Papal Mass at Rizal Park (Luneta Grandstand) January 18, 2015

I should have posted a blog about this Holy Mass a year back, however, there is something special about this Mass aside from being Celebrated by Pope Francis and being held in our country, the Philippines...

... and that is, one of the Deacon that served in this Holy Mass, Rev. Adrian Ermita, now Rev. Fr. Adrian Ermita, hails from our province, Zambales, where in, a few months after this celebration, was ordained Priest, and lucky enough for us, was assigned in our Parish as Parochial Vicar, his very first assignment.

Hailing from the Municipality of Masinloc, he took his Philosopy under the care of  Maria Assumpta Seminary in Cabanatuan City,  Province of Nueva Ecija and his Theology in San Carlos Seminary, Makati City, and was ordained Priest, in his hometown of Masinloc, Zambales on April 18, 2015.

He started his Priestly Ministry in our Municipality on May 4, of the same year, and has served us since then.



Nothing is permanent in this world, specially in the life of a Priest, thus on the 21st of this month, after receiving his marching orders, out of his promise of Obedience, he will be celebrating his last Mass under our Parish for he is transferring to San Narcizo, Zambales the next day, to serve as the new Assistant Parish Priest.

During his stint of more than a year, he was able to befriend not only the parish workers and volunteers but most of our parishioners,  a man of simplicity and humility, it is for sure that he will be missed.

To my dear Priest, confessor, Rev. Fr. Adrian, always remember that I and my family will always consider you a friend, and as we bid our farewell, may this simple prayer of a Discalced Carmelite give you more strength and guide...

"O Almighty Eternal God, Look upon the face of Thy Christ, and for the love of Him, Who is the Eternal High Priest, have pity on Thy priests. Remember, O most compassionate God, that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation which is in them by the imposition of the Bishop’s hands. Keep them close to Thee, lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.

O Jesus, I pray to Thee, for Thy faithful and fervent priests; for Thy unfaithful and tepid priests; for Thy priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Thy tempted priests, for Thy lonely and desolate priests; for Thy young priests; for Thy aged priests; for Thy sick priests; for Thy dying priests; for the souls of Thy priests in purgatory.

But above all, I commend to Thee the priests dearest to me: the priest who baptized me; the priests who absolved me from my sins; the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Thy Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the priests who taught and instructed me or helped and encouraged me; all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way, particularly [name a particular priest of your choosing here]. O Jesus, keep them all close to Thy heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen."

-- St. Therese of the Child Jesus "The little flower"

 and the prayers of St. Padre Pio be you your hope.

"... My past to your Mercy, My future to your Providence, My present to Your Love..." - St. Padre Pio