C31B_LCENWRD_E-Magazine_Group 1

EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE July 2022 03 DIFFERENT CALLINGS DIFFERENT STORIES Find Your PLAN YOUR ESCAPE THROUGH PHILIPPINES CALLING ARERVIE.SFRR.EYES WHAT MADE HIM PURSUE PRIESTHOOD

LATITUDES IN THIS ISSUE 3A new Editor's note 4Chapter of Life 5Living Life in Elvira & Nestor Salcedo Being married gave me a Contentment sense of fulfillment and 7Victoria Omaga lifelong happiness through the family that we have built. I didn’t feel loneliness and regret choosing to be single and does not envy my peers or other - Elvira Salcedo people in their married life. 8- Victoria Omaga 9Explore: Tagaytay Plan your escape through 10Nurture Wellness Village Philippines 113 Gorgeous Places Back to Nature: 1213to Ogle in Philippine The Farm at San Benito Unconditional Love for a Higher Being

Rev. Fr. Aries Reyes An Inside View by Ivy Aldave ... na-realize ko na I’m not perfect, but then I believed in God’s mercy.. Naging open ako to be better than before. 1416- Rev. Fr. Aries Reyes An Inside Viewby Lance Sairyl dela Cruz An Inside View An Inside Vie1w 718by Claire Audrey Nacilla Some may realize their calling sooner than others, while other 19Calling: May Calling Ka Ba? people would have ventured into An Inside ViewWe must always keep in mind that we must not give up many other things before being no matter how hard things are, for God will grow this ascertained about their strength and courage within us as we obey and predestined path. 2021sacrificeforHiscallingforus. - Alyssa Estoque by Stephen Penuliar - Claire Audrey Nacilla An Inside View2224An Inside View by Ayejaye Radaza23- Jhoanna Paula Salcedo An Inside View by Saara Oxana Salcedo

EDITOR'S NOTE How do you discover your direction from measures of latitudes? I never mastered geography in science class. If I want to find Vatican in the world, I need a fully visualized map to locate them. Coordinates, compass, and lines never made it to the tip of my mind to recognize their use to discover direction and placements. For most times, I would cut my way short to the destination right away. Of course, who would want to sweat themselves over mathematical and graphical computations if you could simply use your eyes to locate where a country is on earth?! I didn’t realize how it would be very specific if you take the long and hard method of discovery. The latitudes could give me a direct placement of paths rather than my index finger pointing at random, basic-colored areas of Italy in the world map. In life, we have to face a number of latitudes before we could actually discover our placements, or as what others would say, our “calling.” This calling does not always come easy and simple as locating the Vatican visually on a world map. It entails us to analyze, compute, and strategize before we could solve. Our calling will require us time to try and risk, just like how finding direction through latitudes would demand. In other times, it could make us doubt or hesitate if the path that we would or had taken is indeed the right one. It does not guarantee us anything but hope and faith. Like latitudes, it would give us a close precision to our destination, but it does not assure us that the place would be nice and worthwhile. Our calling could be a matter of experiments, but the journey that leads and keeps us to it creates for us our meaning and purpose driven by our hope and faith. Through latitudes,In this issue, we discover and highlight people that imbibe their own stories of calling – their raw experiences through their life gives us a widejourney. Nestor and Elvira Salcedo, married for 26 years, share their story of love and fortitude to a stable married life (p. 5). array of opportunitiesVictoria Omaga, 65 years old, cultivates her decision to a life of single-blessedness (p. 7). Rev. Fr. Aries Reyes of San Roque de discover our toMandaluyong Parish reveals his motives, struggles, and fulfilments on his religious life vocation (p.13). For the people who would want directions in life –to take a portion of their time to recollect, soul-search, and meditate on their calling, this issue also offers spiritual and driven by our calling,wellness retreats around Metro Manila for them to try (p. 8-11). fortified by our faith.Through latitudes, life gives us a wide array of opportunities to discover our directions in life – driven by our calling, fortified by our faith. We build upon different strategies to solve for the direction, just as we use varied approaches to discover and keep Jhoanna Paula L. Salcedo our faith onto our calling. As we move through Latitudes, may we discover the path that is not only comfortable, but the path Editor - in - Chief that is genuine and courageous to and for our purpose. PAGE 3

