OPINION
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY May 1 - 20 , 2017
Fr . Fernando ...
he wished to serve “ under the radar ,” his ministry became known and he was thrust in the national spotlight as a powerful healer . Those were heady days when his ministry was being introduced to the nation and unfortunately the hysteria and waves of adulation did not sit very well with some church authorities . And his persecution began as his “ fame ” grew .
Today many issues hurled against him in the early years have been cleared up . Extravagant lifestyle ( a myth since he is so generous he will give his branded tennis shoes and shirts given by followers to fellow priests in need ), disobedience ( another myth ), malversation of donated funds ( already debunked ), molestation of two minors ( trumped up , cleared by his bishop protector , no charges ), no longer a priest in good following ( again , a malicious lie according to his bishop who says in an official letter he is “ a priest with full faculties ”), arrogant and so on .
Not many know that Fr . Suarez and his group have medical mission with the help of volunteers from Canada and America and sometimes Europe and from home , regular feeding programs , and now a drug rehab facility in Botong . His tasks of evangelizing among the poor and marginalized , bringing Christ to prisoners , drug addicts , indigenous people , and the sick ( rich or poor ) are in his priority list . Along the way he and his volunteers have built churches in faraway places like Ilin , Mindoro without much fanfare . A healing shrine dedicated to Mother Mary of the Poor is rising in Davao through donations of the faithful . His “ bishop protector ” from Mindoro , Antonio Palang , another passionate tennis player , keeps him on a steady course in the choppy waters of his priestly ministry .
His co-workers in the church-building ministry like Lucy Consunji , Manny and Edna de la Cruz , Baby Ignacio , Nestor Mangio , Reggie Ragojos like to stay in the background . But they are there .
I had a long chat with Fr . Suarez who I call “ Pads ” for “ padre ” when I went to the installation of the new archbishop of Lipa , the Most Rev . Gilbert A Garcera , D . D . Last April 21 , he was invited by the 56-year-old Garcera , who was head of Bohol archdiocese until he was
sent to Lipa . The installation was a beautiful Eucharistic celebration in the packed cathedral of St . Sebastian . It was also a “ healing ” for Pads and a “ homecoming ” of sorts for him .
After the mass and ceremonies , we hied over to the home of Dr . Robert Magasino ’ s mother , “ manay ” Lillian for a very intimate lunch of sinaing na tulingan , adobong pusit , and fried chicken . It was a good time to reminisce as it was “ quiet time ” for us .
Pads and I share a special devotion to Mary , Mediatrix of All Grace as she appeared to the visionary Teresing Castillo in 1948 when she was a novice in the Carmel convent . In fact , we met in Lipa 2006 , January after the First Saturday mass . He walked in the monthly procession and I hardly took notice of the short , stocky priest walking at the tail end . Arch . Ramon Arguelles invited him to our breakfast with other Marian devotees and gave him permission to pray over us . From that day on , I became a follower of “ Pads .”
Fernando Suarez with bishops and priests in the 8th National Priests Tennis Tournament in Alabang Country Club sponsored by San Miguel Corporation . Only lady player is PDI ’ s Lifestyle editor , Thelma Sioson San Juan
He was a favorite of Teresing and he loved her back . She understood his “ dark nights of the soul ” as she also went through these dark nights .
We talked about his priesthood and his coming 15th sacerdotal anniversary on May 18 and he was sad Teresing was not going to be around .
Well , we are all here , I reminded him . We have
r e m a i n e d friends ever since . Thru good times and bad times too , as they say “ w a l a n g iwanan .”
“ I am so grateful for my v o c a t i o n . Priesthood is a privilege , not a right . It is a sacred calling , a vocation that I chose when I consecrated m y s e l f to serve Jesus in the ministry ,” he said .
Later , he discovered , that “ it also meant I endure all hardships and persecutions to be a priest and remain a committed one , subservient to the church and its authorities . There were times when I felt the heavy burden of envy from others , but I focused on Jesus alone .”
And as for my tennis , which he is also lambasted by some who love to criticize everything he does , he
sheepishly admitted , “ I focus on the ball , not them .”
He loves the sport as it ’ s inexpensive , gives him a chance to interact with other priests who play , and tennis , teaches him to be humble . There is always a better player than him , he admitted . You can ’ t blame anyone but yourself and must have the humility to congratulate those who beat you !
Pads has a foundation , “ Born to Serve ” to help priestplayers . It has organized eight annual national tournaments to afford his brother priests the chance to get together for three days and play to their hearts content in a plush members-only club , like the Alabang Country club , thanks to his tennis friends there . The last two tournaments were sponsored by San Miguel Corporation , whose big boss , Ramon S . Ang saw the value of keeping our local priests healthy . He also picks a poor parish from his participants ’ ranks to give financial assistance to every year .
Pads recounted that he was having problems with his serves a few years ago and sought a professional ’ s
CONT NEXT PAGE
WWW . PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY . COM