Showbiz folk as spiritual guides

(First of two parts)

For all the nasty things they say about show business, not everyone in this profession is bad or immoral. In fact, there are a lot of people in this industry who lead fellow showbiz members into the right path to the Lord.

In my case, I certainly am no angel – oh, I’m far from being one. But I could have been an even more terrible person had it not been for the guidance of people I met in show business.

At the moment, I look up to my good friend Junjun Camcam as my spiritual guide (except that we’re always having problems with my schedule). But I still have a lot of friends in this business who continue to nourish me spiritually. This Holy Week, allow me to thank my brothers and sisters in faith who are in the entertainment industry for having guided me in my spiritual path.

Rosa Rosal and Toni Rose Gayda – I met Tita Rose and Toni Rose even before I joined television. For years, this mother and daughter tandem guided me spiritually. Every so often whenever I would be burdened with a problem, I would call them up and ask them to pray for me and on the phone we would pray together and I would feel so much relief in my heart after that.

I may no longer be in touch that regularly with Toni Rose and Tita Rose, but I know that they’re just a call away and that they will always be there to pray for me and I will always remember they’ve turned me into a better person.

Chat Silayan and Mike Baylon – Even if I had already accepted the Lord in my heart with the help of Toni Rose Gayda and Rosa Rosal, I could not attend their church because theirs wasn’t Catholic. (My family would have had me ex-communicated had I turned my back against the Roman Catholic Church.) But I guess the Lord knew my predicament, which was why He sent Chat Silayan into my life and it was she who invited me to attend the Elim Community, which was founded by Bro. Willie Nakar (father of former teen heartthrob Dondon Nakar). Elim was a very strict Catholic Charismatic community, but with the help of Chat and Mike Baylon, who later became her husband, I was able to forge ahead with my spiritual duties.

Coney Reyes – Even from way back, Coney and I would rarely see each other. But with every meeting, she would check on my spiritual progress. I can never forget one phone conversation we had that eventually led to our praying together. In the middle of the prayers, she began to pray in tongues – which is the language of the angels – and I was just stunned at the other end of the line hearing her talk in a rather strange way. I was told that those who are already spiritually mature are eventually given the gift to pray in tongues and Coney Reyes even that time was already a mature Christian, while I – even to this day – am still trying to seek spiritual growth.

Tina Revilla – Brought up to be a very good Catholic, Tina amazed me with her deep religiosity when I found out that she hears Mass every day (one time we even went together at Mary the Queen in Greenhills). She also taught me how to pray for friends you really care for. (She has the names – including mine – written on one of the pages of her prayer book.) From time to time (especially during the first day of the week), Tina sends me via text messaging religious quotes that make me stop momentarily from my frenetic pace to remember the Lord.

Maricel Soriano – Every evening, usually starting at 11, I’ve been receiving almost without fail text messages from the Diamond Star herself. No, these text messages are not to update me about the latest developments in her showbiz career. What I get instead are religious quotes that lift me up spiritually especially after a particularly taxing day. These religious quotes come in very handy especially when I’m feeling low. One time when I was feeling so depressed, I skipped my regular night prayers (Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be) and just read over and over again the religious quotation sent to me that evening by Maricel. I felt so much better after that and had a good night’s rest.

Ali Sotto – As one of my closest friends, Ali and I share a lot of things between us – our joys and pains and even our commitments to the Roman Catholic Church. Even from way back, I remember that we would pray together on the phone after she gives me counseling. (I’ve always been the one with problems.) Up to this very day, I continue to pray for her – and she better be doing the same thing for me too (of course, that’s a joke) – along with family members. Actually, her name always crops up at the end of my prayers. But then, as we always say, we save the best things for last.

(To be concluded)