Renewed Meaning in the Ordinary Days of Life

If you had one week left to live, what would you spend your time and energy on? 

Are there people in your life with whom you need to reconcile – of whom you need to ask forgiveness? 

What really matters?

Rev. Dante Eleazar Simon and Elzar Simon, authors of the book The Last Conversations, will join us for a meaningful exploration of what emerges when death is near and pretense falls away. Their book is a testimony from the dying, drawn from Rev. Simon’s lived experience as a hospice chaplain – and it is a guide for the living, inviting readers to reflect on their own lives now, and on forgiveness, presence, love, and the courage to speak what matters before it is too late. 

The first 25 attendees will receive a signed copy of the Simons’ book, The Last Conversations, as part of their registration fee. 

About the Presenters:

Rev. Dante Eleazar Simon is a hospice chaplain whose vocation is shaped by four decades of faithful service in the United Methodist Church and a lifelong attentiveness to the depth and fragility of the human spirit. Over 40 years of ministry have afforded him a profound understanding of life's most complex passages -- joy and sorrow, hope and loss -- and have refined in him a compassionate ministry rooted in listening, humility, and grace.

He completed his undergraduate studies in history and political science at the University of the Philippines, where he cultivated a disciplined, contextual understanding of human societies and moral responsibility. He later earned his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, grounding his pastoral work in rigorous theological reflection, critical thought, and a deep empathy for the lived experiences of others.

Rev. Simon has co-written four books -- Unstoppable, Relentless, Divinely Designed, and Fearless -- each reflecting his enduring commitment to faith, resilience, and purpose. Most recently, he co-authored The Last Conversations with his brother.

Elzar Dodjie Simon is a renaissance man whose achievements span information technology, engineering, artificial intelligence, and music. A distinguished alumnus of the University of the Philippines College of Engineering, he has held global technology leadership roles, including Chief Information Officer positions with major organizations in the United States and Asia, and currently serves as a Senior IT Director at a leading multibillion-dollar research university in New York. His career includes pioneering enterprise data management initiatives, leading large-scale technology transformations, and receiving recognition from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is also an accomplished AI thought leader and author of AI Hacked and AI Hacked 2, sharing his insights through lectures at top universities, large corporations, and executive leadership organizations across the globe. 

Beyond technology, Elzar is widely known in the Philippine music industry as Dodjie Simon, an award-winning songwriter whose works have been performed by many of the Philippines’ most celebrated artists, including Disney’s Lea Salonga. His compositions have earned major honors in international and national songwriting competitions, including the Asia Song Festival and Metropop Song Festival. A graduate of Industrial Engineering, he has furthered his expertise through advanced studies at institutions including MIT, Cornell University, Boston University, and Oxford University.