Lessons from Father O

“When Father O presides the Mass, you have to be attentive and careful.” This advice was often reiterated to me during my college days by the Ateneo de Davao University – Campus Liturgical Ministries (CLM) club officers and senior members whenever I serve at mass with Jesuit priest, Father Renato Ocampo, or Father O, as the celebrant.

Father O diligently prepared us readers by asking if there were any words in the Scriptures that were difficult to pronounce, and he patiently taught us the correct pronunciation. For instance, he taught us that “Cyrene,” is pronounced as “Cy-ree-nee.” Additionally, Father O taught us that the pronouns in the readings should not be overemphasized. These are some of the guidelines we adhere to as alter serves and readers. Personally, there were times when I would opt for different Mass schedules just to avoid Father O’s strict adherence to these guidelines.

One mass schedule left a lasting impression to me due to an incident during the entrance hymn. I accidentally rang the bell prematurely, signaling the start of Mass before the designated time. The pianist began playing, and the congregation stood up ready to sing the first line of the hymn. However, a lay minister quickly corrected me, saying, “Not yet. It’s not yet time!” My heart raced as I hurried back to the sacristy, where I saw Father O’s puzzled expression exclaiming, “What happened?!” We managed to contain our laughter to maintain the sanctity of the chapel, then proceeded with the entrance hymn as if we were filming a “take two” of a movie scene. I was anxious the entire Mass, anticipating Father O’s potential scolding afterward.

After that incident, I hurried straight home after mass, missing Father O’s dinner invitation to avoid potential reprimand and made the excuse that I still have a class to catch up. Embarrassed by the situation, I refrained from serving at Mass for some time.

Eventually, I regained my confidence and resumed serving. I convinced myself that Father O had forgotten about that incident. However, during our group’s post-Mass gathering at the food court, Father O sat beside me. Despite feeling a bit nervous, I noticed his gentle presence. He asked me, “O, Francis, kumusta?” I politely replied, “Ok lang po, Father, busy sa studies.” Our conversation continued, and I anticipated him bringing up the incident, but he didn’t. Instead, he inquired about my family name, to which I obediently responded: Manayan. He remarked, “sounds like banayad… Just like in serving, we need to be banayad-gentle.”

I realized then that Father O had a sharp memory and was quite witty. His approach seemed like a gentle reprimand, motivating me to excel further. He then shared his own family name, “Ako naman, Ocampo ang apelyido ko. It captures the word ‘Camp’ or ‘Campus’; that’s why I am called to serve in the Campus.”

This unforgettable experience with Father O taught me significant lessons about leadership and life. Firstly, his strict guidelines for Mass servers remind me to establish my own non-negotiables in life and be mindful of the values we sometimes sacrifice in exchange for temporary convenience. Next, it inspires me to avoid overemphasizing myself for personal gain or agenda. Then, despite our shortcomings and mistakes, we can always turn to the Lord for reconciliation. Every time we humble ourselves, we allow Him to empower us for our service of love and compassion.

Thank you, Father O, for this experience that revealed how deeply we are loved by the resurrected Lord. (Francis Manayan)