What Remains
For a long time, I believed that my value was tied to my usefulness. I felt most alive when I was consulted, when my opinion mattered, when someone needed my help. Whether in relationships, ministry, or work, I drew a…
Grace in every moment
Category Service
A Sinner Still Praying for Conversion (Part 2)
Fasting is something deeply practiced in our community. We fast as a way of offering sacrifice, believing that when prayer is joined with fasting, our intentions are lifted more sincerely to God. In the Catholic Church, we are required to…
A Sinner Still Praying for Conversion (Part 1)
Last 2024, during the National Social Communications Convention, I met a priest who eventually became a friend. Recently, he invited me to give a recollection to his community. At first, it wasn’t really a serious plan. It began as a…
Pag-aaruga sa Naglilingkod
Mayroon akong kaibigang pari na bagong assign sa isang parokya. Habang nagkukuwento siya, ramdam ko ang bigat ng pinagdadaanan niya. Nakakalungkot, dahil tila mas nananatiling “loyal” ang mga tao sa dating pari. Sa mga misa, kulang ang mga gamit; ang…
Late si Father!
“Dili ba ko makasala kung maglagot ko sa late comer na pari?”That was the message a friend sent me today, Sunday. I laughed and said, “Okay lang maglagot. We all do.” But that simple question leads me to reflect more…
Priests are Human Too
Every Catholic, at some point in their journey of faith, has experienced spiritual dryness—those periods when prayer becomes a struggle, when we go through the motions without truly encountering God. In such moments, setting aside time for sincere, personal conversation…
The Unique Strengths of Our Parish Priests
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.”— 1 Corinthians 12:4–5 The Church often speaks of the threefold mission of Christ—prophetic, priestly, and kingly—which all the…
For the Shepherds Who Also Need Rest
In a previous blog, I reflected on how priests are expected, often silently, to play multiple roles: public figure, community organizer, counselor, fundraiser, event host, confessor, spiritual guide, and, unofficially, everyone’s friend. You are expected to be available, gracious, attentive,…
When Our Priests Must Perform
I’ve had an on-and-off relationship with the Church since I was 14 years old. But when I became a full-time employee in its media ministry, I entered a world that I hadn’t seen before—not from the pews, and certainly not…
When the Mission Becomes the Burden
When I left my job to join the newsroom for the Church media, I thought I was walking into a gentler kind of labor. I expected more grace, more understanding, more purpose. I thought serving God through media work would…