Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo, D.D., the Auxiliary Bishop of Manila ordained nine Jesuits to the Diaconate last September 13, in the Church of the Gesu of the Ateneo de Manila University campus, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines. The ordained Jesuits were the following: Rev. Javy Alpasa (PHI), Rev. Francis Alvarez (PHI), Rev. Jason Dy (PHI), Rev. Oliver Dy (PHI), Rev. Frank Savadera (PHI), Rev. Robbie Sian (PHI), Rev. Imran John (SRI), Rev. Ambrose Kituyi (AOR), and Rev. Kiarie Muruga (AOR). Concelebrating the ordination mass were Fr Jose Cecilio J. Magadia (Provincial of the Philippine Province), Fr Renato Zecchin (Pakistan Mission Superior), Fr Koichi Matsumoto (AIR Rector), Fr Primitivo Viray, Jr. (LHS Rector), and other Jesuit and non-Jesuit priests. There were about 900 to 1000 people who attended the celebration which included guests from Kenya and Pakistan.
During the homily, Bishop Pabillo said, "So the attitude on this day of joy is not that of triumph – that we are good – but that of deep gratitude: The Lord is so good and so condescending to us as to entrust us with this gift. The Jeremiah became a prophet because God enabled him. The Lord himself touched his mouth and deposited his words there. So now he could say: Thus says the Lord!" Like Jeremiah, three deacons from the Arrupe International Residence (AIR) whose heart and mouth were touched by the Lord, would like to share their brief reflections on that joyful day of their ordination.
"It is hard to describe vividly what happened to me during my diaconate ordination but certainly there are a few things that stand out in my mind. First and foremost, it was a moment of pure grace for me in realizing that it was not I who chose God at this ordination but it was He who had lovingly chosen me in that ordination. He chooses me not because I am worthy to merit His choice but I realized that God chooses me for who I am; a sinner, unworthy and nothing at all, yet he lovingly desires that I be His instrument, a servant and a waiter at his Table. That was pure grace for me which can never be achieved by either human invention, inspiration or aspiration. Secondly, with this acknowledgement in mind I was drawn in gratitude to God, to the Society of Jesus for nurturing that seed of vocation, friends, family and to all the members of AIR for supporting me in great many ways in the past two and a half years. Let my experience motivate me as one who serves, for a deacon should be seen as a sign of the Church serving the world and I humbly stand in your midst as one who serves."
Rev. Ambrose Kituyi, SJ (AOR)
"First of all I thank God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. And special thanks to our Blessed Mother who has been accompanying me throughout the years of my formation as a Jesuit. I thank the Lord for choosing me (out of 170 million people of Pakistan) to be the very First Pakistani Punjabi Jesuit ever in the History of the Society of Jesus. I thank the Lord for blessing me with the grace and attitude of saying with great freedom and joy ‘Take and receive O Lord my liberty, my memory and will.’ May the good Lord bless all of us and grant us grace to be true disciples of his mission on this earth. Amen."
Rev. Imran John, SJ (SRI)
"The ordination day was a moment of relishing and realizing my childhood desires. For 25 years, I had longed in prayers and devotion to be ordained in the church that I love. Indeed, after the imposition of hands, my dancing heart and smiling mind were turned to the Lord of our calling, praising him with litanies of profound gratitude. When the ordination ceremony was over, I received several phone calls from my community of meaning. These calls were assuring and vibrated in my ears with a symphony: ‘Rev. Kiash! This is what we always wanted for you.’ Finally, the celebration at AIR community was awesome and unforgettable. Thank you all and God bless you."
Rev. Kiarie Muruga SJ (AOR)
The joyful celebration continued in the evening as the AIR Community prepared a special dinner and a short program for our newly ordained deacons. Sch Dionisio Martins Sarmento (ETR) took charge of organizing and mobilizing some community members to prepare for the program from the decorations to the presentations. He even went further by helping Sch Joao dos Santos (ETR) in bringing the house down with their lively rapport in hosting. Each sub-community (Juniors, Philosophers and Theologians) and even the staff members gave their all to entertain the three deacons with their unique ways of showcasing their talents. Indeed that day was a joyful occasion to remember.