Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on Saturday, 4th Week of Easter; 2 May 2026, Conclusion of FIS Retreat, Batch 2, DBRH Lawaan

“Mission is passion for Jesus and passion for the people.” Thank you, Archbp Francesco Panfilo, for highlighting this striking point during this Retreat. Allow me to share with you my vocation story. But what I’ll share now is a more complete version than what I have already shared last Saturday. I remember the day when I was being interviewed by Fr Zuffetti in the Rector’s office towards the end of our three-day stay-in experience in Don Bosco Juniorate (DBJ) Pampanga. I was only in Grade 6 at that time and I told him that I want to enter DBJ because I want become a priest. And he asked why I wanted to become a priest. So, I thought for a while what I should answer.

Actually I joined the search-in with no intention of becoming a priest. But much earlier in my elementary years in DB Mandaluyong I was telling everyone of that desire because three of my elder brothers have entered DBJ ahead of me. So, I wanted to follow them. Besides, whenever we would visit them on visiting Sunday I would see Fr Felix Glowicki with his long pointed nose and I wanted to be like him. And then, after I made my first Holy Communion I joined the Knights of the Altar (KOA) and one day while serving at Mass I was inspired by Fr Ronnie Ocampo particularly with his gentle hand shaking my hand during the sign of peace. And then when Fr Panfilo became our Rector, I was inspired by his height and his amazing skills in playing football. And so, I also started playing football. When Fr Alton Fernandez was transferred to DB Mandaluyong, I was inspired by his animating presence and the stories he told us every afternoon while we were waiting for our service vehicle after dismissal. So, looking back at my childhood years, I realized there were several Salesians who have actually made an impact on me.

However, I somehow lost that desire when I started to have a crush on the girl next door. When their family transferred to our neighbourhood very soon, Constantine, her younger brother became my friend and playmate, but I also started to have a crush on her. The turning point however is this. A few months before our graduation, Bro Rey Ranjo, our brother assistant and KOA animator at that time, entered our classroom and asked who among us Grade 6 Kamagong students would want to join the three days search-in experience in DBJ. When nobody was raising hand, I raise mine to ask a question. I asked if we could join even if we had no desire to become priests. Providentially he said yes. And that is how I ended up joining the group even though I was not a member of the Future Aspirants Club (F.A.C.). It was I think the first weekend of March. And I brought all the things I needed including my pair of rubber shoes because I knew we would be playing football with the aspirants.

When we arrived at the Juniorate on Friday afternoon, I felt differently; not in the same way as in the past when I would be there with my family every month to visit my elder brothers who were aspirants. My elder brother, Chito, was already 4th Year Aspirant. at that time when I came for the search-in. So, almost everyone among the big boys became fond of me as I was introduced as his younger brother.

At the end of those three days, I entered the Rector’s office for the interview. And Fr Zuffetti asked me this question, why I wanted to become a priest. After a short pause, I gave him this answer “I want to become a priest because I want to serve God and his people.” Could it be that in the mind of a Grade 6 Bosconian at that time, this was already the beginning of what Archbp. Francesco had told us regarding mission? – passion for Jesus, and passion for his people?

Dear Confreres, we are at the end of this annual Retreat. And we are grateful to God for sending us Archbp Panfilo to walk with us throughout these seven days, opening for us the pages not only of the Scriptures but also of our Constitutions & Regulations, and the writings of the recent Popes as well. It was like a second Novitiate. We really felt our hearts burning within us as he spoke to us day after day, morning and afternoon and breaking the Eucharistic bread with us.

Today we gather not only to conclude this Spirit-filled retreat but also to celebrate on this First Saturday the memorial of our Blessed Mother, Mary Help of Christians, Patroness of our Province.

Last Wednesday Fr Dong’s homily reminded me of a conversation I had with a leader of a particular group in SJBP Cotcot, Liloan some three years ago. They were offering to sponsor the stained glass inside the church. up above the tabernacle behind the altar. And they were suggesting the image of an old man up there on the stained glass above the cross to symbolize God, the Father. However, while the Provincial and his Council at that time were grateful for the generous sponsorship the proposed design was not approved. And so, if you go to St John Bosco Parish Cotcot, you will not find the image of God the Father on the stained glass.

The gospel passage we have heard today presents Philip, the apostle, asking the Lord Jesus a very important and reasonable request: “Master, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” For three years they had been seeing and hearing Jesus preach and perform miraculous deeds, and Jesus had been revealing to them the truth that he was sent by the Father. And so naturally I guess their curiosity and eagerness to see the Father was growing within them until Philip had the courage to make that request explicit. Sad to say, however, Jesus could only reply with great disappointment. He said to Philip “Have I been with you for so long a time and still you do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father… Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?”

In this Retreat I am sure we have all encountered Jesus in a very intimate and personal way. But the question is have we also had a close encounter with the Father? I really hope so, because after this retreat the people who will meet us – our own confreres, our LMPs and the young people in our ministry – should be able to encounter Jesus and the Father through us.

In fact, in the same Gospel passage we have heard today, Jesus said also to Philip, “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.”

What does this really mean? Jesus is not only telling us how blessed we are in this retreat, but he is also assuring us that our faith-filled encounters with him empowers us to do the same good works that he had done for the salvation of the world. If Jesus had preached the Good News of God’s Kingdom, we too should be able preach and teach the Gospel to others. If Jesus was able to heal the sick, we too should be able to help the sick experience God’s healing grace. If Jesus was able to make the lame and the crippled walk, we too can enable the weak, the infirm and the disabled to regain strength and be able to walk again in the light of the Lord. If Jesus had opened the eyes of the blind, we too can help others regain their sight, see the face of Jesus and find the right direction in their own life. “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” If we truly have a firm faith in Jesus and a passionate love for him we will certainly continue his mission with the same passion that He had for his people; the same passion which Don Bosco had for the young.

At the beginning of this retreat our Archbp Preacher told us these simple words MinD Me. “MinD Me” actually stands for Jesus’ words “Manete in dilectione mea.” Precisely in this Retreat, we have remained with the Lord. And, despite our sins and weaknesses, our infidelities, conflicts and compromises, we have experienced his forgiving love, his constant, comforting, overwhelming, transforming and empowering love.

As we go back to our communities may we strive to sustain this “MinD Me” experience with the Lord that we may be empowered to do so many good works greater far than what Jesus had done. And as Jesus is the image of the Father, may we too become the images of Jesus, the sacramental signs of his presence and bearers of his love to everyone, first to our confreres and then to our LMPs and the young people entrusted to our care.

I close with a quote from Most Rev. Raul Dael, Bishop of Tandag: “Let us stop being recruiters of vocations. Let us begin to be companions on the journey (of the young)…” GiGsss!