FR. PAUL Reagan Talavera, O.P. was solemnly installed on Tuesday as the 15th parish priest of the Santisimo Rosario Parish.
Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, vicar general and moderator curiae of the Archdiocese of Manila, led the Eucharistic celebration for Talavera’s installation.
In his homily, Ignacio reminded the faithful that the goal of the Church is to proclaim the faith amid the “fast and changing world.”
“The fast-changing realities entice many but in the process, it dislocates the generations and bring people into the spiral of confusion, emptiness, meaninglessness and slow death. [W]e pray that his (Talavera) life and his good heart as a pastor will manifest God’s love for us, which the martyrs proclaimed in their lives,” Ignacio said.
Ignacio also called on parishes to prevent the “deceptions of the world” from hindering God’s love for mankind.
Talavera replaced Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P., who served the parish for three years.
Coronel was appointed regent of the College of Science in February.
In his farewell message, Coronel said his service in the parish was “God’s act of graciousness.”
“I have never prayed to be given such a privileged post but I did pray that I may become instrumental for the faithful to become closer to God. [I] will keep in my heart the many life lessons that I learned, the laughter that we shared, the love that keeps us serving amidst life’s anxieties. [I] never felt alone in such a challenging journey,” Coronel wrote.
Echoing the message of St. Paul, Talavera said it was important to show reverence not just to gain approval from people but to serve with the Lord with a sincere heart.
Talavera finished his bachelor’s degree in theology in UST in 2007 and his master’s degree at De La Salle University in 2011.
He was ordained priest on Aug. 6, 2011.
Talavera is the outgoing regional treasurer of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.
He is finishing his term as principal and prefect of discipline of the Angelicum School in Iloilo City. He is also the outgoing secretary of the Association of Religious Men in the Archdiocese of Jaro.
The Santisimo Rosario Parish, which also serves as the University chapel, became a parish on March 21, 1942 by decree of Manila Archbishop Michael O’ Dougherty.
