New Rector (News Feature)

Msgr. Mario R. Morales, VF:
New Shepherd for the MHCCS Flock
by: Sem. Alvin Divino B. Cerezo

THE END OF MSGR. RENATO MAYUGBA’S RECTORSHIP, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, paved the way for the beginning of new administration. Like a flock eagerly waiting for their shepherd to lead them, the seminarians were in great elation when Msgr. Mario Morales was appointed to be the next Rector of the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary.

Msgr. Ayong, as he is fondly called, was born on the 9th day of July, 1963. He was fourth among the five children of Mr. Rodolfo A. Morales and Ms. Concepcion Y. Revilla (deceased). He is a proud son of Mangaldan, Pangasinan. At the age of 14, he entered the Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Binmaley, Pangasinan. After 3 years, he went to Baguio to pursue his vocation at San Pablo Seminary and graduated with the degree AB Philosophy. He finally took his last four years of formation at the Immaculate Concepcion School of Theology in Vigan City. He was ordained to the priesthood on October 1, 1990 by the late Archbishop Federico Limon.

In his interview, he said, "Just like any other priest, it was not I who chose this priestly vocation but God. I simply became a priest because I gave my response to him with sincerity and honesty. God shows some signs and because of these signs, I became determined, generous and even trustworthy in giving my ‘yes’ to him. My only secret why I became a priest is that I believed in God’s plan for me."

He served at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Mangaldan, Pangasinan as his first assignment as Parochial Vicar. After one and a half year, he was assigned to Our Lady of Purification Parish in Binmaley, Pangasinan and stayed there for only two months and four days. In 1992, he was assigned to Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Calasiao and spent one and a half fruitful year as Parochial Vicar. In 1993, he was transferred to St. Ildephonse Parish in Malasiqui, Pangasinan. In 1995, he was chosen as the Spiritual Director of the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary. After 8 years of stay in the seminary, he was reassigned to the Parish Priest of the Our Lady of Purification Parish in Binmaley as Parish Priest.

On June 2006, by the grace of God, his missionary passion and zeal for priestly formation has led him to a higher task as the pastor for seminarians when Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz appointed him as the new Rector of MHCCS.

His coming to the seminary as a part of God’s plan is a blessing whereby the seminarians once more taste and see the goodness of the Lord!