Ex-guard finds calling as faith healer

Juan Paraiso attends to one of his patients.
(CDN Photos/Christian Maningo)

People of all walks of life come looking for a former security guard, who  has established a reputation as a Catholic faith healer in his hometown of Minglanilla in  south Cebu.

Fifty-year-old Juan Paraiso  has been a devotee of San Vicente Ferrer for over a decade.

He said he asked for a sign from his patron saint  to determine if he could cure others after surviving a bad episode of food poisoning.

“I smelled a sweet fragrance from him (San Vicente Ferrer). Then I told myself that I would accept it without any doubts and hesitations,” said Paraiso.

During CDN’s visit, patients lined up outside the San Vicente Ferrer chapel in upper Calajoan, which serves as Paraiso’s clinic.

A small century-old San Vicente Ferrer statuette is placed in  the chapel. Paraiso said he  inherited it from his great grandparents.

Schedules
Among those who visited Paraiso was 78-year-old Eucharistica Reyes of barangay Pardo, Cebu City who brought her 27-year old granddaughter who was ill with pneumonia.

Reyes told Cebu Daily News that she suffered a kidney problem a year ago.

“I underwent a series of lab tests and took several medications but I was not cured,” she said. Reyes’ neighbors introduced Paraiso to her.

“My condition improved. That’s why I decided to bring my granddaughter here,” she said.

Paraiso attends to  200 to 300 patients a day. He said he set  schedules  on weekdays for specific illnesses.

Faith
Monday is reserved for cancer patients, Tuesday and Friday for all kinds of illnesses, Wednesday is scheduled for those illnesses acquired at work and house while Thursday is alloted for paralyzed patients.

Before he administers the healing, all patients are gathered outside the chapel’s gate to pray “Our Father” and “Hail Mary”.

“If they have faith in  God then they will be healed,” Paraiso said.

Paraiso became known when he treated a female breast cancer patient from Parañaque City, who happened to be a friend of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.

Then he was featured by Rated K, a magazine show in ABS-CBN last year.

After his TV appearance, Paraiso said he received more than 1,200 patients a day but decided to cut it down to 200-300 a day except for emergencies. He has patients from outside Cebu and even foreign visitors.

A small crowd gathers at the San Vicente Ferrer chapel which has a clinic for patients. (CDN PHOTO/Christian Maningo)

During Holy Week, Paraiso makes medicinal oil which is used by his patients. This he prepares,  “with his (the Lord’s) guidance. I couldn’t do it alone otherwise it would  harm the patient.”

Cebu Daily News saw unused bottles prepared by Paraiso for his medicinal oil.

Paraiso said he doesn’t accept patients during Good Friday until Easter Sunday.

He said he prays during  this period as part of his sacrifices.