By MikeB 

My longtime classmate and friend will be ordained to priesthood on April 8. This special day is also the birthday of my father, Dionisio who have since gone to the other side of this life.

I have known Fr. Angelo Silerio, SJ, as unassuming honor student who naturally displays human qualities that encourage being strong, yet gentle, humble but bold, while being swayed always by beauty and truth.

These days where humility is a thing of the past and tagged with a price, I see Fr. Angelo’s meekness, as a virtue that transcends three challenging disciplines: 1) surrendering ones life and possessions to God, 2) earning the right to be heard rather than demanding a hearing, and 3) responding properly to anger when others violate one’s personal rights.

Humility doesn’t mean allowing others to rule over you. It doesn’t mean that you are someone else’s stamping pad. Humility should mean that you’re not clamoring for special treatment and that you take things as they are. Humble people are peacemakers. They have no axe to grind. That is exactly what Fr. Angelo is and which I ask for his prayer for me to learn and live for. To this day he wants to be humbly called Angelo sans the Father.

Fr. Angelo will be ordained together with two other Brothers on April 8, 2006 at 8:30 in the morning at the Oratory of St. Ignatius at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines by Most Rev. Francisco F. Claver, S.J., D.D., Apostolic Vicar Emeritus of Bontoc-Lagawe.

He will be offering his Thanksgiving Mass on April 11 at 3:00 in the afternoon at Ateneo de Naga University, Church of the Gesu in Naga City, Philippines.

I promised to visit him in Loyola during my next vacation. However, he sent me an email saying that his vow of obedience will lead him to a place that is still being kept in suspense by his Superiors. His assignment will be made known on his ordination day. His vow of poverty might lead him either to the Bilibid Prisons, Davao, East Timor, or Bukidnon.

Fr. Angelo is the third gift to the priesthood of our Class and will be joining Fathers Cesar Mayo Herrera and Jerome Daluro in their priestly vocations. Sooner, the three of them will be joined by Bro. Alvin Paras of the Franciscan Friars.

To the Priest Knights, good luck and enjoy your vocations!

The Knights are indeed blessed.