#goodnighttalk

Let me kickstart this blog and inject life in it, again, with my birthday speech. I gave this as a Good Night Talk to my dearest brother-Salesians of the Postnovitiate last night. 

Some of you might notice that, once in a while I would remark and voice out similarities, or contrasts I see. Sometimes I would be silent and would appear to be in deep thought. What’s going in your mind? You might ask. If you would scan through still life photos—or architectural photos I’ve taken over the years you will notice that there are a lot of photos of tiles, bricks, lamps, chandeliers, buntings, mosaics, cast stones, walls, series of windows and doors. I’m drawn towards patterns. It’s more accurate to say that I am fascinated with patterns. Allow me to share with you tonight a snippet of my life, a pattern and a clue to where it leads.

In 1995, Saint Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines. It is the same year I joined the Rescuers’ Club of Sr. Corazon Layson, FMA in Don Bosco School—Manila. In 2005, I graduated from high school. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was elected. I entered the seminary. Early this year, Pope Francis came to the Philippines for the first time. I graduated from Philosophy. I am ending my Practical Training and beginning my theological studies.

It is still very vivid in my mind. His smile. His face. His eyes… the kind gesture of his hand and the peaceful countenance that moves one to tears. I am describing those precious moments I had when Saint Pope John Paul II passed along EDSA enroute to San Carlos Seminary in Guadalupe. I was there. I was on my father’s shoulders looking on, above the crowds. Three months after, I celebrated the biggest party I ever had. There were clowns, party hats, and a big lechon. A month after, I joined Sr. Corazon’s rescuer’s club. I went to mass, for the first time, with just my friends within that year. That blessed Sunday I told my mama, “I want to be a priest.” I was 7 years old.

We were in Legazpi. Precisely we were camping at Don Bosco Agro-mechanical Training Center in Banquerohan. In the second night of the camp, we heard the words “Habemus Papam!” Pope Benedict was elected! Later that week after the vocation camp, I told my mama… “Tuloy po ako sa Canlubang.” That year, I had a big birthday-graduation-farewell celebration. I was 17 years old.

Last January, we stood still along the road. We acted as if we were barricades. But deep inside my heart there was a great excitement. I’m going to see the Pope. It was fast but the happiness of seeing Pope Francis has embraced all the inconveniences we had to go through. It even propelled me to walk kilometers on hot concrete and stay still, standing under the cold rain just to celebrate the Holy Mass with him. This year marks the 200th birth anniversary of Saint John Bosco and the 200th year of the institution of the Feast of Mary Help of Christians. I am 4 years a Salesian. In a few days, I am moving on… going to the theology. I am 27 years old.