Filipino Jesuit Fr Henry Ponce SJ pronounced his Final Vows to the Society of Jesus on 12 January, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, at the Cebu Archdiocesan Shrine of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Cebu City. Philippine Provincial Fr Xavier Olin SJ received his vows on behalf of Fr General Arturo Sosa SJ.

In his homily, Fr Ramon Bautista SJ, who has played a pivotal role in Fr Ponce’s Jesuit formation, reflected on the priest’s 20-year journey, which began when he entered the Sacred Heart Novitiate. “All these years, you have shown how radical and deep your sense of availability and disponibility to mission has become,” Fr Bautista remarked.

Fr Ponce’s Jesuit mission has taken him across the globe. Notably, in 2017, he became the first priest from the Philippine Jesuit Province to be sent to the Middle East, where he served in Lebanon. There, he worked as a pastor to migrant workers and later as director of the Afro-Asian Migrant Center at the Jesuit-run St Joseph’s Church in Beirut.

During the homily, Fr Bautista highlighted the significance of Fr Ponce’s Final Vows, describing it as the fusion of three distinct “yeses”: the radical “yes” of Fr Ponce, the Society of Jesus’ definitive “yes” in affirming his vocation, and the unconditional “yes” of the Lord. He also invoked the teachings of former Fr General Adolfo Nicolás SJ, who encouraged Jesuits to cultivate “spiritual depth” and to resist “the superficiality of the world”.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Fr Ponce expressed gratitude to those who have shaped his vocation. He thanked Fr Bautista, his Novice Master and Tertian Master, for his availability and inspiring homily, as well as Fr General Sosa, his previous and current provincials, the Jesuit community in Cebu, his family and relatives, and his novitiate and ordination peers. He also acknowledged the communities he has served, including those at the Philippine Jesuit Prison Ministry, the Philippine General Hospital, in Lebanon, and in Scotland, where he pursued special studies. “Thank you for taking care of me and loving me wherever I serve in the mission. You kept my vocation alive,” he shared.

Fr Ponce will return to Lebanon in March to continue providing pastoral care to Overseas Filipino Workers. Reflecting on his upcoming mission, he said: “How could I refuse the call of a group of individuals, an institution with the heart of Jesus, that has supported and nurtured me throughout the years? With trust in God’s abundant grace, I am confident that He will always accompany me and safeguard me throughout my mission.”