Heartfelt

THE VOCATION STORY OF FR. RODERICK SALAZAR, SVD (RIP)
(This is a part of his facebook post entitled “Somewhere are Places” dated July 14, 2020)

It is 1961. Legazpi City. I am in third year high school in Liceo de Albay. Twilight time. With a friend I am at the crossroad of Sikatuna and Maria Clara streets. We are just chatting. Teenage talk. People are walking home from school and work. Suddenly it occurs to me and my friend that the only meaningful way of life for us was to become priests.

We rush to the house of our school director, Father Joseph Bates SVD. We knock and, told to enter, see him praying Vespers. We tell him we want to enter the seminary.

Probably surprised or amused or whatever, he tells us to sit down and asks what brought this about. I no longer remember how we answered. But he tells us to think about what we shared with him, finish high school first and then see where our dreams would take us.
That was in 1961.

I graduated from high school in 1963 and entered Christ the King Mission Seminary that same year.
On June 21, 1974, with 19 others, I was ordained priest. Because we consecrated ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our desire to persevere, we called ourselves Heartfelt '74.

I was missioned to the University of San Carlos in Cebu City in 1975. I would spend 34 happy years there. I still belong to the Southern Province of the SVD in the Philippines. But having been felled by renal failure at the start of the year, but thankfully recovered and recovering,I am at present at Villa Cristo Rey, our retirement or recuperating home, in the compound of Christ the King Mission Seminary.

Over the years, there would be other scenes in my life. Happy ones, unhappy ones. I would not always be good. I made mistakes. If I made some people happy, i made others sad. I hurt them, disappointed them. I am sorry. Sorry then, sorry now. I pray that God will heal me and us all. As He can and always has.

On the eve of my 73rd birthday, I hear the Beatles sing "In My Life":
"There are places I remember all my life though some have changed, some forever not for better, some have gone, and some remain. All these places had their moments with lovers and friends I still can recall, some are dead and some are living, in my life I loved then all ..."

And, of course, W.H.Auden:
"Somewhere are places where we really have been, dear spaces of our deeds and faces, scenes we remember as unchanging because there we changed".

By the grace of God, I remember my places and spaces and faces.
What about you? Do you remember yours? First date, first kiss, first time to say or hear I love you? First time you felt the Presence of God, realized that God is real, that He loves you, that you are loved. The moment you said I do or I will. I will follow. I will obey. I will leave. First betrayal. Disappointment. Heartbreak. Rising up. Dreaming again. Living a new life.

Thank you, Lord, for those happy moments. The painful ones that still haunt me and keep me sad, these I surrender to You. Please heal me.
You said, 'Come to Me all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest."

So here I am, Lord. All of me.
But I also say Thank You for all that has been. And for all that will be, Yes.

It is with heavy hearts that we bid farewell to our dear classmate, Fr. Roderick C. Salazar Jr, SVD. His presence brought warmth and joy to our lives, and his memory will forever remain in our hearts. In this time of grief, may we find solace in the cherished moments we shared. Rest in peace, dear friend. Pray for us.

July 15 1947 - October 16 2023

I will be sharing here a link to a compilation of all his "Heartfelt" reflections.

Mila Alvarez Magno, GS'59

St. Agnes Academy, Inc. mourns the death of Fr. Roderick C. Salazar, SVD , GS Class 1959 and Chairman of the Board of Trustees from School Year 2009-2010 to SY 2022-2023. We are forever grateful to his dedicated and loving service to his Alma Mater. SAA extends our deepest condolence to the Salazar family and the SVD community. May Fr. Rod pray for us as he rests in God's peace.