Florida Catholic | Seminarian Elbert Ballado

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Meet the Seminarian

‘God loves us so much more than we can ever imagine’

Seminarian Elbert Ballado looks forward to bringing God to people’s lives.

Published: 03.14.08

Elbert Ballado, 20

Home parish: St. Stephen in Valrico

Name of Seminary: St. John Vianney College Seminary

School attended before seminary: University of South Florida

Hobbies: Reading spiritual books, inline skating, listening to music, playing chess, drawing and painting, playing the violin

FC: When was the first time you thought of the priesthood?

ELBERT BALLADO: The thought of becoming a priest first came up about a year after my first holy Communion, when I was about 12 or 13.

FC: Who influenced you to want to become a priest and how did that person influence you?

ELBERT BALLADO: Honestly, there is no singular person who influenced me, but a close community of God-fearing and loving people in Riyadh helped me tremendously in this decision. I think the mere simplicity, piety and dedication of those families and friends, especially Lisa and Boy Ledesma, who love the Lord, influenced me greatly. They were extremely encouraging and nice to me. For example, they talked to me personally about the blessing of being a priest and such, and gave me plenty of religion books such as the catechism, books of saints, etc.

FC: What is your favorite Scripture passage and why?

ELBERT BALLADO: One of my favorite Scripture passages is the walking on the water by Jesus. As you well know, Peter asked Jesus to command him to walk on the water — which he was able to do — but he focused on the strong wind and became afraid, and so he fell. However, Jesus picked Peter up when Peter cried out for Jesus to save him.

The entire story teaches us about faith and that we must not focus on the negative aspects of our lives, but on Jesus himself and his goodness. Even if we fall, he is right there to pick us up and teach us to trust him more.

FC: What are some of the most important parts of the discernment process?

ELBERT BALLADO: For me, two of the most important parts of my discernment are prayer and the humility and trust in the Lord to change. Prayer is important, because it is this very encounter with the Lord in prayer that gives me the strength to move forward and gain a better knowledge of myself and God. Without it, everything collapses. The last part follows this: No seed that you put on the ground becomes the same seed after a week; it will either grow or die. The same thing happens here. I need to be stretched and open or else I will just close myself in, which will harm me whether I know it or not.

FC: What advice would you give to someone considering a vocation to the priesthood or religious life?

ELBERT BALLADO: Trust in the Lord and do not rush. Discernment requires time and patience. Accept the shortcomings and trials that will come as an opportunity for growth. As I have said earlier, prayer matters.

FC: Who is your favorite saint and why is he/she your favorite?

ELBERT BALLADO: My favorite saint is St. Francis of Assisi, because of his love for all creation, remarkable simplicity, and complete and childlike trust in the Lord.

FC: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned, spiritually, so far, while at the seminary?

ELBERT BALLADO: This may sound like a textbook answer, but I have learned truly and experientially that God loves us so much more than we can ever imagine and that we depend upon him for everything, and I mean this in the most literal level: our talents, skills, friends, family, education, health, the very food we eat this day, cars, even our private time in the bathroom. I learned to offer it all back to the Lord who gave his entire self for us. If we see the world this way, as I do now, it makes all the difference between living a joyful (or) a miserable life in the world.

FC: What do you look forward to the most when you become a priest?

ELBERT BALLADO: What I look forward to most if I become a priest is to bring God back to people’s lives, whether through the sacraments or a life of holiness.

In cooperation with the diocesan Vocations Department, The Florida Catholic is periodically publishing a series of brief profiles of the men preparing for the priesthood in the diocese. For more information, visit the Vocations Department’s Web site at www.spvocation.org. E-mail the vocations director, Father Len Plazewski, at spvocation@aol.com. He also can be reached at 727-345-3452.

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‘God loves us so much more than we can ever imagine’

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