Confused but not Crushed

Glenn Donoso
Pre-Theology Student
St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary (REMASE)

“I always attend our Flores de Mayo every May and Living Rosary every October. I was also active in our GKK as a youth member then became an officer in our parish youth ministry until I entered the seminary.   Faith isn’t a strange word because in the first place, it is part of my being, yet I was tested one day.”

Hindi nga raw kumpleto ang childhood years kapag di tayo nakajoin ng Flores de Mayo.  Here is a story from a seminarian who met Christ and Mama Mary first in this summer catechism class.  Parents, enroll your kids for FREE.

Dear KNOT,

I grew up in a religious family.  Nahibaw-an na nako nga ang pagtuo kabahin na sa akong kinabuhi sugod sa gamay pa ko kay ang akong mga ginikanan ang nagdala nako sa simbahan.  They would see to it that we attend Holy Mass and pray the Holy Rosary at home.  My mother who is a devotee of Mama Mary taught me the real value of prayer.

But my faith was tested before I reached T1 (Theology 1) years ago.  My father met a tragic accident in April, so I failed to come back to Davao, May that year.  He was complaining about his headache, so my mother told me to bring him to the city from Siargao.

I brought him to the city to have a medical check-up but since he has hypertension, the doctor gave him necessary medication.  After a while, he  surprisingly manifested ‘unusual’ behavior until he was paralyzed; he didn’t anymore recognize us.  We brought him wherever he went, up to the CR, even.

It was a choice to make whether to go back to the seminary or stay with my family.  My sister went to Manila and my brother in Cebu.  There was no other person left to take good care of him, so I asked the Lord for help.  I just couldn’t leave him alone. I even thought of foregoing my dream to becoming a priest, so filing a leave of absence was the next thing that entered my mind.

Then God’s hands worked.

Our relatives came, stayed at home and helped us.  When I talked to my mother, “Nay, unsa man dili sa ko mupadayon sa seminaryo ug mamahulay sa ko.” She replied, “Ipadayon lang na Dong kung unsa man ang imong nasugdan alang sa Ginoo”.

Truly, I went back to the seminary formation but I worried a lot about my father’s situation.  When my mother said that the situation has worsened, I planned to go out and get a decent job, instead.  I prayed a lot.  I asked the advice of my companion priests and they comforted me.

I endured the formation, until one day, my father was cured miraculously. He can already stand on his own without the assistance of anyone.

I know, it was through the power of prayer that he recovered, especially through  Mama Mary to whom we devote our time and trust. – Glenn

Let us tie that KNOT, email us desk@davaocatholicherald.com.  Visit Kwento ng Ordinaryong Tao FB account. Follow me on Twitter @ChengVilog.  ‘Til next kwentuhan higala.

By Kevin Alegria/Correspondent