?” Yes, until now the pranks that I pulled still bring laughter whenever we reminisce, like:
  • Changing the signage of the toilet. The male comfort room became female and the female comfort room became male
  • Putting leftover paper from punchers in the umbrellas that were left in the office
  • Putting the thick Yellow Pages books in the bags of office mates who will be going home to the province after office on Friday
  • Telling messengers who are looking for officemates, to speak loudly as the person they are looking for has hearing problems
  • Writing a letter to all single female employees that there is a Korean cult group called Moonies looking for brides
  • Many phone pranks like courting women officemate on the phone using another employee’s name. Yes, the list continues. That is why when I left to enter the seminary, which was one of the most difficult things to do, Al Panlilio even put a bet that in three months I would be back. The rest thought it was just another prank that I pulled. The only reason why I left PLDT was that God could be trusted. 
• Third, 18 years in the ministry.  I look back and tell myself it has been 18 years. I have been assigned to different roles: Spiritual Director, Head of the Real Estate Company of the Archdiocese, Assistant Parish Priest, Parish Priest, Treasurer of the Archdiocese, and Board of Trustees of the companies of the Archdiocese. Now I am the Procurator of the Seminary, Head of the Propaedutic Department. I still sit in some committees and would you believe, I am also a member of the Ministry of Exorcism. They say because of my history I cannot drive out evil, I just sweet talk them to leave. But how did I get into this ministry? Way back in 2008, I was the assistant of Fr. Jocis in the formation year department. Back then he was just starting the ministry and it was hit and miss, trial and error. Back then exorcism was not fashionable and in fact, being mocked. I would see him walking down the corridor very exhausted and I would say, “Ayan panay kademonyohan kasi.” But on the other hand, I was the only one listening to his stories. With an engineering mindset, it was quite a challenge to integrate the material realm with the spiritual realm. In 2015 when I was given a new assignment in the parish, he asked me to formally join the ministry.

While in the past 18 years, I had my own share of ups and downs, joys and pains, faithfulness, and betrayal, one thing is very true –  it is a different world nowadays. Hence, now more than ever, I remind myself. “As a priest, to continue to trust God.”

Family, Professional Life, and Priesthood. 

As I celebrate 60 years old, I cannot help but remember my dad, Juan or Johnny, and mom, Virgie. They were two very different persons. Dad was frugal and reminded us to save – no wonder my assignments have to do with money. My mom was live life, food, and travel – no wonder, I always leave the country as a chaplain or tour escort. 

Then there were people who have been instrumental for me to respond to the call – the late Cardinal Vidal, the late Msgr. Chito Bernardo, Von Vargas. The Bel Air Biblia Arasal Group and the unbelievers and the doubting thomases of PLDT. 

Lastly, as I reach this milestone, on the material side, I have to watch my weight. People always feed the priests, from birth to death and in sadness and in celebration. On the spiritual side, I remember the saying, “Each person has two lives. The second, you discover when you realize that you only have one life”. I don’t usually have celebrations. But with Covid, we realize that life is short, swift and uncertain. Therefore, although prepared remotely from abroad, we are all gathered now to celebrate life and ministry. Age may slow me down and while the memory is not as sharp as it used to be, except when it comes to the jokes, the call for each and every one of us is to be a saint. (Yes, even at times I bully people, seminarians included).