Two Filipino Jesuits were ordained to the priesthood on June 2 at the Oratory of St Ignatius of Loyola, Loyola House of Studies in Manila. Jereme Asunto SJ and Firmo Bargayo Jr SJ were ordained by Bishop of Tagbilaran Abet Uy DD.
“The Church rejoices with you this day of your ordination,” said Bishop Uy. “May the young people who are here with us today, and those who will be blessed by your presence and ministry be inspired to embrace, as well, something or someone larger than themselves.”
The bishop urged the newly ordained priests to always find courage and joy in their vocation, citing the example of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese consul who ignored his superiors’ instructions and gave transit visas to Jews in Lithuania during World War II. Sugihara was dismissed from the diplomatic service because of his actions. He settled into a low-key life and, at one point, even sold light bulbs door to door to support his family. Although he died virtually unknown in Japan, Sugihara saved 6,000 Jews from the Holocaust.
“May people go beyond their consumerist market place mentality, which highlights profit, money, influence and prestige, with you as living and breathing signposts,” Bishop Uy told Fathers Asunto and Bargayo. “May this ecclesial event point people to something more and draw them to someone beyond.”
As words of encouragement, Bishop Uy quoted from a letter written by Fr Horacio dela Costa SJ in 1946: “Somehow, even when the pain is fiercest, there shall be joy always, for that is the miracle of falling in love with Christ; and in the end, when the shadows lengthen, and the stars come out, He will be there as always, pointing across the very little way there shall be left to go, at the lights of home.”
The newly ordained priests both have experience in pastoral formation and social justice advocacy. Fr Asunto entered the Society of Jesus in 2007 and has served in Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, the socio-political apostolate of the Philippine Jesuits. He did his regency at Ateneo de Zamboanga University where he taught Christian Living to high school students.
Fr Bargayo was a full-time missionary with the Youth for Christ charismatic community prior to joining the Society of Jesus in 2006. He was sent to Jesuit Service Cambodia for regency where he worked as adviser of the Rural Development Ang Snoul. Returning from regency, he was appointed the Associate Director of Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan.
In his thanksgiving speech, Fr Bargayo related an important part of his vocation story. “My mother came to my elementary graduation. But she was drunk, as she often was. She pinned a medal on me, but on her way down the stage, she fell. From then on my friends teased me as ‘the son of the falling star’. That incident crippled me.
“But my life changed when Couples for Christ changed my mother. I knew then that God was present. In my mother’s new life, I witnessed a God who granted wishes, a God who made wishes come true … What I was too embarrassed to admit before, I now say with deep affection: my mother is my falling star. And now, I can wish to my falling star that I may become a good priest.”
On behalf of himself and Fr Asunto, Fr Bargayo thanked the many people who have been instrumental in their journey to the priesthood, namely their past and present provincials, formators, spiritual directors, teachers and the communities in their apostolates who “taught us what it means to be a true servant of God”. He also thanked their family and friends “who continue to pray for us and inspire us to persevere in this vocation … We pray that we may grow in love with God deeper and deeper each day.”
Read Fr Firmo Bargayo Jr’s thanksgiving speech here.