People always come and go. But when they go, it’s always for the better.
Most of us know him as the singing priest. Last December 2008, the parish community welcomed Fr. Serge Maniba, together with Fr. Anil and Fr. Mike, serving as a guest priest in the parish.
Fr. Serge recently finished his Masters in Theology, Major in Missiology at Institute for Consecrated Life in Asia (ICLA) along Tandang Sora Avenue and his Licentiate in Theology, Major in Missiology at the University of Santo Tomas.
Fr. Serge however, has to return to his service in Antique. And so, last October 17, 2010, the community had said their goodbyes to Fr. Serge during a Despedida Party given by the Parish Pastoral Council with the help of the BEC.
When he was asked to enumerate the things/events that he will not forget during his stay at PHS, his answer is this: “Nothing so extraordinary had happened to me in the parish but I have simple but great memories that I will bring with me when I leave” These simple but great memories include “the daily celebration of the Eucharist with the people, sitting in the confessionals and listening to the people unburden themselves to God through us ministers where I was able to enter into the deepest part of each penitent struggling to be good despite their weaknesses and how they experience relief through the mercy of God, (listening to them and being God’s humble servant I also experience my own weakness and God’s mercy as well), relating to the great men and women of the parish —PPC, Choirs, Catechists, Parish Staff, Area Coordinators, Lectors, Lay Ministers, Mother Butler, Tuesday Circle, Teachers of the Pre-school, the poor at the parking area, Youth, Campus Ministry and many more. Walking in silence around U.P. for exercise had also been great moments for the body as well as for the soul.”
Below is his message to the UP PHS parishioners:
Dear People of God in U.P Parish,
Life they say is a series of hellos and goodbyes. You welcome me last year with warm hello. Now it’s my time to say goodbye. My one year and ten months stay in the parish had been one of a great personal journey and pilgrimage. I had not only served you but you had served me as well. I may not have met all of you up-close and personal, but every Eucharist we had celebrated had made us closer beyond what we can think of and deeper than what we could ever experience: that is what faith tells us: in Christ present in the Eucharist, we are all one. I hope this become clearer someday when we meet each other in heaven with Christ as our priest celebrating the heavenly banquet himself. For all that has been: my deepest gratitude. For all my faults and shortcomings due to my weakness, my deepest apology as well. My deepest prayer for all of you is that you continue to discover yourselves and one another deeply in the Lord, especially in the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar; that we all belong to each other because we all belong to Jesus and Jesus belongs to God. May the U.P community be truly a community where God reigns and where the poor are served as an expression of your love for God. Please do pray for me. You are all welcome at Antique.
- By Doris Yumul
