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LORD'S SERVANTS. Msgr. John Pernia
(l) marks his 50th year as priest while his younger brother,
Very Rev. Tony Pernia is the SVD superior general, concelebrates
the thanksgiving mass attended by more than 50 priests
led by Bishops Leonardo Medroso, Leopoldo Tumulak, Antonieto
Cabajug and Miguel Cinchez at the Lourdes Parish last
Friday. Foto DANNY REYES |
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A
true-blue Tagbilaranon, Rev. Msgr. John Pernia came home
to celebrate his 50th anniversary to the priesthood with
his family and the Boholano community, highlighted by
a well-attended Thanksgiving Mass last Friday morning
at the Our Lady of Lourdes (OLLP) Parish church. |
Ordained
priest on March 22, 1958, Msgr. John had his initial assignment
as secretary to the first Boholano bishop, the late Bishop
Manuel Mascarinas D.D., while serving as parochial vicar of
the St. Joseph Cathedral. He was also procurator and a professor
at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Taloto District.
He
spent 20 years as military chaplain assigned in various posts
throughout the Philippines and culminated his service with
a rank of full colonel. He likewise served as chancellor to
His Eminence Rufino Cardinal Santos and Archbishop Mariano
Gaviola, both military vicars.
Since
1986, Msgr. John has been based in the United States serving
in various parishes, namely: St. Brandan Church, All Souls
Church, St. Paul Church, and Star of the Sea Church, all in
San Francisco, California. He was also a pastor at the Our
Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Daly City, California.
THE
PERNIA FAMILY
The
eldest among the nine children of the late Dr. Juan and Petra
del Mar Pernia, the 74-year old cleric was joined in the most
significant occasion of his priest-life by siblings who came
all the way from the United States, Europe, and Manila.
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Msgr.
John's younger brother, the Very Rev. Fr. Antonio del
Mar Pernia, who concelebrated the Holy Mass with him,
is the Superior General of the Society of the Divine
Word and is currently based at the SVD Central Headquarters
in Rome (refer to separate story).
Two
other brothers, both ex-seminarians, have found their
vocation in the excellent pursuit of their individual
careers. Dr. Ernesto del Mar Pernia, presently with
the College of Economics of the University of the Philippines
in Diliman, is considered among the country's best economists.
He was former lead economist of the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) and former Regional Adviser of the International
Labor Organization. As UP professor, he had among his
students President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when the
latter pursued her PhD. in Economics. Joseph del Mar
Pernia had finished his Masters in Business Administration
and is currently based in Burke, Virginia, U.S.A.
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The
female members of the Pernia family are equally distinguished:
Corazon Pernia Rodis, a broker realtor in Fullerton. California,
has a Masters in Music; Socorro Pernia Veloso is a chemist
and has a PhD. in Communication, Rosario Pernia Velasquez
is an interior designer based in Virginia, and Mercedes Pernia
Hugo is a medical technologist in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The eldest daughter, the late Milagros Pernia Ordonez was
a pharmacist and medical technologist.
JCP-PMP
SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
Grateful
for the Catholic instruction that has molded them and in honor
of their parents who put premium on giving them quality education,
the Pernia siblings had established the Juan C. Pernia - Petra
del Mar Pernia Scholarship Foundation that affords full scholarship
to economically-challenged but deserving students of Holy
Spirit School.
Since
its inception in 1985, more than twenty scholars have enjoyed
free tuition and miscellaneous fees, book and uniform allowances,
as well as monthly stipends all throughout their high school
years.
All
Pernia children finished their formative years of schooling
at HSS-Tagbilaran.
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