"I remember when I visited Kyle in the hospital. He asked me if I want to volunteer in the National Secretariat. I said, “Yes.” I told him that he should recover soon so that both of us can volunteer together. He had the heart to work with the fellow youth. We both promised that we will volunteer because when we did it during our high school years, it gave us happy spirits."
Before joining SCA, I seldom go to church. I only pray when I need something. That changed when I met a person who bears the same first name as I. He was very close and was serving the Church that time. I encountered Exequiel Mathew Fredeluces, known to all of us as Kyle in the Student Catholic Action in Claret School of Quezon City in 2013. I become close to him and from this friendship in SCA, I realized that God has a lot of good plans for me. Our SCA organization in the school made us want to know Jesus more, and to serve him more without conditions. Witnessing the word of Christ, was my first objective and yet it expanded my mission with a circle of friends whom I can talk to, share my desires and do Catholic actions together. From 2013 until our graduation in 2015, I and Kyle were so much involved and exuberant in all our unit activities and even in the NCR Cluster level. We attended and volunteered in every major event like the SCA cluster gatherings and even the Papal Encounter in January 2015.
PHOTO: Kyle (wearing I love MNL white shirt) and Jan (holding the left banner of SCA from right) during the Walk for Peace in September 2013.
A sad news came few months after our graduation. Kyle was diagnosed with leukemia. He struggled to fight the debilitating condition but with a positive spirit. He stayed strong for two years until his final breath last June 19, 2017 at age 19.
I remember when I visited Kyle in the hospital. He asked me if I want to volunteer in the National Secretariat. I said, “Yes.” I told him that he should recover soon so that both of us can volunteer together. He had the heart to work with the fellow youth. We both promised that we will volunteer because when we did it during our high school years, it gave us happy spirits.
PHOTO: Gone too soon. Exequiel Mathew "Kyle" Fredeluces was characterized as a silent yet happy and smiling SCA volunteer.
Kyle and I want to enlive SCA mission. SCA changed our perspective when it comes to spirituality and are taught about being peacemakers in our own simple ways. Living the SEE-JUDGE-ACT methodology gave us a broader awareness on how to make decisions in our day to day lives. Kyle was an SCAn worth emulating. I believe, his dedication to SCA can inspire every SCAn.
PHOTO grabbed from Facebook: Kyle (holding the cross) serves during mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Quezon City.
With his passing I will continue that promise of being an SCA Leader ready to help in any way I can even specifically in the national level. To Kyle and for the rest of in the Student Catholic Action of the Philippines, we are doing these “FOR OUR FLAG, FOR OUR FAITH, AND FOR CHRIST, OUR KING!”
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Jan Exequiel Juaneza, is an SCA alumnus from Claret School of Quezon City. He is pursuing his degree in Business Administration at Far Eastern University - Diliman.
Exequiel Mathew "Kyle" Fredeluces is also an alumnus of Claret School of Quezon City Student Catholic Action. While studying at University of the Philippines-Diliman, he was diagnosed with cancer. He was characterized as a silent yet smiling volunteer in SCA NCR Cluster.