The Notre Dame des Philippines Catholic Mission of Montreal welcomes the arrival of Fr. Roberto Ruben Elago from the Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP), to replace Fr. Francisco Alvarez, P.M.E., who officially retired last Nov. 30, 2021.
At age 75, and for health reasons, Fr. Frank, has decided to return to the motherhouse of the Quebec Society of Foreign Mission Priests in Pont-Viau, Laval.
During his 25 years of stewardship, he witnessed the spiritual and religious growth of the community of faith and vigorously pursued the acquisition of St.Thomas the Apostle church, to be the home of Notre Dame des Philippines Catholic Mission of Montreal.
Also retiring at the same time were Sister Luz Paderanga, O.P. , archivist-fiscal, and Mel Villanueva, the church's bookkeeper. Both had worked for a long time and the community sincerely thanks them for their dedicated service.
The Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP) sent Fr. Elago as Fr. Frank's replacement in response to the request by Fr. Pierangelo Paternieri, Director, Office for Cultural Communities of the Catholic archdiocese of Montreal.
His arrival date was delayed due to the covid pandemic; nevertheless, he made it to preside the observance of simbang gabi. To the amusement of some, Fr. Elago ,conducted the entire liturgy in flawless Tagalog, the official language of Filipinos; a rather impressive show of versatility in world languages and a first in Notre Dame des Philippines' history.
Fr. Elago reflected upon his first experience with the community, as being positive. "It's my first time to celebrate simbang gabi mass," he said, and "I was impressed" by the display of talents in the choreography, which integrated the Christmas tableau into the mass.
He faces the formidable challenge to continue to build upon the 1989 mandate of the canonical installation as a"missio cum cura animarum" rooted in customs and traditions; and respecting the needs and aspirations of Filipino Catholics.
The apostolic work was started by his predecessors; Fathers Carmelo Gosioco and Frank Alvarez, P.M.E., who fostered a vibrant faith community; as "light of the world " and " salt of the earth".
Fr. Elago's missionary experiences with Filipino migrants abroad should serve him well here in Montreal. The community is starting to gravitate to his pastoral style and
is appreciative of his dynamic approach to spiritual and religious ministry.
He holds a Licentiate degree in theology from the Angelicum in Rome and was a doctoral student in Formative Spirituality at the Gregorian University. His studies, however, were on hold by his appointment as superior general of the Mission Society of the Philippines and as seminary rector in Tagaytay.
Fr. Elago started his priestly formation at the San Jose de Mindanao College Seminary and obtained his bachelor's degree in philosophy from Xavier University
in Cagayan se Oro. For theology, he went to Davao, to study at the Saint Francis Xavier Regional Seminary run by the PME Society, but finished his studies at the Divine Word (SVD) Seminary in Tagaytay.
He was ordained priest in 1974 by the late archbishop Patrick Cronin of Cagayan de Oro; co-presided by the late Bishop Epifanio Surban of Dumaguete. Fr. Elago celebrated his first mass in his hometown plaza of Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental . His family was originally from Leyte, where he was born in 1948.
He is a priest of the Mission Society of the Philippines; a "Society of Apostolic Life", established by the Philippine bishops in 1965, as a "living memorial of the church's gratitude
for the gift of faith " and as the "chief missionary arm of the Catholic Church in the Philippines". The Mission Society received canonical status in 2009 from the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of peoples.
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He joined the Mission Society in 1970 and received his first assignment to Indonesia for 5 years; New Zealand, 13 years and Australia, 9 years.
The Society has 2 bishops and 74 priests working in the Philippines and in 12 other countries and territories across the world. Their central office is located in Binan, laguna ; a formation
house in Tagaytay for students of theology and philosophy. New candidates go to Consolacion, Cebu to undergo missionary spirituality and formation.
BIENVENUE , MALIPAYONG PAG - ABOT, MALIGAYANG PAGDALO, BENVENIDO , WELCOME TO YOUR NEW APOSTOLATE. AD JESUM PER MARIAM !
