Viriditas2: Soul Greening
Interviewed by Sister Malia Dominica Wong, OP
Hawaii Catholic Herald
A vocation to the priesthood can take a person across oceans, through different communities and into unexpected chapters of life.
For me, that journey began with the La Salettes in the Philippines. I left during postulancy and spent three years teaching. Then, at the invitation of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, then bishop of Imus and rector of the Diocesan Theological Seminary, I joined the Diocese of Imus in Cavite and resumed my formation for the priesthood.
After completing my theological studies, Cardinal Tagle sent me to Australia to serve in the Diocese of Armidale in New South Wales.
Seventeen years later, the desire to be closer to family brought another transition, this time to Hawaii as a priest on loan. My brother lives in California, and I have now been here for seven months.
Through all these changes, prayer has remained constant, keeping me centered on Christ and reminding me why I was called and sent as a priest.
Prayer keeps the spirit grounded. Parish life can be busy and demanding, with people to serve, places to go, administrative responsibilities and countless other needs. In the midst of that busyness, there has to be time to stop, breathe, rest and reconnect with the Lord.
That is what I call my “me time.” It may sound like time for myself, but it is really time with God.
Whenever possible, I spend an hour in Eucharistic adoration, whether at Sts. Peter and Paul, Mary, Star of the Sea or Our Lady of Good Counsel. Yet the particular church matters less than simply being present before the Lord. In that quiet, the pace of the day slows, and I am reminded of what truly matters.
Prayer is not only talking to God; it is dialogue. It also means allowing God to speak, and that requires silence. During my formation in Tagaytay, the day was marked by periods of silence. Only later did I understand what that rhythm was forming in us: the ability to notice God. Silence creates room for that.
Life will always be busy. Not everyone can spend an hour in adoration every day. Sometimes prayer may take only a few minutes. What matters is making the time to be present. God is already there, waiting.
Even a phone can become part of prayer. Apps such as Universalis provide the Office of Readings and Divine Office. Technology is not the problem; how we use it is. What can become a distraction can also become a tool for prayer.
The Eucharist remains at the heart of the priesthood. The priesthood and Eucharist are inseparably bound, forming the core of a priest’s identity and ministry. In the Eucharist, the priest sacramentally makes the sacrifice of Calvary present. This gives meaning to the travel, pastoral work and exhausting days.
The rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet are also part of my prayer. Before bed, the rosary offers a way to place the day into the hands of the Blessed Mother. Even three Hail Marys can be meaningful. Since coming to Hawaii, 3 o’clock has also become a special time for prayer — for someone in need, a particular intention, conversion or a holy soul.
For me, “me time” is ultimately time to rest, refocus and reconnect — not simply with myself, but with the Lord who is present in every moment.
Father Paul Aguilar is from the Philippines. He is 17 years ordained and serves as a parochial vicar at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Honolulu.