Fr. Bong’s Thanksgiving Message on His 25th Anniversary in the Priesthood

From the bottom of my heart, I wish to thank all of you who have come these evening to join me in offering my thanksgiving to God as I celebrate my 25th year in the priesthood.

In February 1993, after my Comprehensive Exams at the Loyola School of Theology, His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, then the Archbishop of Manila, approved my application for ordination and asked me, together with my classmates who were also from the Archdiocese, Fr Jun de Peralta and Fr Lito Jopson, to choose the date of our ordination. We unanimously chose March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation. But since Cardinal Sin was scheduled to go to Rome that time and Fr.Bong Tupino III would return only on the 26th, he promised us that he would ordain us the following day, the 27th of March. While in Rome, however, he got sick and manifested signs of chickenpox. He immediately returned to Manila; and, Msgr. Soc Villegas, now the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, informed us that Cardinal Sin would not be the one to ordain us. In his stead, Archbishop Gian Vincenzo Moreni, then the Nuncio to the Philippines, had offered to ordain us. I wish to thank Cardinal Sin and Archbishop Moreni. May they both rest in peace!

Twenty-Cive years ago, in this very place, I was ordained to the priesthood. Today I return, bearing the fruit of the 25 years of priestly ministry and imploring the Lord to accept my thanksgiving and my desire to renew my priestly promises.

When I celebrated my 24th anniversary last year, I wrote my Bishop about my desire to return to this place today on this Solemnity of the Annunciation to express my gratitude to the Local Church of Manila whom I have served for 10 years before the establishment in 2003 of now our Diocese of Cubao. Thank you Bishop Ness for allowing me to celebrate my anniversary here and for accepting my renewal.

I was born and raised in Paco, Manila, in the humble parish of Our Lady of Peñafrancia de Manila. My parish priest then, Fr Vicente Coronel, came to our house one evening to anoint my dying grandmother who used to bring me to our parish church. When he saw me, he turned to me and said, ‘Ikaw, magpapari ka!’ He did not ask me if I wanted to be a priest; it was like a prophetic word, compelling and disturbing, difCicult to ignore! That year I volunteered to serve in the parish as an altar server and my parish priest did not stop motivating me until I decided to enter the seminary. The rest is history.

Twenty Cive years ago, here in this place, I received my Cirst assignment: Parochial Vicar of the newly established Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy in Sikatuna Village which, at this very moment, is also celebrating its 25th Anniversary. From there I was assigned as Parish Priest of Our Lady of Peace in Parañaque; then, of San Isidro Parish in Tandang Sora; then, of Hearts of Jesus & Mary Parish in West Triangle; then, of Our Lady of Pentecost Parish in Loyola Heights, and now, of Christ the King Parish in Greenmeadows. For 25 years I was called to be a Parish Priest — a shepherd and steward missioned to care for God’s Clock, God’s holy people. As I look forward to the coming years I am again entrusted with a new community to shepherd, the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice in the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Thank you Bishop Ness for your trust and confidence!

Today, as I contemplate the story of the Annunciation, I echo Mary’s wonder and awe, ‘How can this be?’

Paano nangyari ang dalawampu’t limang taon? Napakabilis ng araw! Parang binhing tinanim: tumubo at namunga nang hindi mo namamalayan at hindi nalalaman kung paano ito nangyari!

And the angel said to Mary, ‘the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the Most High will overshadow you.’

Huwag kang mangamba! Lulukuban ka ng biyaya ng Diyos. Yayakapin ka ng kanyang awa. Babalutin ka ng kanyang kagandahang-loob. At pupugpugin ka nya ng kanyang pag-ibig.

Mary said, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word.’

Pagtitiwala. Pananalig. Pagsuko sa pangako at katapatan ng Diyos. Ito ang patuloy na tawag at hamon.

