SAN MATEO, Rizal — The people of the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu celebrated with Rev. Fr. Bembol Hiteroza, Parish Priest, and Rev. Fr. Edwin Tirado, Parochial Vicar, in their Sacerdotal Anniversary last June 23, 2018.
Rev. Fr. Bembol Hiteroza was celebrating his 28th Sacerdotal Anniversary on June 23 while Rev. Fr. Edwin Tirado’s 14th Sacerdotal Anniversary on June 26.
The priestly anniversary celebration began with a concelebrated mass at 6 o’clock in the morning, presided by Fr. Hiteroza and Fr. Tirado with Frs. Gerard Masangya and Paquito Gallego, where hundreds of parishioners and church workers gathered.
Fr. Bembol gave the homily for the mass where he was emotional while sharing his story as a priest. He said that he was humbled that coming from a smaller parish, he was assigned to be the parish priest of the Aranzazu shrine-parish.
The parish priest said that his previous parish assignment was way different compared to Aranzazu shrine in terms of the workflow, but he is grateful and joyful to be assigned as the latter’s parish priest.
A salu-salo breakfast followed at the Formation center where each parish organization brought various foods to share. Video clips 
presentation were also shown by the Parish Pastoral Council Executive Committee.
Fr. Hiteroza is from the province of Malasiqui, Pangasinan. He finished Bachelor of Arts in Classical major in Philosophy in University of Sto. Tomas (UST) in 1983 and Bachelor in Sacred Theology in Maryhill School of Theology in Quezon City in 1998. The 56-year-old priest was born on January 29 and ordained as Priest in June 23, 1990 and has been assigned to different parishes since then.
Meanwhile, Fr. Tirado was influenced by his teacher, Sr. Josemarie Salania O.P. to enter the seminary in 1992 at St. Vincent Seminary. He earned Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at St. Vincent Seminary and took his Master’s Degree in Theology at St. Vincent School of Theology. Fr. Tirado was ordained as a priest on June 26, 2004 at San Vicente de Paul Parish in Manila. Before he became the Parochial Vicar of Nuestra Senora de Aranzazu.
Christian Jasper Robles
Senior Writer, Website Team - Media Ministry
Christian is a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Communication at Colegio de San Juan de Letran. He is a member of the writer’s team of Aranzazu Media and Public Information Ministry. A singer, performer, writer, church servant, and a Marian devotee. Currently, he is the secretary of Association of Our Lady of Aranzazu- Cofradia and member of Avant-Garde Singers. Passionate about writing different local religious traditions and Mariology matters; Christian is strongly dedicated in promoting and propagating the devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu.
