THE four Augustinian Recollect communities in the Diocese of Bacolod will celebrate the feast of St. Ezekiel Moreno, Patron Saint of Cancer Survivors and an Augustinian Recollect Missionary to the Philippines on August 19.
The University of Negros Occidental Recoletos Oratory of St. Nicholas of Tolentine will celebrate the fiesta with a Eucharistic Celebration with Fray Amadeo Lucero, OAR as the main presider at 10 am. There will be a community rosary at 9:30 am.
The community of Resource-Handumanan will have its celebration with a Eucharistic celebration at 8 a.m. with Fray Ronel Gealon, OAR.
The Contemplative Augustinian Recollect nuns at St. Ezekiel Moreno in Tangub will hold their fiesta with a eucharistic celebration at 8 a.m. with Most Reverend Louie Galbines, DD, bishop of the Diocese of Kabankalan, as the main presider. This could be viewed live through the Facebook account Ezekiel Moreno Monastery and Heart Media Productions.
Novena masses in honor of St. Ezekiel Moreno were held by these communities and all other OAR communities around the Philippines and the world since August 10 with a common intention for the healing of cancer and Covid-19 patients. In all community masses, strict health protocols will be observed.
St. Ezekiel Moreno was an Augustinian Recollect missionary assigned to the Philippines in 1870. He was ordained Deacon at the Jaro Cathedral and was ordained to the sacred priesthood in Manila. In 1872, he was appointed chief missionary in Puerto Princesa in Palawan. Malaria ended his missionary work with the Tagbanuas of Palawan. He walked on the island of Negros, specifically in Talisay, to have the famous hydrotherapeutic treatment under Padre Fernando Cuenca. He was then made as Curate of Calapan Mindoro in 1873. After Mindoro, he was assigned to Las Pinas, to Batangas, to Sta. Cruz in Manila, and to Bacoor and Imus in Cavite. After his missionary work in the Philippines, in 1885 he was transferred to Spain to train future missionaries to Asia and America.
In 1888, he was transferred to Colombia and in 1896 he was made Bishop of Pasto, Colombia. In mid-1905, he was diagnosed to have cancer in the palate. On August 19, 1906, he died in the odor of sanctity. In 1915 and 1975, his mortal remains were exhumed and found incorrupt. He was beatified by Pope St. Paul VI in 1975 and was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 1992. (PR)