St. Ezekiel Moreno, OAR

DID you know that some saints had walked on the soil of Negros Occidental? One of them is Pope St. John Paul II. Another stayed a little longer on the island. I am referring to an Augustinian Recollect Missionary St. Ezekiel Moreno. He had stayed in Talisay, Negros Occidental, to avail of the hydrotherapy method of his brother Fr. Fernando Cuenca, OAR.

Augustinian Recollect historian Professor Emmanuel Romanillos gives us the biography of St. Ezekiel Moreno. St. Ezekiel was a Spaniard born in La Rioja, Spain, on April 9, 1848. He and his brother became religious in the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Technically, he is the first OAR religious who became a saint. His journey as a religious missionary commenced at the Philippine Mission station from 1870 – 1885. He was then recalled to Monteagudo, Navarra, Spain, as Prior from 1885 to 1888. He was elected as Prior Provincial of the Province of Candelaria in Colombia from 1889 – 1893. He was then made by the Holy See as Apostolic Vicar of Casanare, Colombia, from 1894 to 1896. He was then made Bishop of Pasto, Colombia, in 1896. He served as its bishop until 1906.

He joined our creator on August 19, 1906, at Monteagudo, Navarra, Spain.

Prof. Romanillos further wrote that the familia Moreno in Alfaro, la Rioja were known for their industry, honesty, and piety. At the age of 16, he entered the novitiate to learn how to be an Augustinian Recollect religious. During his formation, his companions called him "the good one," Prof. Romanillos added. His formation in Spain was interrupted by the Revolution of 1868. The Saint with companions were sent to the Philippines in 1869. He continued his formation in the Philippines and was ordained on June 2, 1871. After his solemn profession of vows and his priestly ordination, he started his missionary adventure in the Philippines.

St. Ezekiel started his work with his brother, Fray Eustaquio, in Calapan, Mindoro. This is the place where he learned his Tagalog. After seven months, he was assigned as Chaplain of the expedition to Palawan. In Palawan, St. Ezekiel and his companion worked hard for evangelization and eventually took the hearts of the locals. However, his work was cut short when he contracted malaria, forcing him to seek medical attention in Manila. But there, it was discovered that he also suffered from anemia.

Isn’t it easier to pass through the wide door? Of course, it is, but with its ways of sinfulness, selfishness, moral decay, and indifference, this wide door leads to nowhere but destruction. So, what is our recourse? The grace of God. We cannot save ourselves; only by the grace of God can we be saved. We only have to put our faith in Jesus who paid the price of our sins by his death on the cross. And we have to make that faith a living faith – a faith that demonstrates itself in doing good, for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).

In our eyes, it is difficult indeed to enter through the narrow door, but with God, all things are possible. He gave his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16), and yes, the good news is that the word “whoever” there includes you and me.