A New Chapter of Life by Stephen Josh Penuliar A man and a woman make a covenant (a holy, life-long interpersonal promise) when they marry. Marriage is aimed toward the couple's well-being as well as the procreation and education of their children. The gift of marriage has been raised by Christ to become a sacrament — a physical symbol of spiritual reality as a sign of God's love for us. Marriage, like God's love, is a complete and unconditional gift, freely given, faithfully lived, and open to the blessings of new life. Marriage is a bond that cannot be broken because it is a picture of God's unending love. Marriage, like all vocations, is not an easy way of life; rather, it is a difficult journey toward sanctification. Christ showed on the cross that love seeks to give even when it hurts. Love demands self-sacrifice. Married couples who have lived to old age together can attest that happiness is never achieved without some suffering and sacrifice. As Christ taught that love expressed by faithful endurance and self-sacrifice earned him glory, we discover life's greatest reward in the love we earn by patiently dedicating ourselves to our spouse and family. PAGE 4

PAGE 5 Nestor: I just felt sure about her. It was a feeling I cannot really explain because it was just there. I felt ready about taking myself and our relationship to a Qbig step and thankfully she was as well. ELVIRA & NESTORWhat influenced your decision to get married? How did you know that your partner would be the one you Elvira: After 2 years of engagement, we realized we want to be were both at the right age to settle down; we both married with? had stable jobs and we were both mentally mature. How did We didn’t want to prolong the boyfriend-girlfriend Nestor: In her is a complete relationship anymore. package: there is love, respect, and trust. I found in her the y o u m e e t ? How did characteristicsof a wife that I Nestor: In the Mandaluyong police station… where she have always ideated of. Magaan yung feeling... I knew we could yourwas brought for jaywalking. be workmates in life, for life. marriageElvira: We met through an epic case of Elvira: He is a responsible man jaywalking… I accidentally crossed and partner. Besides that I love him, I saw in him that he could changethrough the walkway barricade, and provide for the family that we your life?I met him at the police station while would want to build. I saw that they were having a courtesy call for there is that sense of commitment and maturity in him. That’s the character I the Chief of Police. Nestor: Marriage taught think would be most me the value of compatible with mine. responsibility of being a How did you husband and a father to maintain your my kids. I felt the marriage for 26 responsibility to work years? because there is a family that I would Nestor: Love, trust, understan- ding, respect, sacrifice, and need to provide and responsibility should always be support for. It was as if present. Not all the time is the I was given clarity on journey smooth… sometimes the purpose of my you must compromise. Above all, communication should existence. always be maintained for Elvira: Responsibilities harmony. I always want to let grew significantly bi- her feel that she is valued. Elvira: I committed to the idea gger. Almost for that marriage is forever. everything I do or Conflicts should be settled with decide, I think about the communication and not resort implications for my to separation right away. I always go back to the reason partner and eventually why I love him and my our family. Since being children. We also set married, I learned to be counseling sessions for our more selfless and deep disputes to have someone guide us as husband and wife, prioritize others in the and as parents, partnered with name of love. our personal prayers.

PAGE 6 What are the difficulties of & married life? Nestor: First thing – ego and pride, when one does not want to give in Another thing – maintaining fidelity. Not most marriages are able to conquer them. Third, the value differences which influence the spouse to believe that he/she is better than the other. Fourth, arguing over financial management in the household. Elvira: It is inevitable that conflict of interest and difference in These may lead to debates and division of ideas. Sometimes, these extend confusion to the children because of misinterpretations. What are the benefits of married life? Nestor: Being married provided me regu- Being married gave larly with happiness, fulfillment, me a sense of responsibility, and love. There is a balance fulfillment and lifelong between supporting my family and receiving happiness through the support from them as well. family that we have built. Elvira: Being married gave me a sense of fulfillment and lifelong happiness through the family that we have built. The best thing about married life is being a wife and a mother. It made me complete and content in my personal life. What is your advice to present couples or those who want to pursue a married life in the future? Nestor: For couples now, maintain the fundamentals – love, trust, understanding, respect, sacrifice, and responsibility. For those who want to pursue this state of life, think of it as one of, if not the greatest blessing in life. You have to come prepared for it for you to enjoy it the most. Elvira: Get married at the right time. Feel when you are really ready ... no need to rush. It is going to be a lifelong commitment, so make yourself prepared physically, mentally, and spiritually for such a big transition Ain your life.

