“Grateful Hearts, Faithful Priests”

April remains a sacred month for many of us in the Archdiocese of Davao— a time of remembrance, gratitude, and a renewed “yes.”

It is the month when many of us were ordained— when hands were anointed, promises were spoken, and our lives were marked forever for Christ and His Church.

At the heart of our priestly life is the Eucharist.

Each day, we stand at the altar— to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, to offer the sacrifice of Christ, and to carry before God the lives entrusted to us: their joys, their struggles, their unspoken prayers.

From the altar, we return to the people.

Ordination is never only a memory of one day; it is a grace that continues to unfold in every day of ministry.

Priestly life is lived in both sacred and ordinary ways: preaching the Word, listening to stories often shared in silence, accompanying the sick and the burdened, guiding communities, and even building the structures where faith is gathered and celebrated.

It is also lived in the quiet weight of daily responsibilities— in the office, attending to documents, listening patiently to concerns and difficult situations, responding to urgent needs, making decisions for the good of the parish, and working with parish workers—guiding, correcting, encouraging, and gently building unity in shared mission.

These moments are not always visible, but they are deeply part of the offering of priestly life.

The words of Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire remind us with gentle truth: to live in the world, yet not be possessed by it… to belong to all, yet belong fully to God.

And so, priesthood becomes a daily movement of love— from people to God, and from God back to His people.

We carry their lives in prayer, and we return bearing the mercy and presence of Jesus Christ.

April reminds us: we were not only ordained— we were sent.

And even as the years pass, the call remains fresh in the heart: “O God, what a life this is!”

A life entrusted, a life offered, a life sustained by grace.

To all my brother priests in the Archdiocese of Davao— especially those who were ordained in April, may this month fill our hearts with gratitude, renew the joy of our calling, and deepen our love for the people we serve.

And may we continue, each day, to say “yes”— to serve, to love, and to remain faithful priests forever. (Jesse Hipolito)