FR. FIRMO “JUNJI” BARGAYO, SJ
I grew up in a home where faith was present but not always clearly expressed. My parents believed in God, yet they often felt unsure about how to guide me spiritually. Sending me to a Catholic school was their way of offering something they themselves could not fully give. I spent my primary and secondary years in a Marist school, surrounded by the humble witness of the Brothers and the gentle rhythm of prayer, work, and community life. It was there that I learned to play the guitar, taught and inspired by Bro. George Valle, FMS. It seemed a small thing at the time, but looking back, it changed me in ways I did not yet understand.
God often begins His work quietyly. Seeds of vocation are planted long before we recognize them, and those early years became the soil where my calling first took root. As Scripture says, “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me” (Psalm 138:8), and I now see how faithfully true that was, even then.
My faith deepened when my parents joined Couples for Christ. I watched them change – steadily, joyfully, sincerely. There was more peace in our home, more purpose, more love. Their transformation taught me that witness matters. When faith is lived authentically, something awakens within us. Our modest house became a sacred space where God’s Spirit was palpably present. Their journey stirred my own, and eventually I joined CFC Youth for Christ. That was when faith moved from my mind to my heart. What I had learned in school became something I could feel. It shaped my choices, my friendships, and my sense of direction. I discovered that faith becomes real only when it is lived.
This desire to serve shaped my decision to study in my hometown – I did not want to stop serving the Lord, which had become both a joy and a source of growth. After finishing my degree in Accountancy, I volunteered as a lay missionary for CFC Youth for Christ, serving across the Philippines and beyond. I was sent to the peripheries: Mindanao, Thailand, Brunei, East Timor, and Malaysia. It was during those years that I discovered the universal nature of the Church. I met people whose cultures and languages were vastly different from mine, yet we prayed the same prayers and celebrated the same Eucharist. We recognized the same God at work in our lives. These encounters widened my heart and revealed how vast and beautiful the Church truly is.
It was a privilege to journey alongside Fr. Jojo San Juan, SDB and with Cardinal Sim of Brunei, who has since passed away. I remember consulting Msgr. Sim (he was not a Cardinal then) – about my budding desire for priesthood. He told me to answer the first question first: what is your desire? My answer then was simple: to serve and honor the Lord in whatever way I can, wherever I am sent. I did not know then that this question would lead me into deeper discernment and, ultimately, toward the priesthood.
My first assignment as a Jesuit priest was in the prisons. Serving that community opened my eyes to the resilience and vulnerability of people who often feel forgotten. I listened to their stories, prayed with them, and witnessed their longing for healing and hope. Many carried heavy burdens, yet they also carried a remarkable capacity for faith. Being with them taught me that God’s grace reaches even the most hidden corners of human life and that every person, no matter their past, carries a dignity that cannot be erased. My time there deepened my vocation and helped me understand the heart of Christ in a more personal way. It also revealed my own unfreedoms, which the Lord gently transformed into greater availability for His mission.
During the pandemic, Fr. Henry Ponce, SJ and I found ourselves drawn to new forms of ministry through media. One Monday morning, we were on a phone call, laughing for an hour, and forgetting our worries for a moment. We thought: why not share this joy with others online? And so, CHAPLAINS ON AIR was born – a simple idea that became a meaningful way of reaching people who needed encouragement during a time of crisis. This ministry reminded me that God can enter hearts through unexpected pathways and that the Gospel is meant to travel, to reach, to console, and to be proclaimed with joy.
Throughout these various missions, there were moments when I felt both stretched and held. I remember evenings when I was exhausted from travel or overwhelmed by the needs of those we served. Yet in those moments, I sensed a deep assurance that I was exactly where I needed to be. Scripture echoed within me: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). I learned to trust that grace in every circumstance that God does not always call through clarity. Sometimes He calls through longing, through restlessness, through the desire to give more of ourselves. Every yes, I discovered, expanded my capacity to love and my energy to give.
Along the way, I truly fell in love with the Lord. It did not happen in a single dramatic moment. It happened through many small ones – conversations, encounters, prayers, acts of service – each an invitation that drew me closer. I realized I wanted to give my whole life to Him. That desire shaped everything: my service to family and community, my mission work, and eventually my entry into the Jesuits. Formation was long and rich. Years of prayer, study, mission, and community life shaped me in ways I never expected. Through it all, I learned that love leads to surrender, and that every vocation begins with love and continues through daily choices that renew that love.
When I look back now, I see a path marked by grace – a grace that gave me the courage to say yes. My story may seem ordinary, but that is precisely the point. God works through ordinary people and ordinary beginnings. He begins with what is small. He begins with what is available. He begins with what is honest in the heart. He begins with a simple yes.
The Church needs young people who are willing to listen, to serve, to love, and to dream with God. There is always room for generous hearts, always space for those who want to make their lives a gift, always a place for anyone who desires to walk with Christ and help others find Him. May you have the courage to answer the first question first – and to let your yes be the beginning of everything.