Contentment Love is not something that makes us whole, because we, alone, are already whole. If we are content with being alone, only then should we deserve a partner. To most of us, life is a journey of finding a complete us and if our happiness relies on significant other; a partner—someone we them? Life is not a checklist of things we can spend the rest of our lives with. should accomplish so that we feel as if we Besides, what is joy, love, and peace if not are complete as humans, nor is having a shared? Surely, many people fear being partner a measure of our worth. alone at the age of 30 or older because, by Otherwise, we would spend the rest of then, it would already be rare to find a our lives thinking that we have not done partner, making life as miserable as it is. enough because the box beside \"having a If we are in a state of loneliness, so many partner\" has not earned its check yet. questions arise in our minds, such that Love is not something that makes us we feel incomplete because we are alone. whole, because we, alone, are already whole. If we are content with being alone, However, we should remind ourselves only then should we deserve a partner. that even if we are alone, we can still live a blissful life. The world is a big playground In this generation where almost all of us in which there are so many things we seem to be programmed to look for a could be grateful and happy about, if we partner, the story of Miss Victoria, a just stop and take our time to appreciate single parent, changes the whole the things that are around us. Being alone narrative of life being incomplete without allows us to focus on ourselves and lavish a partner. As she unfolds her story, we see our love on our family and friends. And how being single can also bring so much even if we are single, we should feel contentment. complete, because what good is a partner if we feel like they are the spaces that PAGE 7

Q&AThe PAGE 8 Victoria Omaga H ow’s life as a What advise can you single? Are give to those who you living with desire to remain single anyone in your blessed in life? house? Please share Ang payo ko sa mga your experiences as nagnanaiis manatili sa a single blessed. single blessed life ay Ok nman masaya. Meron pamankin Maging Masaya at Ang pagiging single maging kuntento ay masaya, tahimik ang pamumuhay at may kalayaan gawin Are there times when you ang bawat nais natin feel loneliness and regret How do you express your love choosing to be single? Are there times that you as a single person? What urges and inspires you envy your peers or other Sa pamamagitan sa people in their married pagtulong sa mga to become single life? kapamilya at mahal blessedness? Is this a sa buhay. conscious decision to be single or is it due to certain When did you feel circumstances? that God is calling Ang pagiging isang single you to that kind of blessedness ay isang No, I didn’t feel loneliness life? pansariling desisyon lamang. and regret choosing to be What are challenges or single and does not envy my Kapag nakakatulong difficulties in living single? ako sa kapwa ko. Yung merong suliranin na Do you believe that walang dumadamay. Pag one should get nagkasakit mahirap din kung peers or other people in married to live a nag-iisa lang ako sa buhay. their married life. good life? If by chance someone comes No, I do not believe your way in the future you What are the advantages/blessings of that one should get would consider getting being single blessed? married? married to live a No, I would not still consider May kalayaan akong gawin ang nais kong gawin na walang humahadlang. good life. getting married.

PAGE 9 PLAN YOUR ESCAPE THROUGH PHILIPPINES

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The Farm $ Ratings Price Ratings Contact Info 4.4 Standard rooms 0918 884 8080 (442 Google (per night) ₱ 10,583 info@thefarm.com.ph reviews) - ₱ 20,319 Villas (per night) ₱ 10,000 - ₱ 50,000 Back to Nature. The Farm at San Benito, located in Lipa, Batangas, is an eco-luxury resort that offers holistic wellness programs accompanied by exclusive amenities such as a swimming pool, a garden area for wellness activities, and a restaurant that specializes in vegan cuisine. Guests can opt for specially curated treatments and programs suited for their needs, with the help of the resort’s integrative doctors. PAGE 11

