Famous juggler finds happiness in Jesus

CEBU, Philippines - For a famous performer, fame was not everything to make him happy and fulfilled.

Paul Ponce, one of the three best jugglers in the world, said he only found the real happiness after receiving Jesus Christ in his life.

Although he is a Catholic, Ponce said he did not live out the Eucharist until he received the Sacrament of Confirmation at the age of 21.

Ponce, from Argentina, said his “conversion” took place while performing at a casino in Nassau, Bahamas, the only place where he spent 10 consecutive months.

 Ponce recalled to have asked to receive the sacrament of Confirmation while hearing a Mass. The priest allegedly asked him to take a course of catechesis with young people aged 14 to15. It was then that he came to know and learn about God and appreciate the Eucharist.

 But it was also that time when he learned to question about God, the church, and the laity.

 He said he was used to seeing Jesus when he was a kid and used to kiss lot of crucifixes, but he never stop to ponder why God was crucified and suffered for humankind.

 Ponce said he later discovered that God was crucified because of His love for His people.

“I never knew until that point at 21 that Jesus was present in the Holy Eucharist. I was surprised at the same time touched,” he shared to some 15,000 delegates to the 51st International Eucharistic Congress.

“My parents and I are Catholics but we are not practicing,” he said. He was baptized in Lima, Peru when they had their show in the city, while he received his first Holy Communion in London at the age of nine.

 Ponce said he used to dream of being famous, of travelling the world, of earning more money, and having many girlfriends in every city.

 At 16, he performed at the BBC Special in London for a Royal family. At the age 18, he performed at the Radio City Music Hall in New York and at the age of 19 in Monte Carlo. But he said he was not happy of the things he achieved and was seeking for self-fulfillment.

 “Those were my objectives and I did reach those. But, I was not happy. They did not give me the happiness that I was searching for,” he said.

 It was only when he accepted Jesus in his life that he learned contentment and self-fulfillment. It was also the time when he met his better half, Lia from Brazil. He met her in Mexico.

Ponce said he prayed to God to help him find the right girl for her. He dated girls from the world of show business and from his Catholic parish but they didn’t work out for him. After 10 years of waiting and praying, he finally met his wife, Lia.

 They have three children who were born in different countries. Pablo was born in Germany, Jose in the Netherlands, and Maria in Portugal.

 “That year was the happiest of my life. My happiness is open to God’s will and he has given me a lot of peace,” he said.

Everyday for 10 years while waiting, he consecrated his wife-to-be before the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mother Mary.

 “Faithfully every morning prayers, in the act of hope, I consecrate her and prayer for her that God will guide her protect her and lead her to me in 10 years. And it happened,” he said.

 “It took exactly 10 years consecrating my wife and it was worth it. It also took me 10 years to understand the value of woman as just I need 10 years of purification to understand their value. Women should be valued more. They are our mothers, the image of Our Lady,” he added.

 Ponce shared how he has been juggling his way of evangelization and making God known to his audience.

 Ponce, who never in his life has lived for more than 10 months in the same city, inherited the faith from his family, but his trips throughout the world kept him from keeping up a continuous formation.

 In every travel he did with family, Ponce shared his personal faith and mission.  (FREEMAN)