John Arcilla recalls healing experience with late priest Fernando Suarez
John Arcilla attests to the healing gift of the late priest Fernando Suarez.
In a short chat with entertainment writers recently, the former Encantadia actor related his firsthand encounter with Fr. Suarez's healing power while the former was filming the biopic of the latter titled Suarez:The Healing Priest, which is an official entry to the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival.
The actor recalled, "Ang nangyari kasi sa akin, bago kami naghiwalay, sabi ko, 'Father, i-heal mo po ako.'
"Kasi, pagod ako noon, walang sakit physically, hindi ko alam kung ano ang pagagalingin niya sa akin.
"Pero dahil lang sa trust ko sa Kanya and nandun na rin si Father, kaya sabi ko sa kanya, 'Father, i-heal mo naman po ako.'
"Gumano'n [yumuko] lang ako, hinawakan n'ya itong nape ko, ngumiti lang ako pagkatapos.
"Wala akong sinabi sa kanya, wala akong sinabi kahit kanino.
"But the real thing was, actually, I saw this black and blue na parang silhouette ng the eye ni Christ. Nakita ko 'yon, pero hindi ko alam kung ano ang mangyayari sa akin."
John said he received a different kind of healing after that moment with Fr. Suarez, and it's something to do with his family.
"Alam mo, di ba, mayroon tayong tinatawag na healing ng lineage ng family.
"Mayroon kaming isyu sa family, na matagal nang isyu.
"After that, for the first time after several months, nagkaroon kami ng isang malaking-malaking gathering.
"I brought my whole clan sa Palawan, 75 kami, nadala ko sila doon.
"For the first time, nakapag-party kami nang masaya, na walang nangyaring drama.
"Aminin ninyo, sa inyong pamilya may ganyan, may mga tampuhan 'yan, laging may drama, laging may isyu.
"For the first time, 75 kami, from the apo hanggang sa pinaka-lolo, mga kapatid ko, mga apo ko, for the first time, walang nangyaring drama, masaya lang lahat.
"That was last October 31 to November 5, isang taon na pala, yun pa rin ang topic namin sa aming messenger--about how happy we were and we want to do it again.
"Sabi ko, I think 'yun 'yung hineal nila. Hindi naman lagi sakit sa physical, pwedeng emotional, pwedeng psychological."
While many thanked the late priest for his healing gift, John said Fr. Suarez always gave the glory to the Lord.
He related, "Sinabi kasi ni Father na yung healing is hindi naman sa kanya galing.
"Sabi niya, 'Ito ay borrowed, I'm just a channel.' Sabi niya sa akin, 'In fact, puwede itong kunin ng Diyos anytime. Hindi ako malulungkot, hindi ako magtatampo sa Diyos kung kuhanin niya ito anytime. So, kung ikaw ay nananampalataya sa Kanya, I think yung healing mangyayari sa 'yo.'
"At sinasabi niya, 'Hindi sa akin galing ito, galing ito sa Diyos, galing ito sa taas, binigay lang sa akin. Kung nananampalataya ka, mare-receive mo yung pangangailangan mo.'"
Getting cold feet
John said that stories of healing made him agree immediately when the biopic of Fr. Suarez was first offered to him.
However, while waiting for the final script, the award-winning actor admitted that he got cold feet upon learning about the late priest's past controversies.
"Noong hinihintay ko yung script na dumating, nag-research ako, nakita ko yung controversies, gusto kong mag-backout.
"Suddenly I had cold feet, sabi ko, 'Teka lang, baka maging mouthpiece lang ako ng isang controversy, na ija-justify ko ang isang tao,' parang ayaw ko yata yun.
"Gusto kong gumawa ng alibi na tumanggi nang hindi masisira yung honor ko, nagsabi ng yes 'tapos biglang babaligtad.
"Nahirapan ako doon, sobrang nahirapan ako."
His impression about Fr. Suarez changed when they had a story conference for the movie.
John remembered, "Pagdating doon, very positive yung atmosphere, sobrang napakagaan niya.
"Sabi ko, 'Sandali, hindi ko muna pagbibigyan yung doubt ko, kailangan ko muna siyang makausap.
"Pagdating doon nakakita ako ng isang pangkaraniwang tao, hindi yung paring nakikita kong nagho-homily, larger than life.
"Isang simpleng tao na nagkukuwento, hindi niya jina-justify ang sarili niya, hindi siya defensive. I saw the honesty and sincerity.
"From that, in-embrace ko yung project. Kaya rin natuwa ako nang tanggapin ko [yung project] kasi na-vindicate siya a week after we finished the script."
Fr. Suarez was accused of sexually harassing minors in 2019.
In January 2020, the Vatican cleared Fr. Suarez over such allegations.
Unfortunately, just weeks after this, the healing priest suffered from a heart attack while playing a tennis game, which caused his death on February 4.
John said the past issues about Fr. Suarez will be mentioned in Suarez: The Healing Priest.
Because of this, John expects getting negative feedback from viewers.
He said, "Hindi mawawala, e, que may gawin kang mabuti o wala, mayroong sasabihin ang mga tao.
"Na-vindicate na siya, yun ang pinakaimportante sa lahat.
"Kung mayroong naniniwala pa rin na mayroon siyang pagkakasala or whatever, sila na yung may pananagutan siguro o sila na dapat yung may dapat i-resolve.
"Kung anuman yung tingin nila sa buhay ni Father, labas na ako dun, e. Kasi, noong na-vindicate siya, na-vindicate din ako doon sa pag-embrace ko sa project."
Strengthening the faith
According to John, Suarez: The Healing Priest is a timely movie for Filipinos during this pandemic because it will remind them about keeping their faith.
He added, people's faith will be strengthened "kung makikita nila yung paraan ng pagkapit ni Father Suarez sa faith niya, kung magiging peg nila.
"Yung total na pag-submit mo [sa faith] kasi yun ang palaging sinasabi niya, 'Hayaan mo, bahala ang Diyos diyan. Huwag kang mag-alala, may ibibigay sa 'yo ang Diyos.' Lagi siyang ganun.
"Magandang peg yung total submission sa faith.
"Feeling ko, whether we like it or not, aakayin talaga tayo ng nasa sentro basta may malalim lang tayo na faith.
"Alam ko na 'yun before, alam n'yo na 'yun dati, cliche na 'yon. I think kung isasabuhay mo talaga, powerful siya. 'Yung God will always provide, I think totoo 'yon."
Suarez: The Healing Priest is directed by Joven Tan and produced by Saranggola Media Production. Tickets to the festival are now available on upstream.ph
