My father Frank, the “Hercules” of the family, has not been well lately.
I had heard from two colleagues how Father Fernando Suarez, who doesn’t seek publicity but whose gift for healing has spread like wildfire by word of mouth, has healed their loved ones. My colleague’s brother lined up for hours to meet Father Suarez and was so thirsty he almost gave up. His friend prevailed upon him to keep his place on the line, so he stayed on. When it was his turn to be blessed by Father, the first thing the priest gave him was a bottle of water to quench his thirst. The drink not only quenched his thirst, it apparently healed him — for two years now. My other colleague’s husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He now has only stage 2 cancer.
The first time I met Father this year at the Bulong Pulungan press forum, he wasn’t at all what I expected. He was not an imposing figure. Instead, he was approachable and down-to-earth.
I had the privilege of being seated two seats away from the young-looking and amiable priest. I was curious about this human being who reportedly has supernatural powers, having “touched” with his healing hands some two million people in 2008.
The year before that, Father Suarez was requested to say Mass before a reportedly comatose Mike Arroyo at the St. Luke’s Medical Center just before the First Gentleman underwent a delicate open-heart operation. As everyone knows, the operation was a success.
Because I believe that healing is a grace from God, and that there are those who can be instruments of this healing in God’s name, I asked two friends (Deedee Siytangco and Beth Tagle) to bring me to Father in the home of Paz and Greg Monteclaro in Parañaque.
Beth actually drove all the way from Quezon City to Parañaque to bring me to where Father was staying.
I asked Father to pray for my Dad, and to talk to him via an overseas phone call. They prayed together on the phone. As of yesterday, my father has started to regain his appetite. We continue to pray that this very positive development continues.
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Father Suarez’s healing touch has made him a celebrity of sorts, but what makes me believe in his gift is his detachment from it. He says the ultimate purpose of healing is conversion — to bring the healed person closer to God.
Father Suarez, named by his parents for the “king” of Philippine movies Fernand...
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