Fr. Norman Melchor Pena celebrated his 25th sacerdotal anniversary at the Sanctuary of St. Paul the Apostle on June 19, 2021. The jubilarian led the concelebrated Mass in thanksgiving to the Lord for the gift of Pauline charism, mission, and vocation.
In his homily, Msgr. Gerardo Santos, the parish priest of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Makati, highlighted the significance of the Eucharistic celebration in relation to the Year of St. Joseph and the 500 Years of the Arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.
Moreover, Msgr. Santos recalled the vocation journey of the jubilarian and his apostolic and missionary life in Australia and in Rome. Three important points which Msgr. Santos wanted the jubilarian to take into mind: the identity of the disciple and not just as a communicator in the field of Mass Media, the continuous zeal for evangelization, and the pastoral care of the true Shepherd which brings hope in the life of the people.
In his message, Fr. Valdir José de Castro, Superior General, congratulated Fr. Peña and wished him to continue his Pauline ministry with renewed creativity, confident that the Divine Master would accompany him and renew in him the meaning of the Pauline life: “Come to me, all of you.”
After the liturgy, the community capped the celebration with a sumptuous lunch with audiovisual presentation showcasing the Pauline life and ministry of the Jubilarian.
The celebration also was streamed online via Sambuhay TV Mass YouTube channel and Facebook page.
