Healthy, Happy Priest

THE VOCATION STORY OF FR. NOEL GASTONES
DIOCESAN CATECHISTS AND PASTORAL DIRECTOR, DIOCESE OF TAGUM

What’s your ambition in life?

The slum book question went. The high school student Noel was stumped for an answer. He decided to copy his best friend’s “I want to be a priest someday.“

His classmates and teacher learned about it and began calling him, “Father.” It surprised him that he caught their attention instead of his best friend, who was a sacristan.

He was not affiliated in any religious organization in and out of school but together with his family, he was a regular Sunday mass goer. On his birthday he lighted a candle and prayed fervently, the first serious prayer he could remember. He asked that he pass the required National College Entrance Examination (batch 1988), which God granted with an unexpectedly high score.

He had no plans yet after high school but due to the teasing “morag something opened,” Fr. Noel recalled. His answered prayer prodded him to consider the priesthood. But his parents nixed his plans. He obeyed them and enrolled instead in Agricultural Engineering in USEP Tagum, following his father’s footsteps, who was involved in the Banana Industry.

A year after, however, his father allowed him to enter the seminary. But he was 3 days late from the start of classes. Perhaps God intervened. The usual application procedure was waived. He gained entry.

LIFE IN THE SEMINARY

“Medyo buotan”, Father Noel Aguilar Gastones modestly appraised his demeanour in the seminary. Philosophy is a 4 year course and he was performing well. Sports were important forms of recreation in the seminary. Back in high school he was a “sepak takraw” player but in the seminary he played the popular sport basketball.

On his 4th year, his mother who could not contain her excitement and joy, disclosed to him the plans of his seminary superiors to recommend him for theological studies at the Jesuits’ San Jose Seminary in Manila. After his graduation, he decided to take regency instead. He felt very young for the priesthood.

LIFE OUTSIDE THE SEMINARY

It was a surprise for his parents but they accepted his decision. He wanted to pursue another course but he knew his parents could not afford it. He supported himself by taking a job. He wanted to take psychology but no school offered it in Tagum. He worked as a Medical Representative in Cebu.

God continued to nurture his vocation. He provided him with people who can remind him of this. His boss was an ex-seminarian and knew his story. When he transferred to another company, the marketing manager was also an ex-seminarian.

“Don’t you know, Noel, that going against the will of God will make you miserable all throughout your life?” The latter told him. It impacted his life in such a way that he retraced his steps back to the seminary after 5 years in the world of work.

BACK TO THE SEMINARY

He tried the Jesuits and the SVD but was late for application. He barely made it to the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary in Guadalupe, Makati, where he was accepted to its Theology program. His love for sports also found expression there.

After 3 years he was sent out and advised for pastoral regency. He became a member of the Focolare movement, which helped clarify his spirituality. So even there sports had a place. He became an MVP in their volleyball tournament in Tagaytay.

But God’s plans for him prevailed. He returned to Mindanao and applied for the Saint John Vianney Seminary in Cagayan de Oro City. He was again a late applicant but by God’s grace, he was accepted. Again, sports helped him balance seminary life. He was into soccer football and helped the Cagayan team win.

After graduation, all his classmates were ordained as deacons except him. He was ordained a year later in 2004. By this time he was already 33 years old.

He was ordained a priest in 2005. Four years after, the Bishop added bigger responsibilities to him such as the diocesan pastoral director and at the same time the administrator of a newly erected quasi-parish, the Immaculate Conception of Mary. He was also appointed in 2010 as the Catechist Director of the St. John Paul II Lay Formation Center.

LIFE IN BALANCE

Today, he continues to be involved in sports. He won a trip to Hong Kong after winning the Diocesan Clergy Tennis Tournament in Tagum.

He also participated in the Regular Annual Tournament for Priests, organized by Fr. Suarez and held in Mar Marco Polo Club in Manila, where he twice became a finalist in doubles. He also qualified in the quarter finals.

Recently, Fr. Noel with the Philippine clergy (3 from Luzon, 2 from Cebu) represented the country in the First World Tournament of Priests in Tennis. He was a quarter finalist. They also went on Tennis Tour in Vienna’s Filipino Community where he emerged a champion in the singles category.

“No matter how busy a priest is in his pastoral works, he must not fail to find time to get involved in sports because as what a certain bishop says ‘healthy body for quality ministry.’ Balance can be achieved in pastoral life if fuelled by prayer, likewise physical life is sustained by spiritual life,” Fr. Noel ended.