A mother’s prayer, a promise fulfilled, and a lifetime of service

Fr Joselito 'Litoy' Asis has served the Filipinos in Melbourne since 2014. Credit: supplied by Fr Joselito Asis

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Fr Joselito ‘Litoy’ Asis has been serving the Filipinos in Melbourne for a decade. He is the Filipino Chaplain in Melbourne based at the St Brigid’s Church in North Fitzroy.

Key Points

Fr Litoy Asis arrived in 2014 to serve at the Filipino Chaplaincy at St Brigid's Church in Melbourne.
He was ordained as a priest in March 19,1987.
Fr Litoy Asis is a diocesan priest from Daet, Camarines Norte.

Everyone has a story to tell. Pinoys in Australia feature stories about new beginnings. challenges, failures, and success, faith, hope, and bayanihan. It is all about being Filipino in Australia

It was more than ten years ago, when Fr Litoy’s tenure as Secretary General for the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was about to come to an end, an opportunity to serve overseas came his way.

‘I wanted to gain pastoral experience and experience serving Filipinos overseas. Incidentally, the Filipino Chaplain in Melbourne was being transferred and they needed a replacement, I applied and initially planned to serve for two years, that was in 2014.’

A mother’s prayer

When he was a child, Joselito ‘Litoy’ Asis became ill with pneumonia, it took him a long while to recover. He became very sickly and had to take a year off school. Back then, his mother was working for the local parish, every Saturday she would pray to the Our Lady of Candelaria, ‘She prayed and fervently asked for my healing and in exchange she promised that I will become a priest.’

Fr Joselito Asis learned of his mother's promise after he was ordained into the priesthood. His mother prayed to Our Lady of Candelaria for his healing and in exchange she promised he would serve the church as a priest. He was ordained in March 19,1987. Credit: supplied by Fr Joselito Asis

Fr Litoy recalls the day when his mother brought him to the Parish Church and told the priest that I would serve as an altar boy. ‘Our parish priest also ran several outreach programs, and I joined that group. He trained us to become youth leaders and we were assigned to teach catechism in several areas in our locality.’ He adds ‘I enjoyed it, when the priest asked us if anyone wanted to enter the seminary, I said I was interested.’

A promise fulfilled

Fr Litoy entered the seminary and when he finally took his vow it was only then that his mother revealed to him the prayer and promise she made to Our Lady of Candelaria many years ago.

The diocesan priest has devoted his life to the Catholic Church for the past 37 years. He initially served in Daet, Camarines Norte and ten of those years have been dedicated to serving the Filipinos in Melbourne.

Fr Litoy Asis also served as the Secretary-General of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) prior to his assignment at the Filipino Chaplaincy of Melbourne. Credit: supplied by Fr Joselito Asis

Regular boy, regular childhood

While he spent most of his time serving at the local parish, his teenage years were normal. He also experienced the joys and heartaches of young love.

‘I graduated from a public school, there were no Catholic schools in our area. You remember high school years, you have a crush, you fall in love.’ Fr Litoy says ‘I think it was a good experience for me, to be in that environment before I fully committed to the seminary.’

It has been nearly four decades since he took his vow, while he admits we all fall in love he says ‘We can refocus that love.’ He has chosen to refocus that love and dedicate it to the service of others.

Fr Joselito 'Litoy' Asis initially planned to serve for two years, he has been the Filipino Chaplain at St Brigid's Church in North Fitzroy since 2014. Credit: George Gregorio

A lifetime of service

Priesthood is a lifetime commitment that requires you to prioritise the church and its constituents above everything else. Sundays are served for the parish and there are no guarantees that you can share special occasions like Christmas with your family.

‘Priesthood is not an easy path, there are challenges; 24/7 you are at the service of others’ according to Fr Litoy Asis but there is also a whole community looking after you. Credit: supplied by Fr Joselito Asis

‘The seminary has prepared us for days like that, our time is no longer ours.’ However, he says ‘technology has made it a whole lot easier, I can speak with my loved ones more regularly.’

While most of us will run to our parents, partner, or best friend for advice or share good news the diocesan priest usually reaches out to his mother. ‘I can call her via video call, technology made it possible for me to speak with her despite the distance.’

Not long ago, he was tasked to share the devastating news of his older brother's passing. ‘Because I am the priest in the family, they believe I should break the news to my mother.’ His mother took it better than expected, ‘she already had a feeling. A mother knows.’

Every Monday is his day off, he likes to take walks and watch movies. Priests also have regular mental well-being checks. Credit: supplied by Fr Joselito Asis

‘Priesthood is not an easy path, there are challenges; 24/7 you are at the service of others’ shares Fr Litoy Asis but there is also a whole community looking after you.

Fr Joselito 'Litoy' Asis served as an altar boy and entered the seminary after completing high school. Credit: supplied by Fr Joselito Asis

For Fr Litoy priesthood is his life’s mission- ‘it is my role to be an intermediary, through my words and deeds it is my task to make the people feel the presence of God. For the people to know that God is always with us.’

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