LAST Sunday, July 16, we celebrated the Feast Of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
She is the patron saint of the Order of the Carmelites. The Gospel of today gives the parable of the sower. The kingdom is one of those things that cannot be seen as long as one has no belief in it. The kingdom of Heaven is the kingdom of God, as the Father of Heaven is God the Father. Those who are open to hope receive the Word. If God puts us on the road to life, this road will head somewhere. Hope is courage and endurance.
With the parable of the weeds, Jesus answers those who are scandalized at seeing evil everywhere. Good and bad will be mixed till the end of the world. Good and evil will always be found together in persons and institutions.
The Order of the Carmelites is a contemplative Order. Its spiritual father is Elias, the prophet of the Old Testament. In his spirit the Carmelites are called to be contemplatives. The Rule of the Carmelites speaks about “an open space in our midst”. That is the space where you have to sit down and reflect. You become aware of the presence of the Spirit who is all around us in our life and in all of creation. You become aware of the problems in your life, in your family and with the help of God you can solve these problems.
I remember, I myself was still a young boy and every day I was serving the Mass. I wanted also to become a priest and I told that to the priest whom I was serving in the Mass. He said: oh no that is no good for you. Then I went to confession. That priest happened to be a Carmelite and he said right away: then you can go to our seminary, which was at the other side of the country. I took my exam and was admitted in the seminary.
I studied theology and was ordained a priest. Our Order had opened a new mission territory in the Philippines and our provincial asked for volunteers to go to that mission. The Philippines was for me a country at the other side of the world. My first assignment was in Escalante, Negros Occidental. My second assignment was in Iligan City as social action director. I taught the workers their rights as workers, among others the right to go on strike if there is a violation of a collective bargaining agreement. Then Marcos declared martial law and he forbade strikes. I was deported by Marcos for that. But I was able to come back to the Philippines because of pressure of some bishops and major superiors.
My last assignment was in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur. There I met a social worker in our parish who had lost her husband in the Antongalon massacre on suspicion that he was an infiltrator in the armed forces. I felt sorry for her because she had six young children. I decided to leave the priesthood and adopt her six children. I wanted to have also a child of our own. I went to a doctor and he said that I had a low sperm count. Another doctor told me that there was nothing wrong with my sperm count.
And so we received a daughter of our own. I consider her as a sign of God that He had agreed that I had left the priesthood and marry my present wife. Both of us are today associate Carmelites of the Order. My daughter is prioress of the Carmel Youth. Such is the controversial story of my being a Carmelite.
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