SANDAKAN — Fr Stephen Esguerra was born on March 28, 1982. Most of his childhood and adolescence was spent in Tawau in Kg Madai, Kunak. Fr Stephen comes from a close-knit Catholic family of 11 people, two of whom were called to be with the Lord, his father and his elder brother. He is the sixth child of nine siblings (six boys and three girls).
The thought of becoming a priest never entered Stephen’s mind. However, his Catholic background, involvement with church ministries and vocation retreats were fundamental for his spiritual discernment that prompted and guided him to join the priesthood.
He joined the seminary at the age of 29 (in 2011). Seminary life had its ups and downs, and the formation focused on four aspects; academic, spiritual, pastoral and community life. It was also the process of knowing God, self-formation, commitment as well as an in depth discernment to God’s calling.
He was ordained to the Ministry of Deacon on Nov 28, 2019. As a deacon, he had to discharge the office of deacon with humility and a charitable heart in order to assist the priestly order and to hold fast to the mystery of faith in word and deed according to the gospel and the Church’s tradition and live a way of life just like Christ who came, not to be served but to serve others.
He stated that to be a priest, a person must strive to imitate Christ in His example of sacrifice, offering himself as a victim to make his incarnation continually present in the world. He should develop his relationship with God through prayer and deeds. He should share the joy of Jesus with the people of God, serve His people, be a mediator, and help people get nearer to the Lord, especially in their weaknesses, difficulties or hardships. In other words, a priest is to exercise a threefold function: preaching, sanctifying and shepherding.
When his priestly ordination was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, it made him discern his relationship with God and with the people. The pandemic has affected a lot of people, especially the poor. He felt sorry for families who had experienced death in the family but the church could not conduct the funeral Mass, only prayers at the funeral parlour.
On the positive side, the pandemic has brought families closer. He lifted up everything to God’s hands and realised that this was a time of reflection for him and to discern what God wants for him in his life.
