Embracing the Unknown: From a Neophyte Missionary
When I was a sophomore, my Christian Living Education teacher, Sr. Myrna Arcegono, AR, asked me how we could revive the faith in Spain, considering that Spain first evangelized the Philippines. My innocent response was, “If the Lord grants me the grace to become a priest, I would request to go to Spain and re-evangelize using new methods and the unique approach of being a Filipino.”
On my birthday last year, during a family meeting, I jotted down the highlights of our discussion as the house secretary. The main point was our openness to being sent to Europe to work as missionaries. After dinner, Fr. Ronaldo Paulino, RCJ, our superior at the Father Di Francia Center of Studies, called me into his office. I was shocked. I thought I had done something wrong. Trembling with fear as I sat down, he greeted me with a happy birthday and then shared the plan to send me to Europe. I was astounded that, although the invitation was open to everyone, I was chosen to be sent. I responded with overwhelming joy and gratitude but asked for time to think and pray about the offer. After a month, I eventually said “yes,” filled with hope and excitement.
Then, the day of my departure came. I left behind my family, home, theological studies, professors, Asian confreres, classmates, and friends to venture into an unfamiliar place called Tarragona, Spain, answering the call to mission. Despite my imperfections, the Lord knows I am prone to stumbling in the face of challenges and the demands of my religious vows, especially in the pursuit of holiness.
I was frightened and unsettled as I set foot in this foreign land. Before me lay many challenges - unknown tasks, a different culture, a new way of life, and more. These obstacles made me wonder whether I could meet the demands of this mission. But I reminded myself that this was a dream I had as a child and consoled myself that I had accepted this assignment with all my heart despite the difficulties. Awareness of my limitations reminded me to take this mission seriously, knowing that I came to serve, not seek adventure, even though I was now in a first-world country.
Nevertheless, the Lord, whose faithfulness, trust, and confidence in me are unparalleled, assured me that I would never be alone on this journey called “mission.” The beauty of being a missionary in a foreign country where faith in God is often dormant is that I am not alone; I am alongside other religious missionaries who, like me, left everything to answer the same call. As religious missionaries, we journey toward the perfection of charity, spreading the Rogate and responding to the call for service, not self-indulgence.
My benevolent confreres support me and show me how best to serve the community with kindness and love. While we may differ in age, views, perspectives, and even in expressing fraternal love, we never let these differences divide us. Instead, they motivate us to grow and nurture our lives as religious, offering ourselves fully to the flock entrusted to our care. At the same time, the local people, whose beautiful presence and supplementing love fill any gaps, have enriched me.
Being sent to faraway places is undeniably challenging. To persevere in this mission, we always need a companion to walk alongside us - in religious terms, this is called “community.” It is within this community, where even our wounded confreres support us, that we find healing for the wounds of the past and strength for the struggles of the present. In every step of the shared journey, they rejoice with me.
The mission is always filled with hope and joy despite the difficulties we encounter. And while the path may be difficult, we never walk it alone. Though the missionary work and practical training may seem like herculean tasks, the care, help, and kindness of my saintly confreres and local friends make the journey beautiful, vibrant, and meaningful. It is an experience worth cherishing, treasuring, and sharing - one that will enrich my future missionary work somewhere. Hinaot pa unta. Ojalá.
Bro. Luke Antonie Quijano, RCJ, is a missionary in the Rogationist community in Tarragona, Spain.