Bio:
Fr. Jhack is a Parish Priest, Diocesan Vocation Director, Vicar and among other titles, Incoming Diocesan Catholic Women League’s Chaplain. He is the first Filipino priest ordained in the diocese of St. Paul, Alberta and is currently the Pastor of a Catholic church in rural Mallaig.
He entered the seminary at age 17 and after long years of patient waiting, received his ordination into priesthood at the age of 35. He brought with him a personal battle cry: "Blessings delayed but not denied.”
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fr.jhackdiaz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQFtXbf_OBarmd1A0qW1Fug
Quotes:
"Life is not about accumulation, but it's all about contribution. It's all about giving, not getting."
"Prayer is the weakness of God and the strength of men."
Episode Highlights:
In this episode, Fr. Jhack shares his journey of becoming the servant leader he is today.
How Father Jhack is Handling Cultural Divide:
Fr. Jhack believes his faith in God and love of people have been instrumental for him in handling the cultural differences between the Philippines and Canada.
He attributes his ability to work with diverse cultural beliefs to his personality and his philosophy to live the way people live. In his parish, Fr. Jhack is often referred to as a 'rock star' because he helps farmers collect rocks from the fields. When he rides on a combine with his parishioners, he delights the people he serves and they welcome him as part of the family.
Childhood Incidents:
Fr. Jhack comes from a humble Filipino background with a staunch Catholic faith. As a child, the family walked several miles a week to attend mass. During church, Jhack admired how the priests dressed and desired to be one, after realizing that his first choice of being a physician was not possible given his family’s financial situation.
Influential Groups:
Fr. Jhack's parents were strict with discipline and laid a strong foundation for his faith. They encouraged him to pray, not to be ashamed of his faith, and always aim higher. Knowing it could lift him out of poverty, Jhack took his education very seriously.
Cultural and Leadership Influences:
Fr. Jhack defines his leadership style as servant leadership. He draws his inspiration from the Founder of Christianity, Jesus, serving as He did.
Personality and Temperaments:
In spite of his seriousness and discipline, Fr. Jhack said his natural state is being the life of the party. He loves people, seeks attention, and enjoys being front and centre, even boasting a YouTube channel of thousands of superfans from around the world! Although his strong sense of competition causes him to struggle with humility, he believes his vocation helps tone this down.
Cultural Epiphanies:
One day, Fr. Jhack was going to renew his passport in Calgary. He got into a merge lane, and because of his driving experience in the Philippines, he yielded instead of speeding up. The people behind him began honking, and one of the people showed him the middle finger, apologizing later upon seeing his priest collar. From this experience, he realized that things were different in Canada.
Soapbox Moment:
Fr. Jhack urges us to believe in ourselves, never give up, and keep praying.
What brings out the best in Fr. Jhack:
Father Jhack believes music brings out the best in him and is an avid song writer, something I personally experienced when he played a delightful song he wrote for my husband’s aunt’s 90th birthday celebration!
Tagline: Delay