OAR Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno pays tribute to Golden Jubilarians

OAR Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno pays tribute to Golden Jubilarians

The months of September and October are special for Fr. Emeterio Buňao, OAR and Fr. Hubert Decena, OAR, as they celebrate the 50^th anniversary of their priestly ordination.

At some stage of their Augustinian Recollect lives, Frs. Bunao and Decena have been teachers, formators, and school/seminary administrators. And joyfully, still they continue to offer many wonderful and diverse gifts to the Order and the Church. The long labor and love of Frs. Buňao and Decena produced about 86% of the Recollect priests, not counting the thousands of friends, families and many others whose lives they blessed and in some ways shaped through their ministry.

On October 7, Saturday, at the Our Lady of Consolation Parish Church in Quezon City, a thanksgiving mass was offered for the two jubilarians, and to remember as well their friends, their families and the many who, in some ways, have shaped and blessed them.

Fr Provincial, Fr. Dionisio Q. Selma, OAR, gave the homily at the Eucharistic celebration.  He humorously remarked on how Fr. Buňao and Fr. Decena have in many different ways shared their lives meaningfully with people—in the schools and in parish communities, and in the seminaries. But the preacher remembers most the jubilarians for their work in the area of formation. He noted that he had learned (and surely, the rest of the priests who once were under their care) a great deal from these two Recollect confreres/jubilarians about generosity, love for work, discipline tempered with affection and search for God. Both are men for friendship and this is so because their deepest relationship in this world is based on their friendship with Jesus. They remain to be authentic models of religious life.

Right after the thanksgiving mass was a fellowship at Bulwagang Recoletos where visitors and well-wishers were entertained by numbers depicting the life and significant events in the life of the golden jubilarians.  It was an afternoon of laughter and joy which climaxed with the thanksgiving messages by the golden jubilarians.

Fr. Buňao and Fr.  Decena: made to last forever in the lives and hearts of people they touched as priests and religious . . . congratulations!