The following letter was written by Fr. Jesus Dumaual, a missionary of the Sacred heart (MSC) priest who presently serves as parochial vicar of the Marigondon Parish in the island of Lapu-lapu in Cebu. He was present during an ecumenical service for Jun Lozada in Cebu. You can contact him via jessavior@yahoo.com.ph.

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Dearest Jun (Lozada),

We have met when you came over to Cebu last March 17. I saw the pain in your eyes when you asked where have all the priests of Cebu gone, is there no one willing to say Mass for you which you said is the source of your strength? I guess you can imagine the pain Christ suffered when in the garden of Gethsemani, when he was going through the most difficult moment of his life, yes more than on the cross, because here what was going to happen still he already saw in his mind and he sweated with blood (Mt. 22:44). Here, all his imagination, his fears, his anxiety, doubts, were all mixed up, while on the cross it is just plain suffering and our body has a way of shutting off some pain automatically if they become too much to bear. Here, all he asked was for some of his apostles, his chosen few, to keep vigil and give him company. But every time he returns to them, they were all asleep. And he asked, echoing your question: Is there no one to stay awake for me?

Now you can undertand why the Sisters follow you like doting mothers wherever you go. I could not have imagined it myself until I saw with my own eyes how solicitous and protective they are of you. No, it is not only because of the story you are going to tell. There would be enough time for this. It is first and foremost because they found you. Just like the prodigal son who was lost but was found. The father clothed him with the finest clothes (just as the Sisters clothed you with their delicate embrace reserved only for Christ their beloved spouse); He gave him a ring (the Sisters gave you their most precious possession: time – the time they could have spent in prayer, time doing charitable work, time being with the students entrusted to them, the time which they have vowed to give only in the service of the Kingdom.)

You ask why? It is because you have answered (partly) a question they must have been asking all these years: Where have all our graduates gone, the product of Catholic Education, the minds and consciences that we have molded according to the values of the Gospels? Thousands, perhaps even a million of you have joined government service. What have become of you? Have you all become “team players”, swallowed by the system which is now considered the most corrupt in Asia? You are luckier, and I saw your great elation that late in the day, two priests were found (I was one of them) who were willing to say Mass for you. But the poor Sisters, so far, after all these years, have only found one: you. (You see, while we priests may have our Parishes, Sisters have only their Catholic Schools.) Of course, they want to hear your story, to know whatever happened to all the nurturing, the sacrifices they have made for all of you, including the scolding if you just forget to say your prayer, etc. But that can wait. All they want to show you is how grateful and appreciative they are you have returned. The rest will be history.

Surely, there are many more of you out there. They would like to think the consciences which they have painstakingly molded, the love they have showered upon all of you have not all been wasted but is still there, perhaps asleep, perhaps under sedation or confused by the values of the world. But surely they are there just waiting for their time to wake up. It has taken so long, but at least, finally, one came home and that is enough to give them hope that perhaps, just perhaps, others might come to their senses too and come home. I am very happy for you Sisters! Thanks Jun, for making this happen. You are still going through your Calvary but surely the Easter morn will come and shine upon you.

Sincerely,

Fr. Jesus V. Dumaual, MSC
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish
Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City