Freddie Relator Delatado Jr. is a priest of the Diocese of Kabankalan, Philippines. He comes from a large family: he is the middle of twelve children, eight boys and four girls.
"The story of my vocation is very simple but I believed that it was in my simplicity that God makes me great and extraordinary in his eyes.
My desire to become a priest began when I was nine years old. It was then that I saw our parish priest giving us candy. Every time he passed through our village, he would stop for a while and then greet us and hand out one by one the candies he had. Having this experience I said to myself, one day I want to be a priest and I will also give candy to the children. It was a lot of fun, but it is true.
When I was in high school, I only had one girlfriend. Once, when we talked, she told me that the way I talked to her was like a priest. But I laughed at her. We had a very good and healthy relationship for 2 years. I had in mind that she would be mine forever, but God lead me to another path.
Before entering the seminary, I attended high school at one of the city's colleges. There, I joined the student campus ministry since it was a Catholic school institution. Our main task in that ministry was to prepare for any religious activities at the school. When I was a junior in college, a priest celebrated mass at our school. It was part of our monthly religious activity at the school. Before the final blessing, the priest announced that those who wanted to become priests would have an entrance exam next Saturday.
After mass, our religion teacher told me to try to take the entrance exam for priest. But I told him maybe next time. He told me no, to try to do it. He told me that if it is God's will, then He would give it to me. So my teacher convinced me to take an entrance exam. By God's grace I passed it along with an interview. During that time, I don't know what I felt. I had an uncertain feeling. But I had the reflection that maybe God uses other people to direct others for their future.
One month I could not sleep well because in my mind I have to finish my schooling at the university first. Thinking also that I have my girlfriend. My family wanted to see me as a teacher someday.
So, what I did, I went to the priest in charge of our school. I told him about my situation. After four hours of sharing and talking, he told me, let God speak to you in your prayer and have time to discern. So what I did, I spent a lot of time to pray in church.
I told him in my prayer "God if you really want me to become a priest please let me hear your voice right now". He was so ambitious and demanding. Sad to say nothing happened.
But one thing I noticed in those moments of my prayer and discernment was that I had in mind the image of a priest giving candy to children. Suddenly, it came to my mind that this was exactly when I started to desire to become a priest. God bring me back to the memory where I had the feeling of becoming a priest. Now I said to myself that maybe this is God's answer to me. He spoke to me through my memories in life.
Having that experience of mine, I felt braver to talk to my parents and also to my girlfriend. It was very difficult for me to let go for a while and distance myself from my love, family and friends. But thank God they understood me and allowed me to enter the seminary.
My life in the seminary had ups and downs. I encountered many problems and difficulties.
I remember when I was in my second year of theology, when my father died, I almost wanted to give up, but I knew deep in my heart that God would take care of me and my family. Also in the Philippines, especially in our diocese, before you become a priest you have to spend five years in philosophy and then five years in theology. Even if you are already a professional, we are obliged to put you through the ten years of seminary formation. After ten years of seminary formation we have one or two years of pastoral ministry in different parishes in our diocese. It was a very hard and long formation, but thank God it never left me.
So, after my eleven and a half years in the seminary and pastoral formation I was ordained a deacon last December 8, 2015 and then for the priesthood last June 27, 2016.
My first two years of priesthood were spent as assistant to the parish priest near our town and chaplain in one of our schools also in our town. My third year of priesthood was spent in another diocese, near our diocese as a priest on loan.
In my fourth year of priesthood, I was sent here by my Bishop to study for a licentiate in philosophy at the University of Navarra in Pamplona. This is to prepare for my pastoral or my duty in seminary formation. I need one more year to finish my degree and after that I will return to our diocese in the Philippines to continue my mission."
When I was a sophomore in theology, when my father died, I almost wanted to give up, but I knew deep in my heart that God would take care of me and my family.
"Thanks to your prayers, I am moving forward in my quest to be another Christ. In the same way, just as you help spiritually, you also help materially, because this would not be possible without people with generous hearts who think of the future of the Church. For this reason I thank you unconditionally for your charism of service, collaboration and availability.
May God bless the work you do in the Church, that it may be fruitful, and may he bless your personal work. For this is the cause from which will arise more acts of generosity in the world, more priests in the Church and more people dedicated by your example. I commend you to our Mother the Virgin Mary, daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son and Spouse of God the Holy Spirit".
Supports a vocation anywhere in the world
A full scholarship of 18,000 euros is the amount necessary for a candidate to live and study for one year at their university locations, whether in Rome or Pamplona. The neediest dioceses in the world require a full scholarship for their candidates. In many cases, the diocese covers part of this cost and a lesser amount is required, which is always indicated with the candidate's application.
What does a full scholarship consist of?
More than 800 bishops from all five continents request study grants for their candidates through scholarships. Thanks to benefactors like you, CARF meets most of the requests, but the needs are growing and we want all requests to be met.
In the graph you can see the composition of a full scholarship.
If there were no priests, there would be no Church. Let no vocation be lost for lack of resources.
Margarita, CARF donor
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