Jesuit Vocations - Philippines

21/05/2026

“Kamusta na? How’s discernment? 👀

Minsan simpleng kumustahan lang ang simula ng mas malalim na tawag.

Kung may tanong ka tungkol sa Jesuit life, prayer, o discernment, message lang. 😊”

21/05/2026

Spotted during Province Villa: Fr. Pedro Walpole, SJ in lively conversation with Fr. Nikki James Lee, SJ, trading stories that feel like a globe-trotting vocation film in real time.

From growing up in Ireland, to years of travel across continents, to eventually finding himself in the Philippines in the 1970s—Fr. Pedro’s journey has been anything but ordinary. While in Malaysia studying animal parasites, something deeper was quietly unfolding: a call that couldn’t be ignored.

That call eventually led him to the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, where science, travel, and a searching heart met the Ignatian way of proceeding. Today, that same mission spirit continues in Bendum, Bukidnon—where he walks with indigenous communities, works in ecology and care for the “common home,” and engages in creation-centered work that connects faith with the environment.

A reminder from Province Villa: vocation doesn’t always begin with certainty. Sometimes it starts with questions, movement, and a restless desire to find where God is leading next—and discovering that mission can mean caring for people, and also for the earth we all share.

20/05/2026

What happens when Jesuits from all over the country gather in one place?

Lots of stories, endless laughter, coffee sessions, card games, shared prayer, good food, and memories made together.

This year’s Province Villa at Mirador Jesuit Villa was a reminder that Jesuit life is not only about mission and ministry — it is also about brotherhood. For a few days, work and responsibilities were set aside so brothers could simply rest, reconnect, and enjoy each other’s company. St. Ignatius of Loyola knew that those who give themselves generously in mission also need moments of joy, renewal, and friendship.

This is the kind of community Jesuits are called to build: brothers who pray together, laugh together, support one another, and journey together in serving God’s people.

Interested in this kind of life?
Come and see. Join the brotherhood.

18/05/2026

Part of intellectual formation of Jesuits is the immersion in theatre arts. Theatre has been used as an effective evangelical and pedagogical tool as well as very formative for Jesuit formands.

This year, under the direction of Ateneo Fine Arts faculty Charles Yee, the Jesuit first studies formands performed the Conference of the Birds based on the poem by Farid ud-Din Attar and adapted by Peter Brook and Jean-Claude Carrière.

The play revolves around the quest of several birds to find the King of the Birds for guidance and in doing so, revealed their authentic selves, fears, hopes, and consolations--in the journey.

18/05/2026

17/05/2026

Not all Jesuits preach from the pulpit alone. Some preach through classrooms, community life, and even through music.

Fr. Arnel Aquino, SJ serves the mission of the Society of Jesus as professor of Systematic Theology at Loyola School of Theology and as a formator of young Jesuits in Arrupe International Residence. Through teaching and formation, he helps shape minds and hearts for the service of the Church.

But Fr. Arnel also evangelizes through music.
Gifted with remarkable talent as a pianist and composer, he has written songs that have helped many pray, reflect, heal, and encounter God more deeply. His music reminds us that vocation is not limited to one talent or one ministry. In the Society of Jesus, the Lord uses every gift — intellect, creativity, prayer, and artistry — for His greater glory.

The Jesuit vocation is not about becoming only one thing. It is about offering your whole self to God and allowing Him to use your gifts in ways you may never have imagined.

Maybe the talent you carry today is also part of the mission God is preparing for you.

16/05/2026

With gratitude to God, we are happy to share with the Province that the following men have been accepted for admission to the Novitiate of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus for priesthood formation:

• Jan Hanzen “Jan” B. Apolinar
• Raymond “Raymond” C. De Peralta
• Emmanuel Adrin “Emman” A. Ferrer
• Alejandro Emmanuel “Alej” W. Miñana

Their Entrance Day at Sacred Heart Novitiate will be on July 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM.

Please keep these men in your prayers as they prepare to enter the Novitiate and begin this new chapter of discernment, formation, and service in the Society of Jesus.

We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to Fr. Richard S. Sumera, SJ, Province Vocations Director and Director of Arvisu House; Br. John D. Melad, SJ, Assistant Director of Arvisu House; Frs. Michael C. Porcia, SJ, Jordan J. Orbe, SJ, and Roy Cenon M. Ragas, SJ, together with the entire Vocations Promotion team, for their generous work in accompanying and screening these candidates.

May we continue to pray for vocations and help create spaces where young people can encounter the Lord and courageously respond to His call.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

15/05/2026

Earlier this morning, Sch. Jeff Ryan Miraflor and the Java with the Jesuits student volunteers spent the morning not in classrooms or conference halls, but along Esteban Abada St., sharing coffee and conversations with the tricycle drivers who tirelessly serve the Loyola Heights community every day.

More than giving coffee, the morning became an experience of receiving—receiving stories, wisdom, and the grace of genuine human connection.

14/05/2026

At the Philippine General Hospital Jesuit Chaplaincy, the mission of a Jesuit goes far beyond the walls of the chapel. The Jesuits serving in PGH celebrate the Mass, hear confessions, anoint the sick, bring Holy Communion to patients, and accompany the suffering through hospital visits. But the mission does not end there.

Every day, together with lay partners and the Daughters of Charity, they also respond to the concrete needs of the poor by preparing around 300 sandwiches and meals for charity patients and their watchers, while also providing groceries and other necessities to families in need.

To be a Jesuit is to be with others and care for the whole person, body and soul. In the sick, the forgotten, and the poor, we encounter Christ Himself.

Perhaps the Lord is calling you to this kind of mission: a life of prayer, service, companionship, and generous love for those most in need.

“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

12/05/2026

There comes a moment in every journey of discernment when the answers are no longer clear, when plans feel uncertain, and when the future cannot be fully seen. It is precisely there—at the edge of our certainty—that God often begins His deepest work.

The call of the Lord rarely arrives with complete clarity all at once. More often, it unfolds slowly, inviting us not to rely solely on our own understanding, but to trust the quiet guidance of the Holy Spirit. Like the disciples who grieved the departure of Jesus yet were promised the coming of the Advocate, we too are reminded that God never leaves us alone in our searching.

11/05/2026

Last May 11, 2026, members and friends of the Vocation Direction Program gathered for a meaningful VDP Night @ Arvisu House, an evening marked by prayer, fellowship, and gratitude. Centered around the celebration of the Holy Mass presided over by Fr. Xavier Olin, SJ, the gathering became a moment to pause and recognize the many ways God continues to accompany young men in their journey of discernment.

What followed was more than just dinner and activities—it was an experience of community. Conversations were shared, laughter filled the room, and friendships deepened among those seeking to listen more attentively to God’s call. The evening also served as a send-off, reminding everyone that vocation is never lived in isolation, but always within the support and companionship of others.