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New fisher of souls in Filipino community

He is: Father Andre Beltran, associate pastor at Notre Dame de Chicago Parish; new assistant vocation director for Vicariate III and the Filipino community in Cook and Lake counties.

Youth: Born, raised in Manila, Philippines. Has five brothers and a sister who reside in Chicago and another sister back home. “My father and mother worked for the government. Family relationship was their priority in life.”

Other religious: I have a brother who is a priest, Father Jacque Beltran. He’s a member of the formation faculty at Mundelein. He belongs to the Diocese of Tuguegarao, Philippines, but is in the incardination process here. Our cousin, Rodolfo Beltran, is a bishop in the Philippines and his brother is a Dominican priest.”

Early years: “I was a regular kid. Never gave my parents any headaches. Basketball is popular there, but I wasn’t tall, so I didn’t play. My real sports were baseball and volleyball — I played in a league at school.”

First career: For 10 years he was a science teacher in the Philippines and in Thailand. He’s been able to travel to Southeast Asian countries and Europe. “I enjoy studying different cultures.”

Meeting a mentor: “Working in Thailand I was lonely.” He didn’t speak Thai, so “I found refuge in the English-speaking Redemptorist Church in Bangkok. The late American Redemptorist Bishop Clarence Duhart became my mentor.”

Thoughts about vocation: He began helping in the bishop’s jail ministry and feeding refugees in Bangkok. “In the next four years I developed a closeness to God.” Duhart believed he had a vocation to the priesthood. “I wanted to become a priest in Thailand where I heard my calling, but the Thai language was a roadblock.” He returned to the Philippines for study. “In 1989 I moved to Chicago. My ailing parents had retired here.” He entered Mundelein Seminary and was ordained in 2001.

Different culture? The Philippines is predominantly Catholic. Vocations to religious life are abundant. The revival of the church through Charismatic Renewal has transformed and changed the religiosity of the people.

New responsibility in vocation work: “It’s a noble task. No one was permanently assigned to foster potential candidates to the priesthood in the Filipino community. Cardinal George wanted to seriously invite Filipino candidates to the priesthood. I go wherever I’m invited: to prayer groups, parishes, vicariates and schools.”

Experience: “I’ve gotten a good understanding of American culture being assigned to Anglo parishes. My joy here at Notre Dame de Chicago is the Spanishspeaking community. I’m also able to polish my sign language skills with the deaf students at Children of Peace School.”

Leisure: On Mondays, I cook for the whole family in my brother’s home. Everyone comes and brings their Tupperware for leftovers. It’s relaxation. My best friend is Father Tirso Villaverde. We get together to either exercise, visit friends at Mundelein or eat out. A once-a-month priest support group at the Men’s Focolare Center is nurturing. My ordination classmates also meet together once a month for brief prayer and mostly relaxation.”

Toughest challenge: After seven years ordained he is past the honey moon period. “Not all priests have the same way of seeing the church. Some are relaxed some are conservative. It is a challenge. There are also fewer priests and fewer people volunteering in parish activities — also a challenge.”

Adjustments: “The challenge of the sexual abuse scandal made me uncomfortable to relate with people — not only children, but men and women, young and old. I love being a priest and enjoy serving God’s people, but we have to be cautious. If a person’s name is tainted, it is hard to redeem. That’s how I protect my priesthood.”

Words of advice: “Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”