Fr. Apu Mateo: A Friend and Inspiration

With Fr. Apu Mateo in his second visit
to me, I asked him to be with me in
celebrating the Holy Mass at Cittadela
in Las Pinas. Taken with MBG members.
Photo courtesy of Sis. Tess Cayabyab

"When you do good deeds, don't try to show off...When you give to the poor, don't blow a loud horn..." -Matthew 6:1,2 (CEV)

Fr. Apolinard Victor Narcise Mateo whom we fondly called Fr. Apu is a young priest from the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao.

He came from the seminary where I finished my Philosophy, the Christ the King Mission Seminary under the Society of Divine Word (SVD) in Quezon City. We've been together at Eucharistic Center both as seminarians, he in Philosphy and I, taking my Theology at Maryhill School of Theology also in Quezon City.

After my ordination in May of 2007, a year later I was assigned as Rector and Formator of the Seminarians for Northern Luzon Dioceses studying in Manila and residing at the Eucharistic Formation House in Quezon City. Fr. Apu was one of those seminarians.

I saw in him good leadership qualities and I really saw in him love and compassion for the poor. When ordained priest in 2011, he started thinking on how to repay those generous people who helped him finished his studies. According to him, one of his benefactors told him to help others instead of repaying him. He then started helping poor but deserving youth go to school with his monthly allowance as a priest.

He go asking friends to help him that made her mother commented "Why make yourself like a beggar begging for something?" In which he told his mother, "Ma, for me this is not begging. This is my mission, to be the voice of these young people. To be an instrument of teaching people to be generous."

I must admit, I admire this young fellow for doing this, he called his program "Genple"  which stands for "Generous People". He once said, "they are not my scholars, they are scholars of those generous people giving their trust and extending their helping hands."

What an inspiration to people like me to be more generous. Taking not his own honor but giving honor and acknowledgment to whom it is due.

Fr. Apu, I am proud of you! Those who are interested in helping Fr. Apu in his work for the poor can contact him at +639175655002

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for giving you people a priest like Fr. Apu. Encourage him and give him strength. Amen.