Allow me to thank the Bishops and Priests who have concelebrated with me this evening – the Archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle; the Bishop of Novaliches, Most Rev. Antonio Tobias; the Bishop Emeritus of Novaliches, Most Rev. Teodoro Bacani; Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Cebu, Most Rev. Antonio Rañola; the Bishop of Naval and our homilist, Most Rev. Rex Ramirez; the Rector of Manila Cathedral & Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Manila, Fr. Reggie Malicdem.

The Priests celebrating also their 25th Anniversary this year – Fr. Mike Veneracion (Cabanatuan); Fr. Jovic Lobrigo (Legazpi); Fr. Joel Ruyeras (Tagbilaran); Fr. Lito Jopson (Pasig); Fr. Romy Ponte (San Pablo); Fr. Michel Joe Zerrudo (Cubao); Fr. Carlomagno Marcelo (Manila).

The Priests Formators and Alumni of San Jose Seminary, San Carlos Seminary, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary; the Priests Professors of Loyola School of Theology; the Priests from the different Religious Congregations – the Society of Jesus; the Augustinian Recollects; the Order of Carmelite Discalced; the Maryknoll Missionaries; and the Priests from the Prelature of Opus Dei; our Priests Friends from the other Dioceses – Antipolo, Bayombong, Caloocan, Malolos, Manila, Parañaque and Pasig. Most especially I wish to thank my brother priests from the Diocese of Cubao.

Allow me to thank also the Parishioners from my former Parish Assignments – Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy, Sikatuna Village, QC; Our Lady of Peace Parish; Fourth Estate Subdivision, Parañaque; San Isidro Labrador Parish; Philand Subdivision, Tandang Sora, QC; Hearts of Jesus & Mary Parish, West Triangle, QC; Our Lady of Pentecost, Loyola Heights, QC.

Most especially my Present Parish Community of Christ the King, Greenmeadows. Our Parishioners from – Greenmeadows Subdivision; Acropolis Village; White Plains Subdivision; Corinthian Hills Subdivision; Corinthian Gardens & Arcadia; St Ignatius Village & Le Maison; The Enclave & Ivory Court; Poveda & Robinson’s Residences; and Barangay Libis.

My special thanks to the Preparation Committee and our Liturgical Ministers – Bro. Mark Purugganan; Ms. Nerisse Lazaro; Ms Leila Banico, our Commentator; Seminarians RJ Demol & Kenneth Parsad,; Ms Jocas de Leon & Nikki Lazaro; our Readers & Psalmists; Ms Betsy Tenchavez & the Mother Butler MIssion; Seminarians of San Jose Seminary; our Altar Servers; and Chorus Paulinus, our Choir.

I am deeply grateful to our benefactors who have signiCicantly helped me to prepare this celebration. They do not want their names to be mentioned but their names are surely written in heaven!

Finally, I want to thank my family, my siblings and relatives, who are ever supportive of my priestly vocation and ministry. I believe that our parents too, Mama Luz and Papa Joe, are one with us tonight, praying with us and for us. Wherever they are, I wish to thank them for the selCless and unconditional love they have shown us. I still remember, when I entered the high school seminary I had with me a statue of Santo Niño. It was an image being peddled in Paco where we used to reside. We could not however buy it with cash money; for it was only being exchanged with old jewelries. Mama during that time had only one pair of earrings, a diamante negra. She knew I wanted to have the Santo Niño. And so, without any hesitation she let go of her precious earrings and gave them to the man in exchange for the Santo Niño. She told me to take it and to bring it with me to the seminary. Before she died two years ago, I gave her, unknowingly, a necklace with a Santo Niño pendant. It was only after her death that I realized that the Santo Niño became a symbol of our wonderful exchange of gifts, her enduring love for us her children, and our grateful love for her & papa.

Thank you Lord for giving us wonderful parents. And thank you for the gift of my vocation to the priesthood. Thank you for calling us as you have called the Blessed Virgin Mary to be an instrument of your salvation in the world. May I always say like

her, “I am the servant of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.”