Returning back to the Philippines after thirteen years being assigned in our foundation in the United States is certainly a big challenge: ranging from adjustment to food, climate and even personality. This is certainly a sign of enrichment, I supposed, on my part, to experience other cultures and mentality as in the United States.

If there is anything that stands out in my experience in the Philippines last year, it was the encounter of numerous vocations-- young vocations, when other parts of the world, including America, are suffering from a deficit of vocation. In the Philippines, it’s not number that is wanting, its space.

Aspirancy in Cebu City

Consolacion, Cebu is the location of the formation house for our aspirants. The seminary proper is located in an almost hilly part of the city which is about twenty minutes drive to the main road. The characteristic country scene of "nipa huts" and green trees bring a lot of memories when the community first started to settle in Cebu and the friars have to build the friary from down up in the early nineties.

There are about almost 20 aspirants when I was there and for this year, they are having more than thirty candidates who are interested in experiencing our Franciscan life. It dawned on me on thinking of cultural differences between missions I have stayed, that a Christian family certainly makes a difference, that vocations naturally flourish in a family that lives and witness to their faith.

Giving the aspirants formation classes on several subjects as Mariology and spirituality was really a great challenge. Their attentiveness was so moving that I cannot imagine one would have a heart to endure not to teach them if one is gifted to do so. There is so much hunger for formation and spirituality.

Their simplicity and cheerfulness are living witnesses of sincerity in their vocations. It is a sermon to the world so caught up with glitter of this world’s promises that they fail to appreciate the beauty that is already in front of them. Inner joy is always a verification of poverty as virtue.

The Postulancy in Naga City

The Bicol region of the Philippines where Naga City is located is known to be a Franciscan territory. Here, the great Franciscans as St. Peter Baptist built churches and friaries. The existing churches they built are monuments of their faith that they handed to the Filipino people—monuments that are characterized by fortitude, strength, and perseverance. It is in this place filled with great Catholic traditions that the formation house of our postulants is located. The friary is animated by intense work of the apostolate: the radio station, the maintenance of the Marian Shrine of Coredemptrix, the growing number of MIM and Third Order members, the request for pastoral and spiritual assistance from the laity and the religious alike. I had the opportunity of staying more often at this friary for reason of the work of broadcasting radio programs in our Radio Station known as “Radio Caritas” – a typical Franciscan designation as opposed to the one run by the Dominicans in Cameroon called, “Radio Veritas.”

The spirit of the family can be experienced among the postulants and the friars alike: recreating together, working together, and having innocent laugh at the refectory as one would do in a family. The motherly characteristics of their present superior and postulant master, Fr. Cherubim M. Panilog, are the animating factors why they have such an atmosphere of the family. I hope that the friars in this community will appreciate what they have.

Giving the postulants formation classes, being confessor for a while during my stay there, choir master during Christmas season and assisting in some computer apostolate made me an all-around “handy man” for the community. There is certainly an inner joy one experiences in giving oneself to another, a challenge that makes the young vocation to do the same. Witness of generosity begets generosity on the part of another.

In all of these, one can see the need for more spiritual assistance of priests on the growing number of vocations be it a formator, confessor or spiritual director. But I believe, the Immaculata guides them and she will only permit what she believes to be for their greatest interest.