COME AND SEE EXPERIENCE

(Parish Exposure)
By: Sem. Mark Theo P. Binghay

I experienced so many different services in the parish of Lantapan. I did not expect my parish exposure
there in Lantapan together with Sem. Mark Louie Suganob my partner. At first, I felt the normal awkward
feeling that any newbie can felt and the same time excited because it was the first time to experienced
parish exposure, but inside of me there’s a thought of how to deal with this because I am not used to this
activities, but as each day pass by, I found it an enjoyable one. The first thing we did is to introduce our
self and from the parish we came from to Fr. Darwin, I was shy to initiate to talk to Fr. Darwin because
maybe he is strict and serious. Fr. Darwin has an assistant priest his name is Fr. Nilo ligutom.
On the first day I was so very excited because this is my first time having a parish exposure. Fr.
Darwin has a mass in the chapel at balila so I go with him, so I grabbed it as an opportunity to dialogue
with him. Inside his vehicle we talked too much, and then I asked Fr. Darwin how many chapels in
lantapan he said more 50. March 9 Fr. Darwin asked me to go with him to malaybalay to play basketball
and fellowship among priests, so I go with him, Sem. Louie was also with me. After the game, we go
back to lantapan, so I asked fr. Darwin his priesthood life. I was inspired by life as diocesan priesthood
because before he was a priest he faced his struggle and temptation especially family matters, and
finances.
Before he become diocesan priesthood he was a religious life he was a marish brothers. But
time goes by he decided to become a diocesan priest. He already finish his philosophy studies until he
finish his theology in Remase. I was inspired by him because even he was encountered a lot of challenges
of life and temptation he faced it with courage. He said to me that if that is your call it is your call to serve
God and all the people because God will choose you even you are a sinner.
When Fr Darwin goes to manila to have a conference about the social action, Fr. Nilo will be a
priest of the week so I and Louie will be served of his masses. Fr. Nilo and I talked sometimes because he
was busy room I cannot talk to him, so I wait until he is vacant. Until he asked us to go with him to have a
mass in alanib, after the mass during our dinner I talked to fr. Nilo about his priesthood life. He finished
his philosophy in San Isidro and theology in Vianney. He experienced struggles inside the seminary like
financial especially in theology and he experienced not following the rule of life like drinking alcoholic
drinks.
The one thing he said to me that I was inspired too and goes like this he said that if you try
your best to follow the rule of life and giving yourself to the formation you will become a priest someday
and don’t forget to pray because if pray to the God nothing is impossible. Based on what I observed for
almost 2 weeks of exposure Fr. Darwin was very humble, talented he likes to sing, very helpful to his
parishioners and serious person. The gifts that I observed of his presence in life is that he was a gift of
patience, humble, very active parish priest, prayer life and he live simplicity of his life. And also Fr. Nilo
was a simple priest, a deep spiritual life, a humble person, and very helpful. I come to reflect to myself
that it is very important the continuity of formation from the seminary to parish because if a seminarian if
you lived your life a chastity, simplicity, obedience, and especially the rule of life it will reflect to your
life as a future priest. Because if a priest had a problem with his parishioners there is a problem when he
was a seminarian about his seminary life. I reflect to myself I should try my best to follow the rule of life
and practice to lived simplicity, chaste, and obedience. Even though we are sinners God will forgive our
sins he will give us a chance. And I’ve realized that, we do not serve to expect positive comments, but
we serve because we want to serve God and I come to the parish not to be served but to serve.