Kalinga deacon ordained priest

By Peter A. Balocnit

LUBUAGAN, Kalinga -- A diocesan deacon of the Catholic Church was ordained priest to the Sacred Order of Presbyters March 7 at his home-village in Lower Uma, this municipality.

Bishop Prudencio Andaya Jr., Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk was the ordaining prelate and attended by 42 priests, parish delegates from other parishes, politicians and the media.

The first native from the Lubuagan sub-tribe to become priest, CoshieCrisSagaocDuppa-as, 26, and the first boy in the family took his first year at the St. John Vianne Orientation Seminary at the Tabuk Pastoral Center here.

He took up Philosophy at the St. Dominic Seminary in Bayombong Nueva Vizcaya and Theology at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology at Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

In his homily, Bishop Andaya said he was happy somebody was chosen by God to become a priest. “I thank God for His gift in the person of CoshieCris who will help us achieve the mission of Jesus Christ for man’s eternal salvation,” he said.

He told the faithful “We should respect CoshieCris’ priesthood, support his vocation grow and recognize him as one of the “pangats” (leaders) in God’s vineyard.

CoshieCris remembers his father did not favor his plan to enter the seminary to become a priest.

However, he was able to persuade his parents describing them in his response after his ordination as the happiest persons of the moment.

The ordination was the second to take place in Lubuagan, the first was that of Fr. SoteroGayawet 50 years ago of the same month that took place at St. Peter’s Church at the Poblacion.

Fr. Duppa-as is assigned as member of the roving team for Lubuagan and Tanudan with residence at the TPC. With Fr. Duppa-as, AVT at present has 28 priests – 19 diocesan priests, 5 CICMs, and 4 SVD fathers covering 17 parishes in the provinces of Aayao and Kalinga.