When a friend learned about my decision to reintegrate myself back into the Roman Church, he asked me why, knowing the process of reintegration will take years. “Why leave the status of an Anglican priest and rejoin the Roman Church? How about the people you are shepherding, the small communities entrusted to you?” I simply answered, “in all humility.”

In all humility, I accepted the conditions set forth by my superior, the Reverend Dr. James Philip Monserate, OHF, of our bishop protector under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church, even though I knew that many would raise their eyebrows, many would question and more would object for the Church’s hierarchy to make me a regular clergy.

I trust in the grace of God and in the wisdom, He is giving to Bishop Nolly Buco, DD, and Rev. Dr. James Philip Monserate, OHF, who are both Canon lawyers of the Church.

Let me say that I just follow the Lord Jesus, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and Saint Paul.

Considering what my life had been before — starting with DWRV Radio Veritas at a young age, then working from one media outfit to another until I became part of the Arzobispado de Manila in Intramuros, Manila working for the late Jaime Cardinal Lachica Sin DD; retired Bishop Teodoro J. Buhain Jr., DD whom we called Bishop Ted; the good Monsignori Socrates B. Villegas who is now the archbishop of Dagupan, the late Josefino S. Ramirez and Jose C. Abriol, to mention a few.

In our first reading today, we hear from Saint Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in the city and region of Corinth wherein he spoke to the people of God about how they should not look upon themselves with an air and sense of superiority, thinking that they are better than the others around them as they live their lives in comfort and full of blessings in this world.

On the contrary, Saint Paul said that to be Christians, we ought to be more humble and more focused on the Lord, seeking to glorify God by our lives and not to allow ourselves to be swayed by worldly ambitions and temptations, all of which could lead us down the path towards our downfall and destruction. If we allow ourselves to be swayed and tempted by the allure of glory, fame and power, we may end up losing sight of our true destination and purpose in life — that is to seek the path towards the Lord our God.

We are always reminded by the Sacred Scriptures that we should be humble as Christians and followers of the Lord. We should not be proud in our hearts and minds lest we may be tempted to think that we are better than all others and look down on others around us with whom we disagree.

We should not allow pride and ego to be great stumbling blocks in our path. If we remain humble and committed to the Lord, resisting the temptations and allure of pride and ego, we will eventually triumph with the Lord, and share in His eternal joy and glory in the end.

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The Secular Oblates of the Holy Family led by Rev. Dr. James Philip Monserate, OHF, PhD will be celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia on 25 to 27 September at the Saint Peter Parish, Shrine of Leaders, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City with a Triduum Mass at 6 in the evening on the dates specified. This coincides with the founding anniversary of the Secular Oblates of the Holy Family canonically founded by the Most Reverend Emmanuel C. Trance DD, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Catarman.