Feeling the call to priesthood during my 4th year in high school, I remember asking my father’s permission to enter Maryhurst Seminary, the formation house for CICM Missionaries (Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae) in Baguio City. He laughed, saying, “You won’t even last one week in the seminary.” I realized right then that if I got homesick at the seminary, I might not be able to go home to Naga and face my father.
Nevertheless in 1967, right after my high school graduation, I did enter Maryhurst Seminary, hoping someday to become a CICM missionary priest. In 1971, I took my religious vows with the CICM congregation and did missionary works in the Mountain Province. However, when my ordination drew near, I decided to become a diocesan priest. With the permission of my CICM superior general, I applied to serve with the Archdiocese of Caceres. I was ordained a diocesan priest on August 16, 1981. By August of this year by God’s grace, I will be celebrating my 44th sacerdotal anniversary.
I am blessed to have been a priest for 44 years. I do not have any regrets. I am happy with my life as a priest with all its high and low moments. It is my life. If I were to repeat life all over again, I would still choose the priesthood.
For my pastoral works in the Archdiocese of Caceres, I was assigned to these parishes: St Anthony of Padua, Iriga City; St James the Apostle, Libmanan; St Bernardine of Sienna, Cabusao. In 1990, the Prelature of Libmanan was carved out of the Caceres Archdiocese with Prospero Arellano as the first bishop, comprising all the towns from Minalabac to Del Gallego. I continued to serve as the Pastor of St Bernardine of Sienna, Cabusao under the Libmanan Prelature until I was transferred to Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in San Isidro, Libmanan in April 1992.
In 1995 I was tasked to take care of the Parish of St Pius X in Villazar, Sipocot, but in 1999, Bishop Prospero Arellano pulled me out of the Villazar Parish and appointed me the Chancellor and Economus of the Prelature. I was also appointed Director of the Justice and Peace Commission. I served in those positions until the middle of 2001 when I transferred to the Diocese of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. I continued my priestly ministry in this diocese from the middle of 2001 until the end of 2011 when I transferred to the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Upon arrival in the Diocese of Richmond, I was immediately tasked to take care of two parishes: St Mary’s Church in Suffolk, Virginia and Good Shepherd Church in Smithfield, Virginia. In August 2016, I was transferred to the Church of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in West Point, Virginia, where I served until June 2025.
During the weekend masses of June 28-29, 2025, I bade farewell to my beloved parishioners at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.
I share below my farewell message:
My dear brothers and sisters, my heart aches as I deliver my valedictory address to you.
In August 2016, I arrived in this parish, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church. When I arrived here, I didn’t know a single soul. I was basically a complete stranger in this place. But as days, weeks, and months, and years passed, I have come to know almost all of you.
When I arrived, I had no family I could call my own; now, you have been a family to me. You have accepted me and considered me as a member of your own families.
You invited me to your family events, especially to your baptisms, graduations, weddings, and many anniversary celebrations. I enjoyed your hospitality as you welcomed me to your homes, and in many occasions, I joined you for brunch, lunch or dinner. You supported me with sustenance, like meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and snacks.
When I needed help, personal or otherwise, you were always there to extend a helping hand (not only a hand but many hands). When I had a doctor’s appointment, boom, you volunteered to drive for me. When I needed a ride to the airport you were there to drive for me and pick me up when I returned. It is a very good feeling for me to feel that I belong.
Etched in my heart are the kind and encouraging words you have offered me; the hugs (some bear hugs) you have given me; the smiles and the laughter; the morning cup of coffee after morning Mass. Surely, I will miss the children of this parish, especially those who come forward and hold my hands to process out with me after the Saturday night/morning Masses. I will miss the altar servers and the parish youths. I will miss the choir, members of the Parish Council, Finance Council, Liturgy Committee, the grounds committee who always see to it that the grass are well cut and manicured, Facilities committee, the hospitality group who prepare the reception at the hall when there is a funeral service, and other occasions, the Knights of Columbus, other different ministries.
I will miss the Ushers who are always there to welcome parishioners and visitors as they enter the Church for the Holy Mass, the lectors, the cleaners of the Church, those who always see to it that everything is ready for the celebration of the Holy Mass during the week and the weekend.
I thank the office staff, including the volunteers who worked in the office. I will always cherish my stay in this parish with all the sorrows and joys, the ups and downs, the good and the bad experiences.
At the end of June, the Lord calls and beckons me to begin a new phase of my priestly life as a retired priest after serving the Church for 44 long years. Now, the Lord is telling me: Well done, good and faithful servant. You deserve your rest.
I am very grateful to the Lord our Good Shepherd and to the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, for giving me this opportunity to be your Shepherd for the past 9 years. I am not perfect. I have my own weaknesses. But, in the best way I could, I tried to be a good shepherd to this parish and to you. It was a very spiritual, rewarding and fruitful and uplifting experience for me.
I am very grateful to all of you for the welcome you have extended me since the time that I arrived here; for loving me as your pastor and priest; for taking care of me. I am very grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to pastor you for the last 9 years.
As I leave, I leave a part of me in this parish for you have become a part of me. I will continue to pray for you and this Parish. And I hope you also continue to pray for me, especially that I will transition from being the pastor of this parish to being a retired priest.
Your new Administrator is Fr Jose Arje Flestado, from the Philippines (again). And I ask you, welcome your new pastor more than the way you welcomed me; love him more than the way you loved me; take care of him more than the way you took care of me. Accord him the proper respect and dignity befitting a priest, a man of God. That way, his transitioning to becoming your new pastor will be a lot easier.
St John the Baptist said about Jesus: “He must increase; I must decrease.” And this is my advice to you: Fr Jose Arje Flestado must increase; and I must decrease. Soon I will just be a memory to you.
Surely, I will miss this Parish and all of you. But life must go on. And to quote the American poet Robert Frost:
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”
Yes, I still have many more promises to keep and miles to go before I lay me down to sleep in Christ.
Again, A Million Thanks to all of you! In Pilipino, “Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!” In Spanish, “Gracias!” In Vietnamese, “Cảm ơn!” May God bless you always!
The header photo is the stained glass at the Church of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in West Point, Virginia. Fr. Oscar’s life story in the introduction first appeared in the Ateneo de Naga High School Class of 1967 Golden Anniversary Yearbook published in 2017. The featured photos in this article are from Fr. Oscar’s FB page.