| Saint Ezequiél Moreno y Díaz | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Pinara, and Pasto, Colombia | |
| Born | 9 April 1848 Alfaro, Tarazona, Spain |
| Died | 19 August 1906 Montegudo, Navarra, Spain |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 1 November 1975 by Pope Paul VI |
| Canonized | 11 October 1992, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | 19 August |
| Patronage | cancer |
Ezequiel Moreno y Díaz, also Ezekiel Moreno y Diaz was a member of the Order of Augustinian Recollects and now venerated as a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He was born on 9 April 1848 in Alfacro, La Rioja, Spain and later on served as a missionary to the Philippines. He also became the Bishop of Pinara and later of Pasto, both in Colombia. His brother Julián Moreno, OAR is also venerated as a Blessed because of his martyrdom in Motril. He is invoked as the Patron of Cancer Patients.
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Born in the city of Alfaro, La Rioja, Spain to Felix Moreno and Maria Josefa Diaz. He is the third offspring of five : Eustaquio, Juana, Ezeqiel, Valentina and Benigna. He had another sister named Maria de las Candelas who passed away at a very early age. Ezequiel first wore the habit of the Recoletos in Monteagudo, Navarra, Spain on 21 September 1864. Later, he made his solemn vow in Marcialla (also in Navarra) on 22 September 1868.
The monastery in Monteagudo was known to be the monastery that sent missionaries to both the Americas and the Philippines. Therefore, as expected, the saint sailed to Manila, the colonial capital of the Captaincy General of the Philippines, and set foot to her shores on 10 February 1870.
At the middle that year, St. Ezequiel sailed to Jaro, Iloilo where he received and finished his minor orders. A year later, he sailed back to Manila in order to receive his sacerdotal orders from the Manila Archbishop Grogorio Melitón Martínez. Today, the letter of the archbishop informing him of his sacerdotal ordination is one of the best preserved manuscript during that time.
After ordination, he was immediately sent to his first mission in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, Mindoro. There, he became proficient in Tagalog that made the Filipinos rejoiced in his canonisation, saying that Tagalog is now a language of the saints.
Two years after his arrival to the Philippines, the arduous task of being the Military Chaplain of a penal colony in Puerto Princesa City was added to his missions. There, he was instrumental in the foundation of the towns of Arbolan and Inagawan. Unfortunately, he was struck by malaria which forced him to leave the islands.
When he was able to recover from the disease, he was again made in charge of a mission in Calapan. Though only 28 years of age, both the Archbishop of Manila and his Recoleto Prior assigned him as Vicar Forane of the Island.
In 1876, he was transferred to Las Piñas and worked zealously for the development of the lives of the people in the area. The city suffered many major calamities during his pastorship, yet the people did not lose hope because of his example. It was because of this saintly way of life that he exemplified that the people of Las Piñas opposed his transfer to Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
The appeal, as strong as it was, was not successful and Fray Ezekiel was transferred to Santo Tomas. However, he was recalled to Manila because he was appointed as the General Preacher of the order. The people of Santo Tomas also made an appeal to suspend the order but like what happened in Las Piñas, their request was not granted. It was October 1880 when he assumed the post in Manila. Just starting his post as Preacher General, he was assigned as parish priest of the nearby Santa Cruz Parish in the modern-day Sta. Cruz, Manila. He assumed the popst on February 1881.
A year later, he was assigned to take charge of the Recollect Hacienda in the towns of Imus and Bacoor in Cavite. During his stay, the towns were struck by cholera and the priest worked hard to make the last rites available to his faithful. in fact, of the 3,200 who perished in the tragedy, only 3 died without the blessings of the priest.
His saintly life made him elected as Superior to the Seminary in Monteagudo in 1885. Through this post, St. Ezequiel imparted his missionary zeal to many missionaries to the Americas and the Philippines.
It was in 1888 that he once more crossed the Atlantic Ocean and became the head of the Recollect mission in Columbia. He served as Vicar apostolic of Casanare and was named bishop of Pinara, Colombia on 23 October 1893. He became Bishop of Pasto, Colombia on 2 December 1893. He was noted for his generous charity to the faithful of his diocese.
As most of the Colombian Catholic Church hierarchy, Ezequiel Moreno aligned himself with the Colombian Conservative Party. During the Thousand Days War, he used his writings and preaching sermons to attack the Colombian Liberal Party and to urge Catholics to fight the liberals and to "defend their religion with Remingtons and machetes", promising automatic Absolution.[1]