Father? Attorney? Or Father Attorney?
Ito ang mga nakalilitong tawag ngayon sa 38 anyos na pari na si Ismael Jose Chan Gonzaga III o mas kilala bilang Father IJ.
April 16, 2011 nang ordinahan bilang pari si Father IJ at naging kasapi ng Society of Jesus. Pero hindi nakuntento, nag aral ng aboasiya at nakapasa sa katatapos na 2016 Bar Examinations.
Kahit nasa Indonesia si Father IJ para sa “Tertianship” o last stage of formation bilang Jesuita, hindi nahuli sa balita ang pari.
Bandang 11:30 ng umaga noong May 3, araw ng paglalabas ng resulta ng Supreme Court sa Bar exam, unang nakatanggap ng text message si Father IJ mula sa kanyang bestfriend na isa ring Ateneo law graduate.
Sunod nito, inulan na ng text messages si Father IJ mula sa kanyang mga kaibigan at Jesuit brothers. Maging ang kanyang dean na si Atty. Sedfrey Candelaria ay nag-text din sa kanya para ipabatid na isa siya sa mga nakapasa sa pagsusulit.
Bagamat abogado na ngayon si Father IJ, hindi naging madali sa kanya ang pag-aaral ng abogasiya.
Taong 2012 nang pumasok siya sa College of Law sa ADMU. Habang nag-aaral, tuloy pa rin ang kanyang pagmimisa. Katunayan, nang nasa third year na si Father IJ, siya na ang nag-take over sa mass schedule ng kapwa Jesuita na si Gather Joaquin Bernas.
“Stretched time management but I really, really believe in God’s providence. He took care of me all throughout my 4 and a half years of studies. He sent me numerous angels in teachers, family, friends, and brother Jesuits who assisted me whenever I needed help,” pahayag ni Father IJ.
“I am priest and saying mass and celebrating the sacraments were and are always the most important for me. So even as I was studying, I had daily mass schedules and heard confessions. It was actually what kept me sane and steady,” dagdag ni Father IJ.
Ayon kay Father IJ, bilang Jesuita, tuloy ang kanyang paghahanap sa Panginoon.
“You know the Jesuit charism that we try to find God in all things, always searching for the Sacred in the ordinariness of the world, looking for God and His presence in its midst, in its brokenness and woundedness, in the beauty of its imperfection,” pahayag ni Father IJ.
Naging motivation ni Father IJ ang kakulangan ng mga abogadong Jesuita.
“The Jesuits in the legal profession are growing old. Fr. Bernas is 85 this year and medyo resting muna. Fr. Art Ferrer is in his late 70s. After them, there are no Jesuit priest-lawyers anymore, we have a Jesuit lawyer but he is still in formation and not yet ordained,” dagdag ni Father IJ.
“The law is a noble profession, dating back to even before the time of Jesus. The profession was established to help keep order for society. Of course, through the years, and even Jesus would criticize it, the law was oftentimes used to slave people, to hurt instead of giving life. It became a tool for oppression instead of allowing second chances,” ayon pa sa pari.
Ayon kay Father IJ, civil law ang kanyang ipupursige.
“And I would always prefer to be call “Father” rather than “Attorney,” pahayag ni Father IJ.
“I am praying that becoming a member of the Bar I may be able to reach out more effectively and continue journeying with lawyers, our alumni or not, in their own life journeys especially during difficult times when temptations of corruption and power-tripping become too heavy to resist while also praying I myself do not fall to the very same temptation to be wolf instead of shepherd,” pagtatapos ng pari.
More on Father IJ:
College: Ateneo de Manila Bachelor of Science Legal Management Grad 2000
Masters: MA Philosophy ADMU 2005
Masters: MA Pastoral Ministry 2011 (Theology, Magna cum laude)
Ordained April 16, 2011
First assignment: Culion, Palawan as President, Loyola College of Culion (2011-2012)
Law School: 2012 – 2016 (Graduated July 2016)
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