A Brief Personal Background and Parish History

Fr. Perry Medina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In the midst of my profession as an agriculturist, year1986, I sensed the call of God and took the entrance test in San Jose Seminary, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines. By God’s revealing grace, I passed and entered the seminary in 1987, a post-EDSA revolution era. Since then, time seemed so quick by the rigorous training and formation in the seminary- academics, community life, spiritual and pastoral formation, and so on. In short, it was a strange new world for me, enclosed and yet connected in the usual world outside. Looking back, there was not a single moment of dullness. It was all full of new excitements and challenges even in the most sacred silence of meditations and in the most busy actions of the apostolate.

Thank God I became His priest in October 1, 1994 in my hometown Samal, Bataan, a town made by God perhaps for the most number of priests in the province, counting now to be 13. I belong to the three-neighborhood priests, a unique phenomenon of the “call”( Fr. Gerry Jorge, Rev. Arnel Takata, and myself, as neighbors). I wish there will be more vocations to respond and continue the “chain”  of  our neighborhood-priesthood.

Recently, I celebrated my 10th year in the ministry.  I am presently assigned as parish priest of St. Nicholas de Tolentino Parish in Mariveles, Bataan, Philippines. This town was directly involved during World War II against the Japanese in 1942. Mariveles was the zero kilometer landmark of the “Death March” going to Capaz, Tarlac, and the military reservation of the Filipino-American soldiers in Corregidor, Cavite. This parish was devastated by the war and the church was rebuilt a number of times. Tracing back the roots of its origin, the parish church was  built and established by the Recolletos in 1729. It is now 275 years old to be exact. By the blood of  heroism and the spirit of the religious missionaries, the Parish of St. Nicholas stands in a holy ground.

There is really a Godly world “within” each world whether personal or historical. What we need is to search deeply and prayerfully. I hope and pray each day I will discover “one” in me, in you, in us, and in the world around us.