OASIS OF MOUNT TOUCH OF PRAYER PURRO GLORY NATURE PRAYER RESERVE MOUNTAIN 3 Gorgeous Place to Ogle in the Philippines Oasis of Prayer, Touch of Glory located in Silang, Mount Purro Nature Prayer Mountain, Cavite, is a house of located in Antipolo spirituality that offers a place for retreats, Reserve, located in City, is said to be the recollections, prayer Antipolo City, is a first prayer resort in meetings, and other family-run eco-park South East Asia. This related religious that offers activities such as hiking, resort allows guests activities. As a retreat swimming, river to either go for a day center, it lets guests to conduct prayers walks, bonfire, and visit only or to stay and meditations tent camping. This overnight. It also has while enjoying the park lets guests to a spacious garden, a pristine and enjoy a nice blend of beautifully grounds comfort, farm, facilities such landscaped convenience, and the as prayer rooms, and and a cool breeze. rawness of nature. a cafeteria.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Rev. Fr. Aries Reyes FOR A HIGHERBEING by: Sairyl Lance dela Cruz Priests, nuns, brothers, and pastors have devoted themselves and their lives into serving the church. They have chosen to take this path as an expression of love through worship and devotion towards a higher being. As a result of their found love for the beliefs and practices of a religion, these people seek to spread the word and wisdom of their chosen God. With the Philippines being formerly colonized by the Spaniards, aside from the culture and cuisine, they also have left us with the influence of chrisrianity. This resulted in the majority of Filipinos being devoted to the Catholic church. Despite the dominance of catholicism in the country, various religions with different beliefs and practices are also present. Believing in a religion is a voluntary choice that all of us are given the freedom to do so. Finding the right religion to believe in is when one doesn’t question the wisdom and chooses to apply this into his or her everyday life.

Q What introduced you to PAGE 14 the priesthood? Q What do you like about A To be honest, nobody introduced me to priesthood? the priesthood–nobody influenced me. We were just nominal Catholics. We A What I like about priesthood is seldom go to church; I myself go to mararamdaman mo na malapit ka sa mass siguro 4 times a year–and then Diyos… Mararamdaman mo rin na ‘yong 4 times a year na ‘yon, hindi instrumento ka para ‘yong ibang tao buong misa ‘yon kasi for me, mass is ay mapalapit sa Diyos–especially sa boring, ‘pag magsesermon na ‘yong culture dito sa ating bansa. Dito kasi pari, lumalabas na ako dahil mas gusto sa Pilipinas, may say ang mga pari… ko pang tignan ‘yong mga goldfish na may status sila. So ‘yon ang gusto ko binebenta sa labas ng simbahan. ‘Yong sa pagpapari, nadadala ko ang mga mga magulang ko naman, hindi rin sila tao palapit sa Poong Maykapal– nagsisimba talaga.. So siguro what nagiging instrument ako. introduced me to the priesthood is ‘yong tinatawag din sigurong “calling” What challenges come with being talaga na kung saan may attraction na gusto kong magpari. That time ayun Q a priest? Despite that, how do you lang, gusto ko lang magpari pero hindi manage to commit to your ko pa alam ang seminaryo… hindi ko vocation? alam ang diocesan… kasi nga nominal There is a struggle always to be good. Catholics kami. Basta ang alam ko lang, parang may attraction ako sa pagpapari. A Pero kasi kahit anong sabihin mo, tao kami e. And we’re inside a community Q What factors ultimately kung saan either we influence people influenced you to pursue or we get influenced by people. So it’s the priesthood? a challenge to be faithful to the I was grade 6 noong na-experience ko teachings of God kahit na nasa ‘yong calling. Iyong calling, may material world ka. But despite that, I attraction ka… hinahanap-hanap mo. have so far managed to commit to Pero binalewala ko ‘yon because my this vocation una, dahil sa prayer life. mother widowed early, so I had to take Mahalaga ang prayer life talaga–’yong care of her. But then during my 3rd year connection mo sa Poong Maykapal. high school, nararamdaman ko pa rin Ikalawa, ‘yong community mo among ‘yong calling. So after I graduated from priests. Kailangan ay may high school I went to seminary, at doon, nahihingahan ka ng heartaches mo… from 150, kami ay cinut to 28, at isa ako kailangan ay may nahihingahan ka rin sa pinalad doon. So regarding the ng mga magagandang bagay na factors that influenced me, well, sa nangyayari sa’yo. And ‘yong mga lay seminary kasi, almost 10 years ang ko, so syempre, may mga nao-open training mo.. Mare-realize mo na wala din ako sa mga parisioner na malapit namang perpektong tao talaga para sa akin so nakakatulong din ‘yon. At magpari. So doon, na-realize ko na I’m the same time, nakakatulong din sa not perfect, but then I believed in God’s akin kapag malakas at malawak ang mercy.. Naging open ako to be better isip mo. Dapat malawak ang isip para than before. So ayon siguro ‘yong umunawa ng mga tao lalo na kapag nagpush talaga sa akin. Because most may mga tao kang nae-encounter na people think that you have to be perfect iba ang paniniwala sa’yo. to be a priest kaya naheheld back sila, but siguro, katulad ni St. Peter, ok lang Rev. Fr. Aries C. Reyes na magkamali ka.



