Manspirations

And no, this has nothing to do with bodily fluids.

In spite (and maybe because of what) I write, I have struggled for the past 30-something years struggle to be a good Catholic. And in all those years struggling with my faith, I have tried my best to service my church.

Before I even grew kili-kili hair, I was an altar boy in our parish church (no, really). Then when my hair started to sprout in areas not usually visited by sunshine, I began to appreciate the joy of worshipping in community as I joined Luke 18 and Antioch, both church-based youth groups and Search-In and Covenant, high school retreat movements in La Salle Greenhills. 

When I become old enough to need hairloss prevention treatments, I joined the Single Young Adults (SYA), a parish-based spiritual community in San Antonio Church in Makati (which is the community where, incidentally, I found the person whom I would be in community with for the rest of my life).

It has been in communities like these that the good Lord revealed himself to me through the persons I encountered — from a lay brother in Couples for Christ who shared his passion for daily scripture meditation to my late parish priest who shared his joy of communal prayer to my fellow Single Young Adults who worked tirelessly last week to collect, pack and deliver relief goods to the typhoon victims — they have all taught me how I could be a better person, a better servant and a better Catholic and Christian in spite of myself.

Aside from my communities, I continually look out for people whose examples inspire to “strive to enter through the narrow gate” that the Gospel shared with us last Sunday. Allow me to share the names of a few who not only inspire me, but others as well, to squeeze through that narrow gate.

• Bo Sanchez. As young as age 12, Bo had already given his first talk to a prayer group of adults. Soon after he started preaching, Bo ignited the Light of Jesus Community along with his parents. Since that time, Bo’s been doing a whole lot of talking, which has earned him the title “Preacher in Blue Jeans.” Now at the effervescently young age of 47, Bo is now a best-selling author with a whopping 30 books that focus on strengthening one’s faith and family relationships; he founded and publishes a magazine called Kerygma that has been in circulation for the past 23 years, and he also founded Shepherd’s Voice radio and television foundation. The Light of Jesus community he established with his parents currently has 3,000 members with 30 branches all over the Philippines and 27 branches around the world. He is also the founder of the weekly fellowship and worship called The Feast. Because of his accomplishments as an entrepreneur, preacher and lay minister, he received The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee for community service and the Serviam Award (highest award that can be given to a lay practitioner) from the Catholic Mass Media Awards.

Why he inspires me: I first heard Bo speak during a Go Negosyo seminar that I was hosting and was instantly smitten by the charisma of this lay preacher who helped me appreciate the blessedness of my vocation as a son, husband, father and businessman. One of his books that truly inspired me was 8 Secrets of the Truly Rich: How You can Create Material Wealth and Spiritual Abundance at the Same Time, which helped me appreciate the importance of tithing (Bo began tithing at least 10 percent of his daily allowance since age 12).  In fact, Bo shared the concept of reverse tithing: he has constructed a business plan for himself so that he can eventually earn to the point that he can give 90 percent of his earnings to the poor and learn to live with the 10 percent he keeps for his family. Bo shows us that you can give until it hurts, but he also shows us that it doesn’t have to hurt to give.

• Francis Kong. This fellow Philippine STAR business columnist — a trained and licensed speaker by both the Maxwell Leadership and Ziglar Sales programs — is the most sought-after inspirational and business motivational speaker in the country. After founding a popular clothing company and running a retail chain for many years, Francis founded the Inspire Leadership Consultancy and delivers his unique brand of pep talks nationwide. He is a co-recipient of the Anvil Award for Excellence for the staging of the John Maxwell Leadership Seminar Series, the 2006 Dr. Jose Rizal Award for Excellence in the field of Journalism. Gold Quill Philippines Awardee of merit for public Speech and the 2008 His daily radio program Business Matters was given a special citation by the Catholic Mass Media Awards in 2007.

Why he inspires me: Francis uses every opportunity to share how doing good business is doing Godly business. As a fellow host, I am in awe of his ability to inspire his audience towards action by melding humor, anecdotes, vignettes, inspiration, innovative business thinking and his Christian faith. I was particularly inspired by Francis during one of his talks where he shared about the day that he discovered that his wife had a stroke. He described the situation with such love, levity and profundity that it inspired me to become a better manservant to my wife. 

• Tony Meloto. A man who knows the importance of giving back a thousandfold.  From humble beginnings himself, he is the founder of Gawad Kalinga, an international humanitarian movement that has built homes for the poorest of the poor in the Philippines Gawad Kalinga found its roots when Tony was an active member of Couples for Christ (CFC). He became a leader in the CFC community and set up the CFC Family Ministries in 1993. During the time he was assigned as Country Coordinator for Australia, he was moved to serve the less privileged and helped set up a youth development program for gang members and juvenile delinquents in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City. His exposure to helping troubled youths coupled with his experience with working with different communities served as his inspiration for Gawad Kalinga (GK). The first Gawad Kalinga community was first set up in Bagong Silang with 2,000 homes over 18 villages. It has grown to over 21,759 homes in over 1,253 villages throughout the Philippines and other developing countries like Indonesia, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea. As part of the second phase of Gawad Kalinga, his team has jumpstarted the “Enchanted Farm” in Bulacan that has become an engine for social entrepreneurship. He received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 2006, he Outstanding Filipino Award for Community Service in 2006 and the Social Entrepreneur of the World Award in 2012. GK is adamant about ending poverty for five million of the country’s poorest families and envisions a slum and squatter-free Philippines by 2024.

