Patrick Guzman, right, with his wife, Joyce, pose for a photo with Father Leo Patalinghug, founder of the family- and food-focused ministry Plating Grace. (Courtesy Catholic Stewardship Consultants)
By Catholic Stewardship Consultants
www.CatholicSteward.com
Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus calling his disciples. For instance, in Matthew, he calls Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John. Jesus tells them he is going to make them fishers of men — he is going to use their talents to build his kingdom. They need simply to say “yes” and give Christ their lives.
It can be easy for us to think of these Gospel stories as isolated events that happened to special people and, in turn, distance ourselves from their message. But as Patrick Guzman points out, Christ is calling each one of us to himself in much the same way.
“Many people think that holiness is meant just for certain special people,” says Guzman, a parishioner at St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church in Mililani. “It’s not. God is calling each of us to be holy.”
In fact, Guzman remembers the first time he heard God call him.
“I was serving at Mass as an altar boy,” he says. “I was intently focused on the Eucharist, and I felt something envelope me. I knew that was Jesus. I knew, from that moment forward, that Jesus was always there for me.”
Guzman spent 27 years in the U.S. military. During that time he often remembered that moment and held onto the truth that Jesus is always there.
“My time in the military exposed me to a lot,” Guzman says. “But my faith never wavered. I thought back to that encounter many times.
“I have absolute joy and certainty and trust in the Lord. There is so much joy and freedom in trusting Jesus, in giving everything to him and in doing what we can to serve him.”
Anchored in this truth, Guzman immediately began serving his parish as a catechist upon his retirement from the military.
“I finally had time, and I wanted to use it to share my experience with others, to share with people the joy that Jesus brings,” he says.
He first started as a religious education catechist and then got involved in the Edge ministry for middle-school youth, confirmation preparation and OCIA. Additionally, Guzman became a Knight of Columbus and served as the chair of his parish Pastoral Council for three years.
Guzman continues to do more and more — to give of himself for the sake of the church. The joy he experiences radiates as he speaks.
“We need to proclaim the Gospel and to engage in stewardship,” Guzman says. “Christ calls us to love, and he gives us the ability to give and to share with others. Our response to Christ’s call manifests itself in the way we live out our discipleship.”
In an effort to continue to help others hear and respond to Christ’s call, Guzman also serves as a member of the Stewardship Committee for the Oahu Vicariate. Recently, he became a member of the diocesan Stewardship Committee.
When asked why he does so much, Guzman’s response is simple — he wants to bring people to Jesus.
“It is one thing to bring people back to church, but I want to do even more,” Guzman says. “I want to help people advance their knowledge of the faith and learn to live discipleship.”