PAGE 16 Many people believe that fate is predetermined. As we hack through the thicket of life, although we get to decide on most things, there is always an external force that pulls us into specific choices, as if they were meant to be chosen in the first place. In the context of the activity that we accomplished, the “external force” exists in the form of “God’s calling.” The people who took part in the series of interviews we conducted were from different walks of life. Suffice to say, they are polar opposites. However, one thing in common is that they all seemed to be in a place where they were meant to be. Through the interviews we conducted, I realized the prevalence of God’s will in every life there is. Our interviewees differ in the kind of life they pursued; nonetheless, they all seemed content with their current disposition. For instance, Mr and Mrs Salcedo find happiness in sharing even the smallest things–the highs and lows–with each other. For them, getting married came with a lot of responsibilities but sharing these responsibilities with a lifelong partner and a family made it worth it for them. Meanwhile, Miss Vicky is content with her life as a single blessed. She finds joy in not being committed to a lifelong partner because she busies herself with her nieces, nephews, and her other pastimes. Lastly, Rev. Fr. Aries is committed to his relationship with God as a priest. He finds satisfaction in being an instrument that leads people to God. Each of the interviewees also has had their own version of hardships and challenges with respect to the path they pursued. But because they have established a sense of purpose, contentment, and a particular level of certainty, they were guided to making the right choices. This also goes to show how they trust God’s plan for them. Every once in a while, each of us will inevitably face hurdles and challenges to the point that we might question His plan for us. But if we put our faith in God and trust His guidance, we will always have the courage and confidence to weather every storm and pull through every hardship. God’s calling is not something that will consistently be apparent at a specific point in one’s life. Some may realize their calling sooner than others, while other people would have ventured into many other things before being ascertained about their predestined path. Furthermore, a path that may seem fitting to some may not be cut out for others. But one thing is for sure: when you hear God’s calling and heed it, everything will fall in its right place. Ivy Aldave

PAGE 17 I like how the magazine showed different kinds of love and was not only limited and restricted to the romantic form of love. Personally, I was touched by the interview with Victoria Omaga’s story, our interviewee for single blessedness. It just amazes me that she has reached the age of 65 without being married to someone since it is pretty common nowadays to wed at an early age and to build a family. In a way, it unconsciously becomes an obligation for one to find someone to spend the rest of his/her life with and build a family. I would really like to commend Ms. Omaga for being independent and voluntarily choosing not to be married as she thinks it is not a necessity to rely on others to be happy and content with life. This particular example shows that love can be for the self as well and not just for others. Ms. Omaga shows love for herself by doing what she loves without depending on others. She also mentioned that she shows love by helping others such as her family members and friends. On a different note, the couple Nestor and Elvira represent a different form of love, which is romantic love. When they were both ready to settle and spend the rest of their lives with each other, they secured their re- lationship by going to the church and getting married. This way, they promoted God's reign by exchanging vows in church who witnessed then being united as one in with God's belssing. Lance Sairyl dela Cruz

