Bro. Mike names heir to Shaddai ministry

MANILA, Philippines - In the event that El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde decides to retire from preaching, his 32-year-old son Mariano Michael Velarde will succeed him in his ministry.

On the celebration of his 70th birthday last Friday at the House of Prayer in Amvel Compound, Parañaque City, Velarde named his youngest son Michael as his heir apparent to the El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partner’s Foundation International (PPFI) congregation, in case he decides to retire in the future.

But right now, Velarde is not retiring yet from preaching.

At the celebration, Velarde expressed his gratitude to several people who have been significant in his life.

He mentioned his siblings, wife Avelina who is fondly called Sister Belen, 10 grandchildren and his four children.

He said his eldest son Franklin is a doctor while his second son Rene is a congressman and one of the representatives of the Buhay party-list, while his only daughter Sherry helps with the finances.

But it was his youngest son Michael, whom he called the “Joseph” of the family, who will succeed in his footsteps as preacher to the El Shaddai ministry.

Low profile

Michael often takes an unassuming pose, fading into the background as he watches and listens to his father Mike preaching before thousands of people or meeting with top government officials.

Michael is still single.

Velarde asked the estimated 15,000 El Shaddai members who attended the Mass for his birthday, to help him pray for Michael to find his lifelong partner.

“He is still single. Let us pray so that he would find a suitable mate to help him in the ministry.”

The STAR caught up with Michael at the 25th anniversary of the El Shaddai at the Luneta Grandstand last Saturday evening and as expected, was reluctant but finally gave in to an interview.

Michael said that while his name was mentioned in the thanksgiving message last Thursday, his father has no plans of retiring from his preaching as of now. “He would continue preaching about the Gospel of the Lord until the Lord wants him to.”

A Management course graduate of San Beda College in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Michael said that he had been helping his father in running their family business and for the last nine years has managed the charismatic group’s dwXI radio station.

He admitted that unlike his father who is used to speaking before a large crowd, he has only addressed the El Shaddai community once.

It was in 2007 when he gave his testimony or “nagpatotoo.”

“I have no formal training (on how to evangelize people) What I do is that I listen and observe whenever he goes out of the country to talk to people. I would also like to think that I am a prayerful person and communicate with the Lord,” he added.

Michael, who would soon take on the responsibility of leading the 10 million estimated members of one of the biggest Catholic lay movements in the country, admitted that, “I definitely need to improve on that aspect dahil mahiyain ako.”

Those who might be skeptical about Michael’s leadership capability can take comfort in the message recently given by Bro. Mike: “Sometimes God chooses those less than expected.”

There are stories in the Bible when unassuming people have been chosen to take on responsibilities such as fishermen who were chosen by Jesus Christ to be among his 12 apostles and become “fishers of men.”

 ‘Two masters’

Meanwhile, El Shaddai spiritual adviser emeritus Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr. said over the weekend that he was pleased to learn that Velarde’s interest to run for president has diminished and would now be able to concentrate on running the Catholic lay organization.

Bishop Bacani said that it would have been difficult for Velarde to serve two masters at the same time if he ran and got elected as president of the country while remaining head of the Catholic lay charismatic group.

“We have to consider something very big here. He was called by God to lead the El Shaddai. If he would only think about this matter seriously, my inclination is that he should stay with the El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation International (PPFI),” Bacani said.

Two days after he told reporters that he was only 50 percent committed to run for president, Velarde last Saturday evening told reporters that he is inclined to withdraw from the presidential race and that he would prefer to return to his old ways and just give his blessings to a candidate.

Last Saturday, the El Shaddai celebrated their 25th anniversary at the Luneta Grandstand. Among those who attended were three presidentiables namely former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada and Senators Manuel Villar and Richard Gordon.

Velarde cited the objection of some members of his family and the possibility that he would not be able to garner 10 million signatures supporting his political bid as two reasons for his change of mind. His supporters have started collecting signatures last week and the results would be submitted by mid November.

The deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy is on Nov. 30.

But the El Shaddai leader added that if he finally decides to back out from the presidential race, he would ask the estimated 10 million members of the organization to throw their support to the candidate that he would endorse.

But Bacani recalled that Velarde has never openly endorsed a candidate, but just gave hints or sounded off. “He would not say to the people to vote for this particular candidate. But you would notice it sa mga pina-pahiwatig nya.”

Bacani added that the country’s next leader should be someone who has integrity, principled and would not put his and his family’s interest over the welfare of the Filipino people.