L-R: Fr Mon Bautista SJ, Philippine Provincial Fr Xavier Olin SJ, Fr Jose Mari Manzano SJ, and Sacred Heart Novitiate Master of Novices and Community Superior Fr Lester Maramara SJ
Fr Jose Mari Manzano SJ professed his Final Vows in the Society of Jesus on 18 March at Sacred Heart Novitiate in Quezon City. The liturgy, held on the eve of the Solemnity of St Joseph, was presided over by Philippine Provincial Fr Xavier Olin SJ, who received the vows on behalf of Fr General Arturo Sosa SJ. Fr Mon Bautista SJ delivered the homily.
In his reflections, Fr Manzano drew on the metaphor of a “turning cradle” shared during the homily to describe the stages of Jesuit formation. “We were once brought as ‘infants’ to the ‘turning lobby’ where new novices are received from their parents and family members,” Fr Manzano shared. The First Vows marked a transition from receiving “milk” in the novitiate to “solid food” for rigorous training, while the Final Vows welcome the Jesuit as an integral part of the Society—a “mother” and “bulwark”—now called to become a “turning cradle” for others. “A fully incorporated Jesuit is an instrument of the birthing of Jesus at every doorway,” he said.
The Jesuit priest also shared two images that shaped his understanding of Final Vows. First is the image of an “arch,” which remains incomplete and unstable without its keystone. “After today, I now see my whole existence in this arch with the abiding presence of the ‘Keystone’… Jesus, who was never far away… and is more visibly present now.” He compared the profession of Final Vows to a builder’s “topping out rite,” celebrated with his companions who laboured alongside him. “I have seen how this ‘stony’ heart of mine has gone through a lot of cutting, polishing, and sanding to fit into the whole structure,” he said. “Everything fits!”
Second, he invoked the Japanese art of kintsugi, which involves repairing broken pottery with gold, emphasising its flaws rather than concealing them and embracing “imperfect perfection”. During his eight-day retreat, Fr Manzano gained clarity on how God worked through his “jagged, broken pieces,” transforming them to become places where God’s work took root. He shared, “I have come to see clearly now more than ever how God has been present, especially in the broken parts of my history. What once seemed scattered now reveals a hidden beauty.”
He also noted that the timing of the occasion deepened its meaning. “If my Final Vows had happened earlier, it would not have been as sweet.”
Fr Manzano is currently engaged in retreat ministry. He leads Laudato Sí retreats for schools, religious, and seminaries, inspired by Pope Francis’ ecological spirituality.
