Abp. Valles: ‘Hear the Call of the Lord’

All throughout the Catholic Church, the yearly Vocation month is celebrated every September. Young men and women are invited to live the vocation to a consecrated life. This year’s vocation promotion was launched in the Archdiocese of Davao last September 1 at the San Pedro Cathedral in a mass presided by Abp. Romulo G. Valles and concelebrated by a number of priests both diocesan and religious. Different organizations, lay and religious brothers, nuns, seminarians came to participate in the said launching.

“Vocation to the Consecrated Life, Share Joy, Spread love, in Serving the poor” is this year’s theme. Abp. Valles in his homily, mentioned that there are 2 reasons for joy in the consecrated life: that there are caretakers of the people of God and that these are signs that God is giving us. He explained that the diocesan priest is also a consecrated life. Among the Davao Diocesan clergy, Msgr. Ed Rodriguez is celebrating his golden anniversary. This is a sign that gives color according to the archbishop. Davao is relatively young. He said that Msgr. Rodriguez’ jubilee makes them confident and he hopes that more will be like him. Reflecting on St. Paul’s message to the Thessalonians: “but you, brothers, are not in darkness,” he warns that we should not be too compliant since we are children of light, but there is darkness in the world.

“One of the indicators of children of light is that we are loved by God, who promised to send caretakers. Nurturing their belief, He calls men and women as witnesses of that light. These are signals to the world that we belong to the Kingdom of Light. The Reading’s emphasis on darkness is scary but the Lord brought light to the darkness. Darkness is suffering. In the midst of darkness who will bring that word, but the ministry of Consecrated Life! Is prayer needed?”, the archbishop asked. He further gave an example of the Archdiocese of Saigon, which is not even counted a Christian country. It has 300 diocesan clergy and 350 religious to serve about 300,000 members. Davao has more than a million Catholics, but only has 100 diocesan priests and 60 religious to serve them.

“Why launch? God will take care to remind us that He will give. Therefore, by praying we become conscious of the call. We pray to be familiar to the language of God.” Abp. Valles invited the Davao’s youth present to hear the call of the Lord. It is a special call, mysterious; reminding the children of light. “There is hope. With God in our midst, everything will be alright. This is the rationale for the prayer for vocation.”

Reacting to what Judge Quitain said to him of the late Bishop Thibault: “motan-aw ko niya morag kakita ko ug Ginoo,” the Archbishop says is a good reminder and a challenge to those in the consecrated life. That, for him, is their vocation. The grace of consecration is the presence of the transcendent God in the midst of people. To be present in us, they can see that there is God.

He exhorted the parents to nurture their children’s vocation. Luz Baybay, a mother with 2 single children, 29 and 26, responded to the Abp’s invitation says, “Bantayan ang challenge sa Ginoo isip tubag sa iyang gugma ug pag-atiman.”

Kyle Nathalie, a high school student of Holy Cross of Mintal says that “because we are Catholics, let us be responsible and respond as Christians, as followers of Christ. The Abp’s invitation is for the future good of the church.”

James Vi Brenson, a 3rd year SFX seminarian says, “The challenge is not only for seminarians. Ang pagparami sa bokasyon ay para din sa lahat. Personally, napakalaking challenge kasi I am not only called to become a priest but a holy priest.” (Nena Quijano)