John Laurens Tupas belongs to the military diocese of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines and will be trained as a seminarian to become a military chaplain.
"For me, vocation is a calling. My desire to become a priest began during my childhood when my mother often took us to church every Sunday to attend Mass. I was first attracted to our parish priest's vestments and his way of delivering his homily in the pulpit. After my first Communion, during my elementary school years I joined our parish altar server organization.
I could see the reality of the ordinary life of a priest in the parish, although I have three cousins who are priests, but being an altar boy I could understand it more. The ordinary and simple life of our priest and his service to the people is what attracted me to consider the priesthood from a young age.
I also had a dream of becoming a soldier because many of our family members are officers of the Armed Forces of the State of the Philippines serving our country as soldiers. When I graduated from High School, I was thinking of joining the Military Academy, but instead, I took an exam for the diocesan seminary of my college and by the grace of God, I passed the exams.
During my college years in the seminary, I still had in mind the desire to become a soldier. My family members told me that there was a Military Ordinariate in our country where I can be a soldier and a priest as a Military Chaplain. I reflected and brought that in my prayers to try to discern what God really wants from me.
After my year of Psychospiritual Formation in the Archdiocese of Jaro, I decided to apply for the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines and by the grace of God I was accepted.
My desire to be a Military Chaplain is precisely a call within a call that is also the fruit of my prayer and reflection before the Blessed Sacrament. I have only two simple reasons why I want to be a Military Chaplain, first, to answer the call because I believe this is God's call and not just my own desire. And lastly, to share the love of Christ with others through the service and ministering of the sacraments and spiritual needs behind the camouflage uniform that shows the unity of Christ with his flock, with his soldier and those in need.
My vocation is simply a permanent response to the God who calls me.
