Giving life to serving God, His people

DAVAO. Archbishop Romulo Valles. (Photo by Macky Lim/SunStar File)
DAVAO. Archbishop Romulo Valles. (Photo by Macky Lim/SunStar File)

EVEN before the pandemic, Archbishop Romulo Valles used to be a staple presence in regular masses in San Pedro Cathedral or even masses held to commemorate a historic happening in the city such as the Roxas Night Market bombing. Catholic faithfuls may also remember seeing him passing through Rizal Park compound on his way to the San Pedro Cathedral. Others would approach him to “mano” and have a brief chitchat.

It saddened many people who know him when in the middle of last year he was reported to have a stroke. Fortunately, he eventually recovered and has been back to service as the Archbishop of Davao and the president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) until the present.

Many knew him as a religious leader but only a few knew him as a man of habits, that he is fond of ABBA as he listens to “Dancing Queen” or “I believe in Angels” as his morning music routine to start the day. Very few know him as the young lad with serious stage fright.

When you’re a religious leader, it follows that you are also a people person -- that you enjoy engaging with small talks and even lengthy ones to connect with people.

Forty-five years since he was ordained a priest, Archbishop Valles has been with different people, talking with them closely or addressing them in a huge gathering as in a Sunday mass or a meeting.

But ironically, this Boholano vividly remembers how he needed to struggle with and overcome stage fright since his younger years. Ever since he was a young lad, he was attracted to the idea of being a priest but it was only later that he realized how much it entailed talking to a lot of people, usually addressing a huge crowd.

Archbishop Valles was born on July 10, 1951 in Maribojoc, Bohol, the youngest and the unico hijo of Cosme Valles and Juana Geolina. He was raised in a Catholic upbringing and a happy family. However, when he was 10, his father died, and this left his mother really devastated and depressed.

In 1964, three years after the death of his father, they decided to move to the small town of San Isidro, Davao Oriental for a fresh start and to manage a business there. He was able to finish his elementary education at Maribojoc Central Elementary School in Bohol as the class valedictorian but insisted against giving a valedictory speech in front of his batchmates because he really felt uncomfortable and uneasy about the whole idea of speaking in front of a crowd.

His high school years were spent at Maryknoll High School, Lupon, Davao Oriental. Here, he was exposed to service in the church especially with the American missionaries present in the area.

“They looked very happy being with us Filipinos. All this being with people -- I can’t comprehend it yet at that time but I said, I like that life. I felt that the church was very near,” Archbishop Valles shared.

He added this light and friendly demeanor of the American priests in Davao Oriental was one of the reasons he wanted to be a priest himself.

He entered St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Davao City where he finished Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. He then took up Theology at the St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary, still in Davao City.

During his 4th year in Theology, he was assigned to be in Sto. Tomas Parish for immersion and exposure for three months. Every Sunday of those three months, they were tasked to share the Gospel. Here, Archbishop Valles realized the inevitable -- talking to the public. Because of this three-month stay in Sto. Tomas, he was slowly able to break the ice and overcome his fear of public speaking.

In April 6, 1976, 24-year-old Romulo was ordained into priesthood in the middle of Martial Law in the Philippines.

“When I was ordained priest in the middle of Martial Law, I kept asking ‘What’s the right thing to do in this difficult situation? There’s a civil war. Is priesthood worth it? Is it relevant?’ I realized that the only thing that matters is giving your life [to service]. There are people who thought we’re just hiding in the comforts of priesthood but despite that, I decided to continue, took a leap of faith and was convinced that this is a good thing to do,” he said.

He also shared that it’s a good thing he is in close contact with “happy priests” that despite what’s happening with the country during the Martial Law, they remain focused with their mission and are not fearful despite the country’s situation.

His first area of assignment after being ordained was the Christ the King Cathedral, Diocese of Tagum as the Assistant Parish Priest. After two years there, he was assigned as the Parish Priest of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Mati, Davao Oriental. Before, Mati was still under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Diocese of Tagum. He was the first Filipino Diocesan priest there having been preceded by Dominican priests. He spent four years in Mati before being assigned back to Christ the King Cathedral as Parish Priest for two years and the Vicar General of the Diocese.

Along with the other seminaries, he was sent to Rome to do further studies where he finished Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy. After his studies, he came back to the Philippines in 1990, the same year his mother also died.

Within seven years, he became the Director of the Spirituality Formation at the St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary, Professor of Fundamental Liturgy and Sacramental Theology, Vice Rector, and then Rector -- the first Filipino Diocesan rector. In 1997, he finished his Master of Arts in Religious Education at the Ateneo de Davao University.

When he was ordained bishop on August 6, 1997, his elder sister couldn’t help but ask, “Makahibalo ba ka mag obispo?” The same question had been in his mind for a while as well. He wanted to be a priest when he was younger but he didn’t imagine being here.

When he got a call from Vatican City, he couldn’t describe his nervousness, initially thinking he would be reprimanded for something. But news like this couldn’t be said through phone and so he needed to go to Manila. The travel alone was a leap of faith for him, being a probinsyano that he is.

He was assigned Bishop of Kidapawan until 2007 and then he served as Bishop of Zamboanga from 2007 to 2012. He said being assigned in a Muslim community made him better understand things. Here, he realized how good people can be generally regardless of their religious beliefs.

During his stay in Kidapawan, specifically in 1998, El Niño hit the area, causing great damage to crops and hunger to people. This triggered people to dig and eat what they can find causing the root crop poisoning of some people in the area. This was made national news back then. Seeing this, the bishop’s office in Kidapawan started a relief operation giving out rice to those who need it.

“This is the strength of our faith. You serve the Catholics, you also serve the non-Catholics,” he said.

On May 22, 2012, he was ordained Archbishop of Davao. Five years later, he was elected the CBCP president. He was reelected in December 2019 to continue service until present.

Being in the church for 45 years now isn’t a walk in the park; challenges and self-doubt have also hunted him. But with all these, he said that developing a “deep sense of God” helps.

“[It’s important] to rediscover and to re-appreciate that we are creatures, that we are sons and daughters of God. We are sheep, we are frail, and we need a shepherd,” he shared.

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