AN INSPIRING PRIEST..."Every time I write my vocation story and every time I share my spiritual journey especially in my decision to leave my job and pursue priesthood, I cannot miss the part of sharing someone who inspires me a lot. He is Bishop Julito Cortes. He is now assigned in Cebu City as an Auxillary Bishop. Before becoming a bishop, he was assigned in our small town in Negros Oriental. I come to know him a bit not only because I was an active leader of a movement called Ang Lingkod Ng Panginoon but more so because his sister is a co-worker of mine. I worked in a national government agency together with his sister.
Now, one Sunday morning, he approached me if I can help him organize the youth of the parish. In other words, he was tapping me to become the youth adviser. I learned then that he has some visions for the young people. A true pastor should have this kind of quality, to be able to see ‘visions’ for the faithful and must be able to draw on the resources that are available. He was never got tired of reaching out to other people, of bringing Jesus to others. Why I am saying this, because he tried to say mass every Sunday to barangays or barrios that are far from the parish. He would personally go to barangays and try to encourage people to be active in their own chapel, the very concept of basic ecclesial community or BEC. I also admire him for becoming a person who shows love for his own family. He asked me to visit his sister who was having a problem. That is where I learned that he is so concerned with his family.
He was also a teacher. He was teaching philosophy in the seminary. In fact, he became a Rector after his term in our parish. I used to go to the seminary for some reasons together with other friends. I learned that Bishop Cortes was so dedicated in his work as Rector. He organized several diocesan activities like prayer rallies, vigils, election volunteers, social concerns like free medical and dental, feeding etc.
There are so many things that the Church can learn from him yet, he has also a lot of things to learn from the Church. He is close to his fellow priests because when our bishop recalled the “problematic’ priests in our diocese, he became the refuge of some by taking them into his own parish. He gave them responsibility by saying mass especially in far flung barangays. Well, he should know that the Church are made up of people and that even the priests are not spared to commit mistakes. I do not know if by protecting his fellow clergy especially the problematic ones is correct or not. Only God knows." J
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