Happy thoughts fill your life with happiness. Positive thoughts are not enough. There have to be positive feelings and positive actions. ~ Father Larry Faraon OP
I love hearing his stories and his 1st time mission in UAE at St. Mary's Church.
The conservative may not agree with the style by which Fr. Larry preaches, he uses self deprecating humor to spice up his homilies. Once, while explaining ancient religious customs related to eating pork, he punctuated a sermon with: Noong maliit pa ako, sinasabihan ako ng nanay ko, pag nakita niya akong marumi, Maglinis ka nga! Ang babuy-baboy mo! E, payat pa ako noon!
Born Laureano Balverde Faraon on July 4, 1956 in Biñan, Laguna, he took up philosophy and theology at UST, where he earned his Master's degree in religious education (specializing in media).
Now on his 25th year as a priest, his ministry has taken him to the US, Israel, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Saipan, Guam, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Brunei.
Often described as, show biz! because of his association with famous personalities and his work in the media, the popular priest has been actively involved in social communication, as commentator (for Radio Veritas), columnist, TV host, and professor of theology and communications at the University of Santo Tomas, La Consolacion and Miriam College.
Despite his intimation that he would have been a social activist had he not entered the priesthood, he personifies patience and humility. Indeed, his homilies are a breath of fresh air. He makes church going something to look forward to!
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| Father Larry Faraon OP and Me. |
His sermons speak the sometimes bitter truth about themselves as Christians. Make no mistake, Fr. Larry, a much sought-after homilist, retreat master and spiritual adviser to many celebrities, has a maverick side that dishes out humorous sermons you don't often hear. His gift with words strikes at the core of human frailties by using funny realities. If delivering homilies were an academic degree, he would be our candidate for summa cum laude!
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| Proud to be Thomasians! Father Larry Faraon, OP and Sol Albar |
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| Father Larry Faraon, OP |
Now on his 25th year as a priest, his ministry has taken him to the US, Israel, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Saipan, Guam, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Brunei.
Often described as, show biz! because of his association with famous personalities and his work in the media, the popular priest has been actively involved in social communication, as commentator (for Radio Veritas), columnist, TV host, and professor of theology and communications at the University of Santo Tomas, La Consolacion and Miriam College.
Despite his intimation that he would have been a social activist had he not entered the priesthood, he personifies patience and humility. Indeed, his homilies are a breath of fresh air. He makes church going something to look forward to!
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| Happy Father Larry Faraon, OP and Sol Albar |
As a Preacher ~ Fr. Larry uses such comic spiels in his homilies,
He said: I would rather talk to a laughing audience than one who is won't to doze off. We should enjoy and love our work and this is one way by which I enjoy mine as a priest and preacher.
In a mass honoring the motherhood of Mary (celebrated on New Year's day), Fr. Larry has this to say (to women and their good-for-nothing husbands) about parenthood: Hindi inyo ang inyong mga anak. Alin ang inyo? 'Yang asawa ninyo, kaya pagtiyagaan nyo yang mga yan!
He said: I would rather talk to a laughing audience than one who is won't to doze off. We should enjoy and love our work and this is one way by which I enjoy mine as a priest and preacher.
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| My notes and my eye glasses. |
While saying mass, Fr. Larry explained a gospel account in which Jesus asked the disciples who they believed He was. Alluding to many Catholics ignorance of the Bible, he asked: Kilala ba natin si Kristo? Mas kilala pa yata natin si Kris Aquino!
In one of the siete palabras rites at the Sto. Domingo church, he reminded people to mind their oral hygiene whenever they would go to confession: May mangungumpisal diyan, pabulong: Father, may kasalanan po ako. Mag-toothbrush naman kayo! Kayo ang may kasalanan, kami ang inyong pinaparusahan.
