Radmar Agana Jao
Encyclopedia
Radmar Agana Jao, SJ is an priest
and former actor
.
Originally from Valparaiso, Indiana
, USA and comes from a family of nine children. He was born in Gary, Indiana
on 7 November 1966 to Tessie Agana
, a Filipina actress from the 1950s. He received his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Indiana University
, then moved to Los Angeles
and became an actor, working in film (The Phantom, Minority Report
, Diplomatic Siege), television (Seinfeld
, Will and Grace, Dharma and Greg, ER
), and stage (Sweeney Todd
, A Language of their Own, Heading East - The Musical). He also volunteered for an after school arts intervention program called inside Out, working with at-risk youth in some of the roughest neighborhoods of Los Angeles.
Jao entered the California Province of the Society of Jesus
in 2001, and since earned a Masters degree in Applied Philosophy from Loyola University of Chicago. During his two-year regency assignment at the University of San Francisco
he taught acting and theatre appreciation, and worked with the University Ministry team leading CLC groups and coordinating retreats. Jao completed a master’s of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley
, where alongside his studies he served as a campus minister at the Cal Berkeley Newman Center, as chaplain for the Children's Hospital of Oakland, and as deacon at St. Agnes Parish in San Francisco. In the summer of 2010 Radmar completed the two-month training program at the Loyola House Retreat and Training Center in Guelph, Ontario
, Canada
.
Jao was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on June 11, 2011. Jao's first mission after ordination is to serve on the Provincial Staff of the California Province as the Province Vocation Promoter.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and former actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Originally from Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 31,730 at the 2010 census, making it the 2nd largest city in Porter County.-History:...
, USA and comes from a family of nine children. He was born in Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
on 7 November 1966 to Tessie Agana
Tessie Agana
Tessie Agana is a Filipina actress who was a very popular child star during the 1950s, credited by some for saving Sampaguita Pictures with her work in the box office hit Roberta...
, a Filipina actress from the 1950s. He received his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, then moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and became an actor, working in film (The Phantom, Minority Report
Minority Report (film)
Minority Report is a 2002 American neo-noir science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg and loosely based on the short story "The Minority Report" by Philip K. Dick. It is set primarily in Washington, D.C...
, Diplomatic Siege), television (Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Will and Grace, Dharma and Greg, ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
), and stage (Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as then antagonist of the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls and he was later introduced as an antihero in the broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and its film adaptation...
, A Language of their Own, Heading East - The Musical). He also volunteered for an after school arts intervention program called inside Out, working with at-risk youth in some of the roughest neighborhoods of Los Angeles.
Jao entered the California Province of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in 2001, and since earned a Masters degree in Applied Philosophy from Loyola University of Chicago. During his two-year regency assignment at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
he taught acting and theatre appreciation, and worked with the University Ministry team leading CLC groups and coordinating retreats. Jao completed a master’s of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, where alongside his studies he served as a campus minister at the Cal Berkeley Newman Center, as chaplain for the Children's Hospital of Oakland, and as deacon at St. Agnes Parish in San Francisco. In the summer of 2010 Radmar completed the two-month training program at the Loyola House Retreat and Training Center in Guelph, Ontario
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Jao was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on June 11, 2011. Jao's first mission after ordination is to serve on the Provincial Staff of the California Province as the Province Vocation Promoter.