Feature
Father Robert-Joel Cruz celebrates his silver anniversary of priesthood this year Story by Janet Marcel Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier Father Robert-Joel Cruz, a native of Lucban, Quezon, in the Philippines, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood this year. He was ordained June 8, 1996, by Bishop Michael Jarrell, at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. Father Cruz has been serving as diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, St. Peter the Apostle, and the Missionary Childhood Association since April 2005. He also serves as the diocesan director of the 34 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • July 2021
Ministry of Healing and Liberation. When asked what influenced him to become a priest, Father Cruz says it was mainly his family. “My family always had special devotions to prayer, the Eucharist and Our Lady. We always went to Mass and were actively involved in the church. When I was little, my parents told me that the consecration was one of the most special moments of the Mass and during the eucharistic prayer and the consecration, I would go to the center aisle
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