Saint Who Served in the Philippines

We were a Spanish colony from 1521 to 1896. For 500 years the Spanish church evangelized us through Spanish orders and congregations like the Dominicans, Augustinians Recoletos, Jesuits, and Benedictines.

St. Ezequiel Moreno entered the Augustinians Recoletos Seminary in Monteagudo, Navarra, Spain and accepted his first religious vows on September 22, 1868 at age 20. He chose our nation as his mission area, arriving in Manila on February 10, 1870, was sent to Jaro, Iloilo Seminary where he finished his minor orders. In 1871, he was ordained priest. His first assignment was as Military Chaplain of the Jwahig Penal Colony in Puerto Princessa, Palawan. He returned to Manila to recover from malaria. He was then sent to the Augustinian Mission in 1. Calapan, Mindoro, 2. Las Piñas, 3. Sto. Tomas, Batangas. He was so good that the parishioners in Las Piñas and later in Sto. Tomas protested his transfer to other places.

Then he became the General Preacher of the Philippine Augustinian Recoletos and parish priest of Sta. Cruz Manila. Later, he was assigned to the Recoleto Farms in Imus and Bacoor, Cavite. When cholera struck Imus and Bacoor, he gave the last sacraments to 3,200 victims.

In 1885 he returned to Spain to be the Monteagudo Augustin Seminary Superior. He was then sent to the country of Colombia in South America as Vicar Apostolate at Casanare and later ordained as Bishop of Pasto, Colombia. He had a reputation for holiness, kindness and simplicity.

In 1906 he returned to Spain because of cancer and died in Monteagudo in August 19, 1906. After his death, people clamored for glorification. Many testified on his holy life and miracles obtained through prayers. He was beatified on November 1, 1975 by Pope Paul VI and canonized on October 11, 1992 by Pope John Paul II and August 19 is his feast day.

The first parish dedicated to St. Ezequiel was in Caloocan City on November 1, 1992. Today there is a very popular pilgrimage place in Palawan called St. Ezequiel Balon Pari. This is a spring discovered by St. Ezequiel when he was assigned in Palawan. The Recoletos built a small chapel along the spring where healing mass is celebrated once a month. Many pilgrims say the Balon Pari spring benefited them physically and spiritually. He served in our nation for 15 years with zeal and dedication. (Excerpts from the article of Ana Bacgadiong, FSP, Pauline Magazine, 2018)