SAN DIEGO — Father Elmer Mandac is the newly appointed vicar general of the Diocese of San Diego, a position that authorizes him to make decisions in the absence of the bishop and auxiliary bishops.
Along with his new diocesan duties, which he assumed in July, the 55-year-old priest continues to be pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Mira Mesa, where he has served for over a year.
Born in Manila, Philippines, Father Mandac was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1996. He arrived in the Diocese of San Diego 25 years ago, while still a priest of the Diocese of Laoag, Philippines, and was incardinated here in 2019.
Previous assignments include associate pastor of St. Rita Parish, administrator and then pastor of St. Stephen Parish in Valley Center, and pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish in La Mesa.
Question: What role did the Catholic faith play during your formative years?
Answer: As a family, we went to church on Sundays, we prayed before meals and at other times, and, especially with my grandparents, we would pray the rosary once in a while.
Are you a product of Catholic education?
I was introduced into the faith early, because I went through Catholic schools all my life. I attended Catholic elementary school, then I entered the minor seminary and, from there, I never went out of that system.
My elementary school was run by the Divine Word Missionaries. There were always priests around. When you’re around them, the idea of priesthood is no longer something that’s foreign or alien. That probably helped me grow in my faith and also in my vocation.
What was your path to the priesthood?
I entered the minor seminary when I was 13 years old. When my parents sent me there, they probably just wanted me to get a good education; they probably never thought of me becoming a priest. But, when I decided to become one, they supported me.
After the minor seminary, I attended the college seminary. After that, when I had to decide whether to continue on to the next stage of studying theology, that was when the discernment process happened for me. I was looking at my life, all through and through, and I said, “I think God is calling me to become a priest.” The influence of my family and my Catholic schooling prepared me to understand that God really was calling me to this life.
Before deciding to become a priest, had you considered any careers?
Yes, I did. I was very attracted to idea of working in a bank. For a time, I tried to pursue that. I took the entrance exam to become a Certified Public Accountant. But the pull to the seminary life was just very strong, so I just dropped that one and pursued my inclination to become a priest, to pursue theology.
What attracted you to priestly life?
When I was a seminarian, I had a good relationship with the priests in my own diocese. I rarely went home, even when we were given the chance to go home for vacation. I stayed with my priest friends, and that fostered my love for the ministry and for the priesthood. I was constantly with them, although I was still a seminarian, and I think that camaraderie that I built with them over time really helped me grow and appreciate the ministry, the life that they lived.
That really pulled me to become a priest. It would have been very difficult for me to understand the life of a priest had I not been exposed to that life.
What have you found to be most fulfilling about your vocation?
Since being ordained, the witness that I’ve seen in my brother priests has become a reality to me; I experienced it for myself once I became a priest.
The gift of the priesthood is a great opportunity to be part of people’s lives, serving them in their spiritual needs by dispensing the graces that come from the sacraments – celebrating baptisms, marriages, the Eucharist, the anointing of the sick; joining with them in their moments of joy and happiness, pain and sorrow; just being with them in their trials and difficulties and helping them to grow in their faith in God, who is the source of hope, peace and comfort.
What was your reaction to being named Vicar General of the diocese?
It was really a surprise. I’d like to thank (Bishop Michael Pham) for giving me this opportunity. He has a vision for the Diocese of San Diego and, in whatever capacity I can help and assist him, I will do that. This new position is one way of just making myself available, not only for him, but also for the diocese. It’s a great privilege.
What advice do you have for others when it comes to discerning their own vocation?
My advice is just to be open to God’s ways in their lives and to discern, because sometimes it’s very intimidating. But, if we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the grace of the Holy Spirit and allow ourselves to just be open to God’s ways, I think greater things would happen in our lives, even beyond our fears and anxieties, because God has a plan for all of us. We just have to cooperate with that plan through his grace and allow him to work his ways through us, to make us instruments of his mission here on Earth. And I think there is more joy in doing that.
Do you have any spiritual practices or devotions that you would recommend for those who are looking to deepen their faith and grow closer to God?
A powerful source of inspiration and probably a great way to discern the will of God is just to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament and to have that special devotion and love for the Eucharist.
When we spend time before the Blessed Sacrament, we encounter God, we encounter Jesus Christ. And that’s when we can communicate with Jesus and allow his wisdom to come upon us and to reveal, in some way, God’s plan for us. It allows us to communicate and to understand the ways of God in our lives.
There’s no more powerful way than spending time with the God who calls us to serve him and to love him, other than spending time with him in the Eucharist.
