A healing priest’s journey

MANILA, Philippines - While most of the city is still rousing from its weekend slumber, Fr. Efren “Momoy” Borromeo is already getting ready to spend yet another healing session at Our Lady of Pentecost Parish in Loyola Heights Quezon City.

Right after the early morning Mass, several people from all points of the city converge at the church every Monday in order to feel the touch of Fr. Momoy’s healing hands. For approximately four hours, more than a hundred line up to be healed. They complain of all sorts of maladies — from the ordinary tummy ache to life-threatening cancer, from simple sprains to blood clots in the brain. Each person sits quietly in his appointed place, waiting for his or her number to be called. Fr. Momoy sits in the baptistery, the image of the Virgin Mary in front of him, with only a handful of volunteer helpers to herd the sick. They pray quietly, with their watches and cell phones removed from their person, in preparation for the healing that they wholeheartedly believe they will receive.

His journey as a healer began early. The son of Ernesto Borromeo and Felicita Bragais, he himself was sickly and would be hospitalized at times. People called on him when they accidentally had fish bones lodged in their throats because he was born “suhi” or breech. Because his lola was a hilot, he was exposed early to homegrown, traditional modes of healing. But as he grew in wisdom, Fr. Momoy realized the healing could never be wrought through one’s own abilities. It is a gift from God.

Fr. Momoy is always quick to clarify that he is not the healer, “The real healer is Jesus. This is why you have to clear out all the hatred and doubt in your heart. The primary elements for ultimately being healed are forgiveness, faith and love.” There are those who come back to him complaining that their maladies have not abated. He simply answers, “Perhaps you need more faith and a heart without any baggage.”

His priestly journey has had its own twists and turns. He attended the St. Gregory Minor Seminary in Legazpi City, Albay and the Holy Rosary Major Seminary in Naga City. But it was when he met Fr. Thomas Gier of the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity (SOLT) that he finally said “yes” to the priesthood. He proceeded to the SOLT novitiate in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the United States. In 1979, he was ordained a priest by Bishop Teotimo Pacis in Ligao, Albay.

His patients testify to his gift. Most recent visitors said that after four Mondays of healing, one person was cured of the blood clot in her brain. Another attests that after two sessions, the patient was cured of brain tumor. But of course Fr. Momoy has his detractors. When asked about his critics and skeptics, Fr. Momoy simply smiles, “I have come to the point where I am not too affected by praise or criticism. I was the biggest skeptic of my own gift. That is why it took me 10 years of avoiding the reality before I finally accepted it. But then, I grew in faith and learned to accept the gift. Funny thing is that in my personal journey of healing, I, too, am healed!”

The healing priest “sees” a person’s ailment almost instantly. Those who have been healed say that Fr. Momoy’s gaze is almost like undergoing an X-ray or MRI. Without any real medical background, Fr. Momoy senses the ailments simply by touching one’s forehead and other body parts with virgin coconut oil and intense prayer. He says that he asks people to remove their watches, cell phones and other metals from their bodies because these impede his awareness of their “energies.”

This Year of Faith, Fr. Momoy Borromeo is inviting pilgrims to journey with him on a trip to the Holy Land from April 10 to 23 through the group Journeys of Faith. The pilgrimage covers Jordan and Israel including Amman, Petra, Tiberias, Nazareth, Cana, Mount of the Beatitudes, Sea of Galilee, Mt. Tabor, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, Kidron Valley and more. Although he believes that God is everywhere, Fr. Momoy acknowledges that seeing the sights and retracing the footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land is a good trigger for renewing faith. He professes, “There is certain energy in each of the places that we will visit. Filipinos right now are at a crossroads in their faith mainly because they have lost their rootedness in Jesus. Siyempe meron konting excursion, but this pilgrimage will serve as the trigger for us to continue our personal journeys of healing. Of course, we shall celebrate healing Masses in every place we visit.”

During this Year of Faith, Fr. Momoy believes Filipinos have a chance to regain their focus on their faith. He says that he continually prays for people like boxing icon Manny Pacquiao for whom he has celebrated Mass before one of Pacquiao’s fights. “Manny has the same problem that most Filipino faithful are encountering. He has to regain his focus. He has a generous heart, but I am sad because I feel that he has lost his focus, despite having been consecrated by Mommy Dionisia to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is the same problem that a lot of Filipinos are facing today. They have lost their focus. They should go beyond the materialistic realities and embark on pilgrimages within their hearts.” Fr. Momoy shares.

To learn more about Fr. Momoy’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land or other European pilgrimages, you may get in touch with Journeys of Faith at 929-0144, 929-0155, 0917-561440 or 0999-9935580.