PAGE 18 Every individual’s life is a journey. In this life, it would be easy to take because we would experience ups and downs as we take at least one step each day to cover a distance. With that, every decision and action we make counts, so it would really have an impact if we were now. I firmly believe that our lives have different seasons, as mentioned in the Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. This means God ordained a perfect time and moment for us to experience what He has planned. The story of Ms. Victorina Omaga about her personal decision to live a single blessed life really enlightens me that there are people like her who enjoy life spent with their family, especially spending time with their nephews and niece. I love how she appreciates her life by doing the things she wants, like her hobbies of handicrafts and having the freedom to decide on her own. Aside from that, I was even more touched when she shared that the moment she realized God was calling her to live a single-blessing life. She seem like she is a really genuine and selfless person when she personally decides to prioritize how she could use her life to help those in need. Despite the struggles she mentioned, she overcomes those moments with the help of the Lord through continually praying to Him since she believes that prayer can move mountains, which proves God’s reign and sovereignty in her life. Moreover, I was also greatly captivated by Rev. Fr. Aries C. Reyes' testimony of obeying God's call to become a priest because I was astounded at how God used him in an unexpected way. It was the Lord's conviction that drove him to pursue and serve the Lord as a religious leader. This story also makes me realize that the true essence of showing our love to the Lord is through following Him without any any questions, reservations, alibi, or excuses, because that was what Fr. Reyes did when he felt that he had been called. As a result, he experiences and learns more about God, and his transformed life demonstrates the Lord's sovereignty and presence. He serves as an inspiration because he has been an instrument in the lives of others, as he proves that the Lord truly blesses those who obey His commands. Lastly, the experience that Mr. and Ms. Salcedo shared in their married couple life that personally touched my heart is how they appreciate and genuinely express their love for each other. They maintain their 26 years of God-centered marriage not just for themselves but for their children, and they continuously dedicate their lifelong commitment to God as man and wife. I have seen the true essence of love in their relationship as they remain faithful and hold on to their relationship despite the struggles, arguments, and problems that come in their way. Indeed, their married couple life promotes God's sovereignty as they let their home be filled with the Lord's love, respect for one another, and being a responsible parent to their children. To conclude, it has been a wonderful opportunity for me to learn from the real-life experiences of other people we interviewed. This indeed proves that every individual in the world that God created is really different and unique in their own way. For that reason, I realized that we should not have any room for comparing ourselves to other people’s lives because we are not walking on the same paths. Among all of these testimonies, I decided to look forward to living a married life soon. For that reason, I continuously pray to the Lord that we may both be prepared to establish a God-centered family where we together serve the One Great God and become a blessing to other people as well. Alyssa Jane Estoque

Life. A seemingly simple word which can become extremely complex when seen from several angles. Every single one of us thirsts to live the life we have fantasized since we were little. I used to believe that life was like a fairytale, where I would go through a plethora of challenges, but at the end of the day, I would be living in a beautiful utopia. It wasn't until I encountered Jesus Christ during my teenage years and experienced multiple challenges that I was able to change my perspective on what life is actually like. There, I sought after and entered countless doors that I believed would lead to the ideal haven for me, but Jesus Christ continued releasing me and directing me to places that, in my perspective, were not the greatest for me. Another enlightenment I got in my teenage years was the idea of being content with what I have rather than craving for what I have not. Indeed, living our lives is like a roller coaster ride, and no matter what we may desire in life, God's will will always take precedence. The story of Mr. and Mrs. Salcedo has underlined the idea that, regardless of what we desire in life, God's will will always reign supreme. Being caught by the police for jaywalking was undoubtedly not anything Mrs. Salcedo had ever wanted to experience, yet this event did change her life. She met Mr. Salcedo, her life partner, through that experience. In addition, it was stressed in the interview that you should make sure that you and your partner are completely prepared financially, emotionally, and spiritually to begin a marriage because doing so will undoubtedly change your lives. Without a doubt, Mr. and Mrs. Salced are a couple that can inspire other couples, whether they are already married or planning to be married. Hence, God may position us in circumstances we do not want to be in, but this is His means of placing us where it is best for us. It is crucial for one to be prepared to start a new chapter in life in order to reduce potential troubles down the road. Aside from that, I'd like to add that I've recently come to believe that happiness can only be attained through romantic relationships. Right now, I'm in a state that's known as \"jowang-jowa\" in the Tagalog language, but after hearing Miss Vicky Omaga's life story, I've realized that I may still be happy without a significant other if I work to improve the lives of those around me. The value of being content in life was emphasized by Miss Vicky. She may occasionally find her home lonely and live alone, but by being contented with the circumstances God has given her, she has transformed into the happiest version of herself. Therefore, the path to happiness is to be contented with what we have right now. Finally, Rev. Aries Reyes underlined that while he is not perfect, with the grace of God, he has improved. with Fr. I realized after hearing Fr. Aries that having a solid faith in God is necessary for following God's calling. Hence, if we do not remain faithful to Him and similarly, if we do not believe that He is also faithful to us, then we cannot meaningfully obey and follow his calling for us. In light of all things, failing to establish in one's heart the value of placing weight on one's faith and belief system would render following and obeying God's calling useless. Finally, although life may lead us in various directions, at the end of our journey, God will lead us to a sanctuary finally, we have met us. Claire Audrey Nacilla PAGE 19

