In the Beginning.

Recently, I’ve been wondering why I’m still with CatholicNews, after four years.

Honestly, my vocation with CN can’t exactly be called that – a vocation. Unlike my colleague Daniel Tay, who is fulfilling his calling to be a Catholic writer, who contributes articles and reflections to the Catholic community via his personal blog, and who enjoys meeting with people in the archdiocese, I don’t do any of those.

And yet, when I think about how I got this job at CN, it still feels as if God had paved the way for me to arrive here.

As the first entry to this blog, a journey down memory lane might be worth taking – as a personal time of reflection and by way of introducing how my name appears as byline to articles in CatholicNews now.

Four years ago, I was a copywriter working in an international advertising agency, one that had clients with suitably indecent budgets to blow on promotional materials of all sorts.

What I enjoyed tremendously about it was the adrenaline rush that fuelled me to work beyond what my body would allow, the late nights toiling away with fellow friends and colleagues, the exposure to different clients and products that allowed me to learn many things across various industries, the beautiful view of the colourful containers at the PSA set against a skyline and the sea, pantry stocked with beer given by our APB clients, a sharp mind cultivated by working in a culture where you are expected to be witty, confident and smart, and the space to be open about the many naughty adventures that you encounter and experience.

The job was great fun but pretty much, meaningless, to me.

One fine day, a friend from my parish, Church of the Holy Spirit, casually remarked to me that a writer had just left CN and they were looking for a replacement.

I didn’t think too much of that.

A week or so later, another friend excitedly encouraged me to write in to CN.

I thought, Ooook, maybe I should.

So eventually, I did – the whole time, I wasn’t entirely thrilled by the idea of joining CN though it already felt like one of those times in life where you move along with a current you know not where it came from, only to have it resolve itself (together with you) in the end.

Went for an interview with our Managing Editor, Father Johnson Fernandez (affectionately, “Father Boss” to me) and he was amazingly kind and holy.

Tried to pray about this but I wasn’t sure what happened when soon enough, Father Boss called me to say CN wanted me. We negotiated salary which was once again, extremely reasonable. Father Boss was honest, upfront and very kind. And still is.

Honestly, I wasn’t ready at all. I hadn’t wanted the job much, it was merely an option to me.

So there I agonised – should I leave my company and lifestyle to work at CN?

Strangely, at the peak of my confusion, I remembered the prayers I made to God, which was really just one prayer uttered in many variations.

“Lord, if this is really what you want me to do, please let the interview and everything else go through really smoothly. I don’t want a situation where I have to think about pros-and-cons of this job vs that. You want me there, you have to pave the way and make it really smooth – so smooth that it’s an obvious choice!”

With that recollection of the prayer I have been making in those days (without me even realising it), the answer was clear.

Filed under: General, Personally Most Moving