He went on a sabbatical in North American College in Rome.
During the last leg of his trip, he stayed at a monastery in Quebec, in the middle of winter.
The quote above describe his insights. For 12 days, he lived a life structured around working in the cheese factory, a farm, prayers, meditation, silence, stillness, including a perpetual vigil to pay respect to a monk who just died.
The white snow blanketing the Lawrence River mirrored the depths of stillness he felt.
His name is Raymond, meaning “protecting hands” and his last name means “of the kings.” Taken together, one can say that his life has been designed by faith, serving the King of kings as God’s servant/leader.
I felt a certain sense of awe around Fr. Ray, a feeling I get, when I meet holy priests. It is what Fr. Miloy refers to as “an undeniable priestly character.” It is a feeling of sacredness -- an inner radiance and a serene yet joyful face.
Fr. Ray describes a sacredness from feeling God’s presence within.
Of his first visit at Our Lady of Lourdes (perhaps the most visited Marian Shrine in Europe) he said, “ All I could do was pray to God, mindful of other pilgrims, we are here for a mission, including praying for those who are not able to come here and pray. I saw one pilgrim who carried six handkerchiefs and everywhere we went, she touched the statues with all six, and they will be given as gifts to her friends, a little sacramental gesture. We never explain how we talk to God, we are good talking about God, yet, we seldom describe our own experiences of encountering Him in our lives.”
He joined the Charismatic movement in 1975. He said of prayer groups: “We share our unique experiences of discovering Him.” Each visit to the Our Lady of Lourdes in France left him with a unique sacred feeling.
I told him about my visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, built into the mesas of Sedona red rock in Arizona. I cried uncontrollably, as I entered the chapel. I could not stop. There was a feeling of peace, a wholeness that I desire nothing else, except to be there, to be part of that stillness.
He smiled, because he makes spaces in his life to feel those, too.
He finished high school at Don Bosco, a school run by the Salesians.
He lived in a small farm owned by his parents, Mario and Elisa Reyes. There he learned the discipline to harvest eggs, feed the chickens, raise pigs and provide water.
Just like the care he gave these animals, he too was cared for inside the seminary.
Fr. Ray was first called to priesthood at age 12. He remembers the love and the special respect shown to the pastor by the parishioners, which attracted him to priesthood. But most especially, he remembers their disappointment, when their pastor did not arrive to say Mass because of an accident.
He vowed to become a priest “to be there for their needs.”
He entered the Seminary of the Mother of Good Counsel with his brothers Chito, Ronnie and Red, but he was the only one who became a priest.
He completed 4 years of philosophy and 4 years of theological studies. He was ordained by Bishop Jesus Galang on Dec. 8, 1988.
He was assigned to the Cathedral of San Fernando, Pampanga where his beginner’s task was to administer the sacraments and to give confessions.
He served as pastor of San Agustin in Caingin, Masantol. During rainy season he rode the banca (a small boat) to get to parishioners. Sometimes, he would walk through rice fields to reach them.
Because he was young, he enjoyed the travels, including celebrating mass at 3am and 430am for Simbang Gabi.
In his recent visit to the Philippines, he requested his nephew, Renz Mendoza, to help him, as he said masses in six different barrios within the parish.
His nephew is now enrolled in preparatory college at a seminary, inspired after seeing the hunger of people to receive Jesus.
He became pastor at San Jose Malino, Mexico, Pampanga, where he was asked at the middle of his pastorate to minister to the Kapampangans in St. Patrick’s Church in San Francisco.
After several years, he became parochial vicar of St. Isabella Church in Marin. Three years after, in 2006, he was asked to serve as Administrator and then Pastor of St. Anne’s.
He currently serves as the pastor of St. Anne of the Sunset Parish in San Francisco. He was recently appointed as the Liaison to the Charismatic Renewal of the Archdiocese.
He serves as pastor to 1,000 registered families and to St. Anne’s School -- a pre-school to 8th Grade, with 586 students enrolled.
Some of their ministries include a homebound ministry -- visiting facility homes to administer the sacraments.
Every July 18-26, St. Anne’s Church celebrates its anniversary.
“As people get older, they experience disappointments and all human elements get in the way. It is our tasks as priests to take them to a deeper understanding and to help them move on and to discover God’s love to change for themselves and others. We need to create, more than we expect, and we must create spaces for sacredness to settle in,” he said.
He then handed me an unsolicited gift of holy water from Our Lady of Lourdes, with a companion prayer to St. Bernadette and a special blessings to gain wisdom, grace and perseverance.
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