Why he inspires me: Tony Meloto brings dignity and industry to our fellow Filipinos who need it most. In my own way, I have participated in his advocacies as well: The first GK pilot house that was built was in our family-managed residential development in Talisay, Batangas and his social entrepreneurs have also participated in our weekend Mercato Centrale markets. Try to visit his GK Enchanted Farm one of these days to experience his “Disneyland for social tourism.” Tony Meloto makes you want to make a difference.

• Mark Lopez. Mark first felt the call when he lived and worked among the fisherfolk and Mangyan community of Mindoro. The core values of “service, solidarity with the poor, simplicity, social justice and spirituality” that he was immersed in during the Jesuit Volunteer Program have irrevocably shaped his choice of vocation. After “graduating” from JVP, this Management Engineering graduate from the Ateneo worked with several NGOs including the UNDP, the Venture for Fund Raising, the Philippine Development Assistance Plan, then went back to JVP to become its executive director. But the call was too strong as he had been “ruined” (as the Jesuit-educated would say) by his experience. Now Mark (who happens to be my first cousin) is a Jesuit Scholastic at the Loyola School of Theology where he juggles theology studies while editing Windhover (the Philippine Jesuit magazine), doing pastoral ministry in Payatas, conducting counseling work and spiritual direction for students and pursuing one of his personal passions — singing with Hangad of the Jesuit Music Ministry.

 Why he inspires me: Because Mark makes me excited about the future of our Church. “For those who have been frustrated (by the Church), it feels like it is a good time to come back to it.” Mark shares. “It is still an imperfect Church, and there is still a lot of work to do. But with leaders like Pope Francis and Cardinal Tagle, who have inspired others by their no-nonsense leadership, their humility and their witnessing to a life for the poor, it is a good time to be part of the Church.

“I know many people, both Catholics and non-Catholics, who have been inspired by the example of Pope Francis,” he adds. “Take what inspired you about him and what apply it in your own life. Then take this inspiration forward.”

• Joel Sulse. Some people dream about becoming rock stars or astronauts or the president of the country. When Joel was a little boy growing up in Northern Samar, he dreamed of becoming a priest. But this didn’t sit well with his dad, who forbade him from entering the vocation. Acquiescing to his father’s wishes, Joel pursued a business administration major in accountancy as a government state and academic scholar at Centro Escolar University. By all accounts, it looked like Joel had a bright future ahead of him in the business world: he was not only a Finalist in the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines, but he was also hired by Price Waterhouse Coopers. However, the “call” kept on ringing.  So after 17 years of dreaming, Fr. Joel entered the Order of Friars Minor. Nowadays, this former business consultant is known as Fr. Joel Sulse, OFM is the Parish Priest of San Antonio Parish Church in Makati.

Why he inspires me: Fr. Joel inspires me to put faith into action. As the spiritual director of our church-based Single Young Adults (which is the same group where I met my wife), he encourages us to be witnesses to Christ’s love by offering our time and resources in the Makati City Jail and the Children’s Ward of PGH. During Ondoy (and the recent Maring), he mobilized the youth groups to set up relief good operations in the parish where he put in some sweat capital himself by lifting sacks of rice into delivery trucks and packing used clothes into boxes. How many people can say that they are living their dream? 

• Jolly Gomez. When I grow up, I want to be like Jolly Gomez. For me, Jolly is the original man of many hats. A University of the Philippines-trained CPA and lawyer, he is the managing director of Reliv International Philippines (a company that produces dietary supplements that promote good health), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner, the head of Little League Philippines, the president of Tanghalang Pilipino (the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines), the Philippine Area coordinator of Kalogris Foundation (which has feeding programs that provide nutritional supplements to over 13,000 malnourished children a day in depressed areas around the country) and is a partner in the Feria Law Offices. Since he still had about five free minutes, he helped put up the Temple Hill International School (a non-stock, non-profit school that offers a progressive, alternative form of education and is an affiliate of the Philippine Montessori Center); and what I am most thankful for, he helped re-established the Single Young Adults (SYA), a parish-based spiritual group in San Antonio Parish church that caters to fostering the spiritual needs of single adults community. Because of SYA, Jolly has become the “Ninong ng Bayan” to all the couples who met, fell in love and eventually got married in the community (my wife and I being among them). I can’t imagine what it’s like in his house when Christmas comes around. 

Why he inspires me: Jolly inspires me to continue striving to be a better witness to my faith. During our prayer meetings and conversations, I am always moved by his deep love and knowledge of our faith, our traditions, our saints and our prayers. But, more importantly, Jolly believe that the best way to demonstrate your faith is by the way you live your life. His life is a testament to one of his patron saints, St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel always and, if necessary, use words.” 

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For comments, suggestions or other men who inspire you, please e-mail ledesma.rj@gmail.com  or visit www.rjledesma.com. Follow @rjled on Twitter and rjled610 on Instagram.

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My last humor book It Only Hurts When I Pee is a finalist in the Leisure category of the 32nd National Book Awards. Thanks for all the support!