Offer Both Words and Actions to the Lord

(Excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., during the 63rd Parochial Fiesta of San Antonio de Padua Parish, Agdao, last June 13, 2026.)

Aside, I used this story, when I said mass sa usa ka GKK sa usa ka parokya, 37th fiesta, I told them an incident through story nga I was still young with now bishop Tonel, 3 other priests from Mindanao. We had a little money, we rode train from Rome to Venice, but before you reach Venice you pass by Padua, kay we kinda know that this is the city where St. Anthony of Padua is buried. Naay tomb in the basilica of St. Anthony of Padua.

So the train reached at 6 in the morning, bugnaw pa kaayo, naog mi sa train, bitbit mig backpack, tan-aw mig mapa, wala pa may cellphone nga naay mapa, papel pa to among mapa. Hala nagbaktas mi mohapit mi sa Simbahan, kay mag-ampo mi, manginom mig kape kay tugnaw kaayo. Unya garaon kaayo mi saba kaayo mi, mga young priests, aha dapit, diha, then we found the church, early mga 6:30 dili pa gani open, side door pa lang ang open. Sige lang kay modagkot ta, mohapit ta kay St. Anthony para mag-ampo sige na kay mosakay tag train balik. Unya ang iyang tomb marble, dako.

What I remembered vividly was saba kaayo mi, pag-abot namo sa lubong kay hilom mig kalit because there is an aura, ang dating, sacred, holy. Hilom mi gunit sa pansyon, ampo mig hilom. And as you know he is a very famous saint, Franciscan Saint, doctor of the church. Then ang ilahang founder, St. Francis kuno said: Go and preach the Gospel, if necessary use words. Si St. Anthony, atong patron said, actions speak louder than words. Let your words teach, and let your actions speak, ang buhat mas kusog, mas may dating kaysa words. Let your actions explain.

So karon, I would like to continue by saying, ang atong parokya daghang mga words, pero daghan pud og mga action. Ang fiesta day is a good day like this mass, to offer in thanksgiving the many occasions that you in the ministry sa parokya, I can summarized that by three: worship (liturgy, pag-ampo, rito, pangaliya, meaning naay choir, lector, uban pang mga servers), ministry of teaching (catechists, ug uban pa, usahay family and life kay mo teach kay life, values), third ministry of social action (service). You know very well that Agdao is a very active parish, many of you are involved in that actions and duna puy words but today I am very sure that you are fairly many good items, good stories, good memories, good record to offer to the Lord and also wink at St. Anthony de Padua. St. Anthony nia kami taga Agdao, we would like to offer to God, ang mga inspired words, actions na among nabuhat sa parokya.