Fr. Lou

PRIESTLY CASTE?

Consider this: We are two priests in the family. Fr. Romulo “Lou” Dolor is my brother. He is presently assigned as pastor at San Isidro Labrador Parish at San Isidro, Batangas City. But my relatives abound in the ranks of Lipa Clergy. Fr. Juan Nepomuceno D. Fruto is my nephew. His mother is my second cousin. The D in his middle initial stands for “Dolor”. His maternal grandfather was a former seminarian – already in Theology, I believe. In Fr. Nepo’s family, another brother entered the SFS Minor. Among his first cousins (my nephews), the Medranos: Monching, Tadeo, Jojo and Double were former seminarians. Another of Fr. Nepo’s first cousin – Ariel Mercado – also finished at SFS Minor.
If you think, I am through with that list, you’re dead wrong. Fr. Conrado Castillo is a relative on my mother’s side, who is a Castillo. That is why many priests are curious if I am also related to Fr. Eyong C. Ramos, whose “C” also stands for Castillo. But I can’t quite establish the relations even after much research from my old folks – as San Roque and Inicbulan are really neighbors (if we use the backdoor and the short-cut trails). But I am digressing! Fr. Dado and I call each other “pinsan”.

Fr. Daks
One of the newly-ordained priests, Fr. Dakila Ramos – who graduated from the Minor Seminary during my short stint as its rector, one of the unfortunate ones he he he – has discovered from his sleuthing that we are related. I have known this for quite sometime already, although I did not tell him at that time. His mother’s grandmother is very closely related to my mother’s family. Fr. Daks’ mother comes from Talaga, Mabini where the Castillos are a dime a dozen.
That’s the Castillo side of the story. Let’s go back to the Dolor side, as it is this clan that produced a lot of would-have-been priests but the Lord’s call to be “in the world” dawned on them to be their calling.
The Dimalibot Brothers – Dodi and Rado – are my nephews in the same vein as Fr. Nepo. Their mother, Ate Nene Dolor, is my second cousin. Our fathers were first cousins. In fact, the relations were so close: my father’s godfather in baptism was the grandfather (Ate Nene’s father) of Dodi and Rado.
Another set of brothers (SFS Minor has a lot of these brothers and cousins entering its venerable gates) August and Claudio de Joya are also my relatives. Their maternal grandmother (our Kakang Maria Contreras) and my father are first cousins. I leave it to you to decide our close relationship, so close that even now, August lives just adjacent to our house in San Roque; so close that Claudie asked me to stand as one of his wedding sponsors when he got married in Davao City, with his classmates Fr. Mike Samaniego and Fr. Glen Cantos officiating at the wedding. Of couse, it was Fr. Totit, Fr. Eyong, his classmate Fr. Ilde, and I who concelebrated when August finally decided to settle down! Incidentally, I also stood as wedding sponsor or “ninong” to Double Medrano when he got hitched in St. Philip Neri Church in Mandaluyong City.
Let’s talk about relation by marriages.

Well, Fr. Jing Buensalida’s auntie married my uncle, the brother of my father! And once upon a time, both Fr. Jing and I used to visit the same seminarian at SFS Minor: Manuel B. Dolor -- his nephew (son of her sister) and also my nephew (son of my second cousin).

My second cousin (on my mother's side), who happens to be my baptismal godfather, married a Lopez, who had two of her nephews as former seminarians also. Their names: Louie and Larry Lopez. You see, I have not run out of relatives, he he he! #