About Our Youth Minister

The Apostle Paul wrote,

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

As I begin my ministry among you as your Youth Minister, these words from the apostle Paul comes to mind. I truly believe that this is where the Spirit of God has led me and that everything that happened has equipped me to respond generously to this call.

My Family

My parents immigrated to Canada from the Philippines in 1995 to start a family and begin a new life. They had me in 1996 and shortly after, had my younger sister in 1997. I was born and raised in Thornhill where I still currently live. My parents raised my sister and I in a Catholic household where devotionals, the rosary, and novenas were signs of true faith. At a young age, my grandmother taught me many prayers such as Hail Holy Queen and The Apostles’ Creed. We went to mass every weekend and made frequent trips across the border to the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Model City, New York. In our early years of high school, my parents pushed my sister and I to join my parish youth group at St. Joseph the Worker parish. Although my faith journey began with much hesitancy being a grade 9 student, it was at youth group where I met lifelong friends, became educated in the Catholic faith, and grew in a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

My Ministry

Being involved in the church at the young age of 13, I witnessed the lives of many young people make the shift from desiring a sense of belonging to knowing and understanding their purpose as a disciple of Jesus Christ. All throughout my highschool years at St. Elizabeth Catholic High School and during undergraduate at York University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English, I served as a Youth leader at St. Joseph the Worker Parish. Over the ten years, I attended 8 Steubenville conferences as a participant and chaperone, I planned 24 hour fasts and overnight retreats at Teen Ranch in Caledon, I organized youth outings such as baseball and basketball games,  I facilitated talk series on the Letters of St. Paul, and I went on 6 mission trips to the Dominican Republic having created an English program for kids in the villages on last year’s trip. Fast forward to present day, I am dedicated to shepherding youth to making that shift that I’ve witnessed.

My Vision

The love for Jesus is what brings me to serve His people everyday. It brings me great joy to see young people come to know the fullness of life that Jesus offers all of us. Service, charity, and love. These are the virtues that inspired Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and to these, I commit my ministry to you. Please remember me in prayer and know that I will be doing the same for all of you. I look forward to serving you and working with you to keep Paul’s words to the Romans true:

"for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from it’s bondage to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21)

To Jesus be all the glory!