Newly installed rector of Basilica del Sto. Niño offers the Holy Communion to the faithfuls with Archbishop Jose Palma during the mass on Monday morning. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The Basilica del Sto. Niño de Cebu has a new rector.
Fr. Pacifico “Jun” Nohara, OSA was formally installed as new rector by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma during a Mass inside the centuries-old church in downtown Cebu City on Monday.
Nohara, a native of Pilar town, Camotes Island in Cebu, replaced Fr. Jonas Mejares, OSA who was designated parish priest of the Sto. Niño Church in Mohon, Talisay City.
Both of them has a term of four years.
Fr. Nohara said he didn’t expect to be appointed rector of the basilica.
“When I was a child, I used to sit down in one of the pews here and listen to the homilies of the Augustinian priests. And then I decided to become a priest,” he said.
“After 13 years of being a priest, I’m back here, no longer as a boy who simply listens to homilies, but as rector who serves the people and takes care of the image of the Child Jesus—the Bato-Balani sa Gugma (Magnet of Love),” he added.
The 43-year-old priest used to be assigned in the mission area of South Korea and served in the Augustinian seminary in Manila.
Archbishop Palma called on the people to welcome and love their priests—a sign of God’s love for His people.
“God said I will give my people a shepherd. And this reflects His love for us,” he said.
“Fr. Jun, thank you for coming over and accepting the task to be rector of this basilica. On one hand, I know the people will miss Fr. Jonas but he’s just in Talisay and just a text away,” the archbishop said.
As a form of turnover, Fr. Mejares handed over a replica of the Sto. Niño de Cebu to Fr. Nohara.
The Augustinian fathers, the first congregation that arrived in the country in 1521, and the caretakers of the image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu, will have a huge role to play in preparation for the fifth centennary of the Christianization of the Philippines in 2021.
Palma said the Catholic Church, led by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, has started the preparations for the big event.