13/08/2026
๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐๐ฆ, ๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ
(๐ ๐ ๐พ๐๐ผ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ป๐พ๐โ๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐
๐พ๐ฝ :๐ฎ๐ด๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ณ๐ง๐ค๐ฑ: ๐ณ๐บ๐๐บ ๐บ๐๐ฝ ๐๐๐พ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐พ๐ ๐๐พ ๐๐๐
๐ฝ ๐๐พ)
โI selected as my motto: In Manus Tuas Paterโฆ Into your hands, Fatherโฆ I commend my spirit. When I shared this with Apo Ceto, his first reaction was: Mamate naka wari? Feeling the weight of this immense responsibility, I was deeply inspired to entrust everything that would come after my ordination to the Almighty and Loving Father, just as Jesus did on the cross.
Reflecting on my experience with my father, Primitivo Puno Mallari, I can sincerely say that he guided me toward a closer relationship with God, the Father. When I entered the seminary, I noticed that many of my classmates had fathers with respected professions, one was a judge, another a principal, and another an accountant. At times, I felt embarrassed to talk about my own father, who had only completed second grade in elementary school. Instead, I would proudly speak about my mother, who had finished an education course. Thankfully, I shared these feelings with my spiritual director, who encouraged me to ask my father to share the story of his life.
Between my mother and my father, it is my father who is the storyteller. It was easier for me to draw from him the story of his life. Listening to him, I realized that it didnโt matter whether he was a professional or not, because he possessed a wisdom that truly amazed me, as a young boy. He learned so much from his exciting and beautiful experiences.
He shared that when he was seven years old, he lost both his father and mother, becoming an orphan. He described how difficult it was, feeling a profound lack of guidance during dark and confusing times when he didnโt know where to turn. Fortunately, his uncle, who was a catechist, taught him to pray the Our Father. His uncle advised him to say this prayer whenever he felt lost in darkness. From that point on, he followed his uncleโs advice faithfully. He told me that God never failed him, by the second time he repeated the prayer, he would find clarity and solutions to his problems. โAlang mintis,โ he would say!
He always woke early in the morning to pray. In those moments, his deep immersion in Godโs presence was evident to all who saw him. During his last hospitalization before he passed, he was admitted to the ICU with an alarmingly low blood pressure of 40/20. The doctors were amazed that he could respond clearly to their questions, but they cautioned me to prepare for the possibility that he might die at any moment. I was silent, gripped by fear of losing him. Then, suddenly, he spoke to me in Kapampangan: โIdaun mu!โ (โOffer it up!โ). I answered, โOk tang, idaun ta! Pangadian te ing Ibpa mi!โ (โAlright, we will offer it up! Let us pray to our Father!โ). Against the doctorsโ expectations, he pulled through. We were able to transfer him to a regular room and eventually bring him home, his greatest wish. It was there, a week later, that he peacefully passed away.
Looking back, I understand that up to the very last moment of my fatherโs life, he was helping me to live my motto as a bishop: โInto your hands, Father!โ
Let me conclude this sharing by inviting you to join me in this prayer and to reflect upon it. I composed this prayer during my ordination as a bishop, and it truly embodies the fruit of my faith in Godโs unwavering and constant love.โ
As one family of God, let us altogether join Bishop Bobet in his prayer of entrustment to the Almighty Father:
Father, into your hands I abandon my whole life.
Into your hands, I entrust my entire ministry as a bishopโlike Jesus abandoning Himself into Your hands. (I do this most especially as the Bishop of Tarlac!)
In Your hands, I will be like a piece of clay in the Potterโs hand. (I want still to be molded as He desisres)
In Your hands, I will not be afraid, for I will be safe and secure from the hands of my enemies. (He is my rock and my shield!)
In Your hands, I will find guidance and direction as I follow Your voice and Your will. (I will commit myself to listen to you, to our people and to the events of life)
In Your hands, I will draw strength, support, and courage to do Your work and to persevere until the end of my life. (I will not give up on you, I will not let anything to stop meโฆ nothing can separate me from the love of God!)
In Your hands, I will draw love and compassion, to be a living presence of Mary and a tangible sacrament of Godโs immense love for others. (While striving to be father to you, I will be also Mary, a mother to everyone!)
In Your hands, O Father, I will draw all people closer to Your Son, Jesus. ( ALL but especially the poor!)
In Your hands, I will be able โto restore all things in Christ.โ
In Your hands, O God, nothing is impossible.
In Your hands, I will always be a servant of love and an instrument of unity.
In your hands, I will be able to carry out the pastoral assignment of a bishop joyfully and faithfully.
St. Joseph, father of priestly sons, pray for us.
O Sweet Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in one God make us one like you.
AMEN.
