TRYING to find one’s place in life is not always an easy thing; some people might meander about, quite uncertain about what they want to do, or where they want to go.
Others, however, are called to their purpose, and their place in life can mean staying where they have dug their roots deep, or journeying to the other side of the world to fulfill what they are truly meant to do.
For Rev. Fr. Paolo O. Pirlo, SHMI, of the Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate Seminary, the path his life took meant crossing more than 6,500 miles from his hometown of Genova, Italy, and into Philippine shores, where he has been—and still is—serving as a missionary for nearly 30 years.
With such an oceanic gap between Europe and Asia, being appointed to the other side of the world to preach God’s good news seems like the sort of thing that others might attribute to chance, or an occurrence that’s difficult to believe.
But for the Italian priest, staying in the Philippines was nothing short of “divine intervention” pointing him toward his destination. What was supposed to be a yearlong stay at the behest of his superior in Rome in 1989 eventually spanned three decades—and he is more than happy to continue on.
“We believe that the will of God passes through our superiors. I was sent here, so this is where I must stay. Anytime, I can receive a text or a call to be transferred to another country in the world. I won’t mind. But so far, I’m happy here, and I haven’t received any order to transfer. I like the Philippines: [its] friendly people, [and its] young people.”
‘Spaghetti’ English, commuting
ONE might imagine that 30 years is no small feat, and acclimatizing into local life has enabled Father Pirlo to pick up some Filipino mannerisms himself, which to his fellow Italians are something quite novel—and surprising.
“Well, first of all, in Italy, we talk with the hands. In the Philippines, people talk with the expression of the face. So [whenever] I go back to Italy, sometimes I retain these mannerisms; and my kababayan, they really get shocked,” he revealed.
Like any expatriate faced with life in a new country, there are, of course, the attendant “cultural challenges,” as the prelate termed such. While one could easily conclude that differences in language and communication would be at the top of the list, the prelate—who jokingly described his English as “spaghetti-accent English”—actually cites transportation as being one of the first hurdles that he had faced when he arrived in the Philippines.
In relating his experience as a commuter, Father Pirlo encountered firsthand the everyday Filipino’s cramped and rickety tricycle ride, and the trip from Parañaque City to the University of Santo Tomas in España, Manila, via a jeepney—a vehicle that he has never even seen before, until that time.
It was during this commute that he first came across someone yelling “Sabit!” as male passengers would literally hang on to the backside of the jeep when the vehicle was filled with passengers, as women, children, and the elderly were given priority. He himself had to cling on to dear life via the back rails on numerous occasions—quite a risk that not even a majority of daily commuters are willing to take.
Cultural challenges, 3 ‘Fs’
THE second cultural challenge he had to face was the food, and while he likes Filipino dishes and thinks of them as delicious, it was still quite different from what he was accustomed to in Italy, a place known for its gastronomic delights.
Inevitable, too, were the challenges Father Pirlo had to face regarding the language, as he had to learn to speak both English and Filipino apart from his native Italian. It’s a skill that he admittedly took years of practice, especially when used not only for casual conversations, but for preaching and teaching, as well.
In traveling through Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao for his missions, he was able to pick up native words from different dialects, such as Ilocano, Bisaya, Hiligaynon and Chavacano, to name a few.
But despite all these, he believes that “we Italians and Filipinos have many things in common, especially the three Fs: faith, family and friends. And these make it easy for us to adjust to one another.”
A runner-up to the three Fs is food, as both Italians and Filipinos evidently share a love for pasta, which, for the latter, has been a staple in every birthday party, office celebration or any other occasion where there is also the ubiquitous pancit (the precursor of the Italian spaghetti, brought by Marco Polo from his travels in the Orient).
Facebook, another F-word, also made its way into our conversation, and like anyone living in our technologically-charged society, Father Pirlo also uses social media or “apps” like Messenger and WhatsApp as a means of communication.
“I think it’s almost impossible to live in our society [without] social media. Especially in dealing with young people, definitely, you need to have accounts and be visible,” he opined.
Though Father Pirlo recognizes the importance of social media in interacting with the faithful and people in general, he maintained that he only posts occasionally a few pictures and short videos, each one intended to have a message that would inspire people.
Reflections of home
THROUGH his missionary work, the Italian missionary was privileged to have visited numerous places in the north, including Pagudpud, Tuguegarao, the Callao Caves, Baguio City, Sagada and Benguet—all of which serve as reminders of the beautiful landscapes of his home country.
“There are so many beautiful spots here. Sometimes, I laugh because several Filipinos have been to Hong Kong, Singapore, the United States, [or] wherever; but they’ve never been to the Hundred Islands, Sagada, Baler or Caramoan [Islands, in Camarines Sur].”
He continued: “I see to it that, once in a while, I visit [various places] with the seminarians. That’s why we have two field trips that last for a couple of days to be able to see the beautiful spots of the Philippines, and know its history, geography and culture. My favorite destination: Caramoan. I like it very much because it’s secluded from civilization, and then you can really be you, yourself, and the Pacific Ocean.”
Man on a mission
DESPITE the distance and the challenges he has faced thus far, the oblate remains very happy and fulfilled in his vocation as a missionary priest.
When asked if he would be given a chance to be something else other than a priest, he proffered instead an Italian saying: “‘Questions such as if I were, if I could, if I would… Put together, there were three fools.’”
“History,” he explained, “is not made with ‘ifs,’ but is made with concrete action. But I used to say, if ever we were reincarnated—[and] I don’t believe in reincarnation—but just for the sake of discussion, in my next life, still, I wish to be a missionary priest again. Because I really see there is a great need on the side of the people to listen to the word of God, to listen to the beauty of having faith that will help in family life, in social life, and it will help in building a better world.”
He went on to say, “Think about the Philippines without faith, without God, without religion: It will really be a hell on Earth. So faith, in order to exist and to prosper, needs missionaries, needs priests, so that [they] will give us meaning and purpose in life, that we give ourselves to God for the good of the people. So I don’t have any regrets. I’m happy to be a priest [in] the service of God, and the service of the Filipino people.”
Father Pirlo welcomes everyone to the SHMI Seminary in Multinational Village, Parañaque City, which supports 30 college students and performs charitable activities, according to their missionary work.