Archdiocese of Davao is Gifted with Two Deacons

“It is not because of your own giftedness, this is pure grace”, this is an excerpt of the homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, DD, Archbishop of Davao and CBCP President, addressing to the newly ordained deacons Rev. Jerick B. Asdang and Rev. Ranebe J. Magallanes.

Rev. Jerick B. Asdang grew up in a religious family atmosphere. According to him, the religious family setting (praying the Holy Rosary, reading the Sacred Scriptures and celebrate the mass as a family every Sunday) has contributed a lot to his growth in faith. In fact, it is not only himself but the whole of his family. He is sure this is one of the reasons why his brother entered the seminary but had to leave unfortunately because of his heart illness. “All these have been influential in watering and nurturing my own vocation seedbed,” he said, “not to mention that I also attended Catholic institutions both in high school and in college.” He was also a member of the Knights of the Altar Servers in Immaculate Conception Parish, Peñaplata, for four years during his high school days.

Rev. Asdang is a teacher by profession and had his teaching stint at the Kumon Method of Learning for more than three years from 2008-2011. He has finished his Elementary at Guilon Elementary School (1998-1999); High School at Assumption Academy of Peñaplata (2002-2003); College at Holy Cross of Davao College (2007-2008 [Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education major in English]). He was a working student for a total of eight years. He said, “Albeit challenging, those were fruitful years of my life as a young man being prepared by God for the priestly vocation. Truth be told, it has not been easy, but the journey has been full of blessings from God.”

He entered St. Francis Xavier College Seminary (2012-2013) taking the Philosophy Course and continued his Theology at St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary of Mindanao. His commitment to follow the Lord as a priest has also encountered a lot of setbacks. The priest-formators’ advised him that he should take a regency program for one year to have an exposure in his family. “My disappointment was this: that they gave me one-year regency program only. I thought it should have been a leave of absence (I was already contemplating of teaching abroad to help my family in financial matters especially that my mother was diagnosed with lupus during that time)”, Rev. Asdang said. Recognizing more fully the hands of God working in his life, he surrendered himself to God’s hands, to be molded according to His will. After a year, he continued his formation and finished his Theology (2018-2019). “After all, God never abandons those whom He chooses to be His own… it is not the good that I am doing in this life that matters but rather what God is doing in me. This is already in itself a great gift. May my future priestly ministry and life bring me closer to the foot of the cross,” he added.

Rev. Ranebe J. Magallanes was once a member of Knights of the Altar Servers in San Isidro Labrador, Catalunan Grande. He finished his Elementary at Catalunan Grande Elementary School (2002-2003) and High School at Catalunan Grande National High School (2006-2007). He entered St. Francis Xavier Pre-College Seminary (now Propaedeutic Year) in Ulas, Davao City on June 15, 2007. “My first days in the seminary life were not bed of roses. Homesickness was real. Academic struggle was real. Culture adaption was real but the grace of God was also very real,” said Rev. Magallanes. On August of 2008, he decided to step-back from the seminary formation because of health reason. “It was painful but I have to stop in my study”, Rev. Magallanes said. After his recovery, he worked in an Eatery and later on he was approached by his parish priest, Fr. Pepe Retorca, to help in the parish convent. It was there that his desire to become a priest has been intensified. On June 2009, he returned into the seminary as a college seminarian and finished his college seminary formation last March 18, 2013.

Rev. Magallanes continued his Theology at St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary of Mindanao Inc., though in his early Pre-Theology Year (now Configuration Year 1), that was July 14, 2013, his father went back to His Creator in heaven. “I was very sad of his death because he was the one, though explicitly, guided me to know the plan of God in my life,” Rev. Magallanes said. Determined to proceed to Theology 4 (now Configuration Year 5), he was very disappointed at the end of the formative year when he was recommended for a one-year teaching regency. “I do not know what to do at that time than to accept it reflecting that God must have a beautiful plan for me. Indeed, God has,” he said. He worked at Holy Cross of Mintal as Community Extension Services Coordinator and a part-time Religious Education Teacher in Senior High School for one year (SY 2017-2018). After a year, he returned to the seminary and continued his formation. He finished his Theology at St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary of Mindanao Inc., (2018-2019).

Now, as he is embracing the life of being ordained, his desire to become priest is getting stronger not because that he feels worthy, but because he has experienced the mercy and the love of God in his life. He once said, “My own limitations and weaknesses reminded me that priesthood is all about serving the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the High Priest, with all my frailties. The more I realize my weaknesses and limitations, the more I turn to Jesus, the One who called me in this life… and this motivates me to continue my journey in this road-less-travelled.”

Rev. Asdang and Rev. Magallanes was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons last April 6, 2021 through the invocation of the Holy Spirit and imposition of hands by Most. Rev. Romulo G. Valles D.D., with Most Rev. Emeritus Fernando R. Capalla D.D. and Most Rev. George B. Rimando D.D as concelebrating bishops. (JEB)