Dear Fr. Joey, Your parishioners address you as Father Joey, while some of our youth leaders affectionately dub you “Derps”. To me, you’re simply Joey. I trust that you harbor no qualms about this informal salutation. Similarly, I’d kindly ask…
Dear Fr. Raul, When men commit crimes and are sentenced, they are sent to the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa. Women offenders, on the other hand, are sent to the Correctional Institute in Mandaluyong. A few months ago, I organized a…
Dear Wibb, I am writing to you from Puerto Azul. I am attending a seminar for the ongoing renewal of priests. While walking in the garden, my attention was caught by a leaf that I saw falling from a tree.…
Dear Jan-B and Loudette, I am writing to you in the middle of my annual retreat here in the same compound where I was formed as a priest. San Carlos Seminary is the only seminary I know. I grew up…
Dear Sister Flor, You will make your perpetual vows today. You will be making a historical step this morning and the Church will be making an act of faith as well. Today you take a leap into the dark, making…
Dear Rina, Thank you for flying all the way from Dallas to join me this afternoon. You brought so much joy to me when you agreed to pin this medal on me during the ceremony. Yes, I have a medal,…
My dear Edsa Shrine friends, Fifteen years ago, Bishop Ted Bacani ordained me as a deacon. Fifteen years ago, I promised to dedicate every moment of my life, every ounce of energy I have, and every drop of blood in…
Dear Niño, You are now a seminarian. You are in the same seminary where I spent all my years preparing for the priesthood. I am so proud of you. I cannot resist telling you how I was when I was…
Dear Nanay, When Tatay passed away four years ago, I initially saw God as only taking away a blessing from my life. I perceived it solely as death, a cross, a pain, an anguish that I must endure. But what…
The Philippines may be seen by some as a poor country. Despite the economic challenges, there are two remarkable gems that emerge from this context. The first is our unwavering faith. The second is our heartwarming music. These Filipino gifts…
This is the favorite week for retreats and recollections. Our nuns at Villa San Miguel are all out of town for their annual Holy Week retreat. We do have recollections during the Advent season, but more people make their retreats…
Many processions will be held these days. Every parish, almost every chapel, will have processions of well-decorated images of the Holy Week characters. I have always been fascinated by processions. I have always been fascinated by the behavior of people…