MGA KWENTO NG BOKASYON a reflection by Claire Audrey A. Nacilla From the video “May Calling Ka Ba?”, I’ve realized that following the path that leads to God's calling for us necessitates sacrifice. For instance, Father Mon Bautista, made a lot of sacrifices in order to obey God’s calling for him like waking up at 4 a.m., being separated from his family and friends, and even letting go of his work and plans, but he still found happiness in obeying God's calling for him. Father Mon’s experience taught me that nothing could ever replace the joy we can experience once we have fulfilled our God’s calling for us even though fulfilling such calling entails sacrificing the most important people and things in our lives. Indeed, finding hope, serenity, and joy demands walking in obedience and sacrifice towards God's calling for us. Hearing and obeying God's voice requires a great deal of strength and courage. Accepting what God is asking us to sacrifice takes a lot of strength and courage. We must always keep in mind that we must not give up no matter how hard things are, for God will grow this strength and courage within us as we obey and sacrifice for His calling for us. Hence, it would be difficult to get to the place where we are called to be if we did it all by ourselves. We still need to pray for His guidance in order to arrive in the sanctuary where we are destined to be. PAGE 20

Through the interviews, I realized that everyone has a calling. Some people are destined to have a religious life, a married life, or a single-blessed life. Among the interviewees, I was personally touched by the story of married life. Mr. and Mrs. Salcedo met at the Mandaluyong Police Station, where Ms. Salcedo was brought for jaywalking. This made me think that fate really brings two people together and that God has a calling for us. I saw the true essence of love manifested in their relationship when Mr. Salcedo mentioned that he felt sure about her wife. A person can love someone even if they can't imagine the future with them. It is actually easy for a person to say they are confident in being with the person they love, but it is hard to put it into action. That's why couples break up. I also saw the true essence of love when they maintained their marriage for 26 years. Although the couple mentioned that their journey was not smooth, I believe that it is normal to have conflicts between couples. I’m glad that how they settle conflicts through communication because their conflicts will only be resolved if they both understand each other. I also admired how patient they were, specifically when they first made sure to have a stable job and become mentally ready and mature before getting married. The problem with people nowadays is that they get married early without thinking about their future, which is why most relationships tend to fail. It is important to become mentally and financially ready before getting married. That’s why some people try to live with their partner first before getting married for them to know what it's like to live together. The couple promoted God’s reign by settling down and getting married. They became united as one with God’s blessing. As they united as one, they created children, which they consider a blessing. This gave them another purpose for their existence as it changed their lives and responsibilities - to become good spouses and parents to their children. Stephen Josh Penuliar PAGE 21

