Father Joeker

By Fr Joseph Panabang SVD

JACK FRUIT ATTACK

Before leaving Wenchi Vocational School, the Religious of the Blessed Virgin Mary (RVM) planted jack fruits in the compound. When I was transferred to Wenchi, I did not tell the people that the fruits were edible. We enjoyed the monopoly until accidentally the principal of the school, in my absence, saw it in the convent and was told by the cook how delicious the fruit was. Since then, hardly could I get one.

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LOST IN A MAZE

Our Mother House in Steyl is so big, with so many corridors. Almost all visitors who go there for the first time get lost. Even I, wasn’t spared. One time, I spent 15 minutes looking for my room – that was already my second week in the house.

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NEW NAME

In our group, I was the skinniest. Because of this, they baptized me with a new name: Joe “Cadaver” SVD.

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No more angels

In Rome, our generous and kind Filipino confrere, Fr Miguel Yasis SVD, treated me and his priest relative to a restaurant. As appetizer, we were given crispy bread as thin as paper and which looked like wings of angel. I asked the waitress what it was and she said, ‘Carta di musica.’ But I insisted it was ‘Angel’s wings. No wonder why there are no more angels in Rome,’ I teased the waitress.