“I LOVE being a priest. I am very happy serving the people. Whether I am loved in return or [not] does not diminish the ministry. It is in the giving that I feel satisfied. It is more of the giving, rather than the taking.” - Fr. Ramon Valera, 2011
I interviewed Fr. Ramon on June 3, 2011, inside his office, while surrounded by Monet’s paintings of Parisians Enjoying the Parc, The Parc Menceau and another photo of the Serengeti Sunset in Tanzania, Africa, in a church campus that includes Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School.
It is not structures that delights Fr. Ramon, it is people. He was assigned to Our Lady of Lourdes in 2009 and has re-established the Charismatic renewal group. He ministers to more than 1,750 parishioners, who are mostly Caucasians and Filipinos. His homilies attract people to attend his masses. He serves as the spiritual director of the Legion of Mary. He teaches leadership classes and what he emphasized as “sound and correct Catholic teachings.”
I asked him what he is most proud of. “If ever I make a mistake, I am honest enough to apologize. In a previous parish, I helped draft a confirmation program but I missed one name. The parent got livid. I took responsibility for it... apologized, learned from it and moved on. Whether they change or not after my apology, I have already put on my thumbmark, which is to be ready to accept my shortcomings.”
He went to elementary school at the Sacred Heart of Mary Institution, now St. Paul’s School of Aparri, run by St. Paul’s sisters. At age 9, he got his first calling when they went to church for a field trip. He genuflected. The teacher noticed that he paid respect to the Eucharist in the altar, while others ran to their seats. He instinctively knew that the Tabernacle was special.
He decided to go to a seminary at 12 and completed his Bachelor’s in Philosophy and Theology at UST, graduating as cum laude.
At 24, he became a priest. His bishop, Diosdado Talamayan, gave him permission to be ordained by Pope Paul VI. He was ordained on June 29, 1975 at St. Peter’s Basilica. He shared that his photo with Pope Paul VI was borrowed but has not been returned until now.
He described his awe when he met Pope Paul VI. “When I approached the Holy Father at the giving of peace, as I embraced him, the Pope said, PAX TECUM, Peace be with You, I felt such an awe that I almost forgot to say, “Et cum Espiritu Tuu” (And also with you). I felt so joyful, a certain lightness inside, and forgot everything around me. It was as if it was just the Pope and me. I still could not believe it. I felt so fulfilled. The ceremonies started at 6pm, and finished at 11pm. Imagine this [was] inside the Basilica, surrounded by the choral voices of Sistine Chapel choir. To be with the visible Vicar of Christ, [it was] a singular privilege to be ordained by Pope Paul VI.”
“On my 25th year of ordination (my silver jubilee), I [went on] a pilgrimage to Rome and brought my mom and dad to the place I was ordained. My parents kept on crying. They, too, could not believe I was there.”
He underscored the importance of a silver jubilee: each of the holy doors to the four Basilicas are opened on the Holy Year. He was ordained in 1975, celebrated his silver jubilee in 2000. The next Holy Year will be in 2025 -- he will be 75 years old by then and will be celebrating his 50th year as a priest.
While in Pentecost Mass, I thought of Fr. Ramon who forgives and gives unconditionally.
“Riches is relative. Poverty is relative. But the richness of God is eternal law that you never can change. The Fullness of God is eternal,” he said.
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