VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
The gift of faith we received should be shared as a gift. Five hundred years ago, missionary priests, brothers and religious brought the faith to the Philippines. It is because of them that there are Filipino missionaries all over the world today continuing to share the gift of faith.
Having served in the Diocese of Honolulu for 21 years now, longer than I have served in my own diocese, the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, I realize that I am just an instrument, a missionary disciple. Along with the work of my seminary classmate, Father Mario Raquepo, and my seminary students, Father Pascual Abaya, Father Raymund Ellorin and Father Peter Dumag, it really is a year of grace, a great jubilee to celebrate the 500 years.
Jesus said that if you want to be the first, you must be the last. If you want to be the master, you must serve first. Since I washed your feet, you must wash others’ feet. As missionary disciples assigned in Hawaii, we serve joyfully and happily together with our fellow missionary disciples from the Philippines, India, Africa, Latin America and the mainland.
Although we left our countries, homes and families, there is joy because we form new families. To every parish that we are sent, we develop faith relationships as brothers and sisters in the Lord broadening our horizons. We are also able to experience all kinds of ministries that we don’t have in the Philippines. For example, Bishop Larry assigned me as a member of the presbyteral council. He also appointed me to be the spiritual director of the Diocesan Congress of Filipino Catholic Clubs and of the Cursillos of Hawaii. I also continue to serve as chaplain of the Knights of Columbus. All of these experiences have enriched me.
The pandemic has brought about so many challenges in ministry. People are scared; so many have died. Others have suffered a lot economically, psychologically and health-wise. Children are suffering because they can’t go back to school. It is not enough for families to join the weekly Mass via livestream. I pray for the end of the pandemic so that parishioners will be able to gather again and smile at each other. That, they may feel each other’s presence and share in each other’s joys and sorrows together. This is the joy of being God’s children in the world.
Prayer is our lifeblood. We formulate our daily prayer begun with the Word of God, the Word of Life. Prayer helps us along the pathway to eternal life. At night I read the Scriptures for the next day, and I reflect on it. And I pray over it. “Lord, you speak to us of peace, let there be peace in the world. May there be peace among families, among troubled spouses, among troubled nations. Let there be peace beginning with me.” That is already a prayer.
As long as you remain in the Lord, you will bear much fruit. So, whatever we can do, we try to do. We are happy because there is peace in our hearts. We are at peace, because we have Jesus in our hearts.
Father Edgar Brillantes is a diocesan priest. He was born in Trinidad, Davao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines, and is the oldest of eight children. He was ordained in 1980. He arrived in Hawaii in 1999 to serve with the Filipino ethnic ministry. For the past seven years, he has served as pastor at Our Lady of the Mount Church in Kalihi Valley.