I have always thought life would be miserable if we spent it alone. But the story of Miss Vicky Omega moved me in a way that she set as an example of how much we could still live a happy life even if we are alone. Although she admits that there are times where it gets hard, she shows us that the happiness she feels at the moment outweighs the drawbacks that come with being single. All three interviewees showed us different types of unconditional love we could have in this world; love for ourselves, love for others, and love for God. Ms. Vicky, for instance, showed us that even if she does not have a partner, she would still choose to be single if she was given the chance not to be; a clear example of a content person with being alone and how much love for herself is enough for her to be happy already. On the other hand, Mr. and Mrs. Salcedo show us the definition of love by sharing how true love transcends conflicts and arguments. And how, at the end of the day, their love for each other is still there through mutual trust, understanding, respect, sacrifice, and responsibility. Lastly, the life of Rev. Fr. Reyes is a true example of overflowing love for God as he surrendered his life to Him and how much he changed himself for the better, all for the glory of God. The interviewees promoted God's reign by setting it as proof that His calling is always right in the end. The couple, the single parent, and the priest are living proof that God’s plan is always the best plan. As I reflect on these things, I am reminded of how I should follow God’s plans for my life because they direct me to what’s truly meant for me, just like every individual in the interview. Ayejaye Radaza PAGE 22

As each day ends with slowly color-changing skies from sunset, life gives us a glimpse of the slow days that we have to endure but nevertheless the hopeful tomorrows that we could look forward to. Like sunsets, our calling reminds us that things may come and take slow, but they ensure us a hopeful journey that comes thereafter. From our interviews, the stories of vocation made me feel a little less pressured of my life decisions. I realized how time is an essential instrument towards true discovery of our calling, because more often than not, we all need time to reflect, assess, and decide on what we really want to become, rather than be restless to be someone that we may not be truly for. With the interviews, I felt relieved of my personal sentiments to rush time, and instead take it at my pace yet with confidence, as this would help me discover and build the path towards the direction that I truly want to take. Moreover, besides the emotional implications of the stories is the essence of love manifested in different approaches. For the married couple Mr. and Mrs. Salcedo, love grows in the form of respect, trust, commitment, and maturity as the couple have said. It is not enough that the plain context of ‘love’ will bind the relationship, because it also implies other values as languages to show and manifest the true essence of love. Ms. Omaga represented her freedom as a form of self-love, and choosing to live by oneself despite the external pressure from the society signifies the true essence of love as a courageous leap towards our true desires. Fr. Reyes manifested love not only through his personal relationship with God, but as he highlighted, through his representation to draw people closer to God. He expressed the true essence of love that does not only grow romantically or personally, but extends socially. In these interviews, the stories ultimately promote God’s reign through our choices set by the flame of our hearts; one that would draw us closer to genuine happiness as God desires. The married couiple, through their commitment, respect, trust, and maturity manifest God in promotion of peace, love, and harmony. Also, Ms. Omaga, as a single-blessed, represents God's reign by her thoughtfulness to help her loved ones rather than excluding and isolating herself. Finally, Fr. Reyes exhibits God’s divine mercy in his religious life through his willingness to offer himself as an instrument of knowledge and relationship of the common people towards God. Through our own stories of vocation, we do not only meet our own desires but also that of God’s, and we exhibit God’s reign and presence in our everyday nuances of fulfilling our calling. For all the sets of stories have signified that our calling is like the ethereal ray of sunshine as it hides through the horizon for sunset – self-pacing, moving, and satisfying. Jhoanna Paula Salcedo PAGE 23

All three interviews showed different people who live life in accordance with their callings. What really touched me was the story of the married couple. It was amazing to me how two people were able to meet as though it was fate. It was also very clear in the way they answered that this married couple was filled with so much love and respect for each other. Personally, it is important for a married couple to have a harmonious relationship since it affects a child’s view on marriage and relationships in general. It is not easy for some married couples to maintain that relationship with each other for so many years. That is why it is very touching to read the story of the married couple. The married couple talked about the importance of communication in maintaining their marriage. Through this communication, they were able to settle their conflicts and maintain a harmonious relationship. I also think that communication is important in maintaining a relationship. Bottling up emotions and quietly accumulating grudges against each other whilst avoiding communication is a sure way to ruin a relationship. The married couple promoted God’s reign firstly by getting married in a ceremony and then by maintaining the marriage without separating. By settling each other’s differences and learning to live with each other, the couple was able to maintain their marriage and live a life of happiness and fulfillment. Saara Oxana Salcedo PAGE 24

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