Come & Join Us!
For more than 11 years . . .
the only Misa sa Wikang Tagalog
every Sunday in the Chicagoland area.
Participating Priests
Fr. Alfredo Salera
Pastor of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Church since July of 2010, Father Al Salera grew up in Bohol and then, Cebu City in the Philippines. To learn more about him, visit Fr. Al Salera at the Transfiguration of Our Lord parish official website.
Fr. Robert Florido
Born and raised in Lopez, Quezon, he earned his bachelor's degree in Sacred Theology at the University of Santo Tomas in 1979. After being ordained priest on April 18, 1979, he was assigned associate pastor at Dinalupihan, Bataan for a few months before coming here in Chicago.
Inline with his hospital ministry, he took Clinical Pastoral Studies at the University of Chicago. Fr. Obet was a resident priest at the Transfiguration of Our Lord Church when he became the hospital chaplain at the St. Mary's Hospital from 2000 to 2007. That was the time he got involved with a group of Filipino-Americans that resulted in "Misang Tagalog". Presently, he is the hospital chaplain at the V.A. Hospital in North Chicago since 2007.
Fr. Renato L. Pareja
A native of Atimonan, Quezon, Fr. Rene Pareja was ordained priest on August 6, 1981. He took his studies in Philosophy at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Seminary in Sariaya, Quezon and St. Francis de Sales Regional College Seminary in Marawoy, Lipa City in Batangas, and Theology at the St. Alphonsus School of Theology in Isabang, Lucena City.
He finished his Licentiate in Sacred Scriptures at the Pontifical Biblical Institute and his Doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, both in Rome. From 1996 to 2000, he was rector of St. Alphonsus Regional Seminary, where he also taught biblical courses for almost 20 years.
Fr. Pareja authored: "Sa Paanan ng Panginoon" and "Lucena: The Story of a Diocese."
Fr. John Era, C.M.
Fr. John Era is a Vincentian priest from Quezon City. He earned his bachelor's degree in Philosophy at Adamson University, Manila and his master's degree in Pastoral Theology at St. Vincent School of Theology. He was ordained priest on March 3, 2001. Presently, he is studying at DePaul University and taking his Master's in Community Counseling.
Fr. Tirso Saludares Villaverde Jr.
Born in Caloocan City, Fr. Tirso with his family (originally from Lucban, Quezon) moved to Chicago when he was 4 years old. He went through the Chicago Public School system, graduated elementary school in 1984 from Haugan School and high school in 1988 from Roosevelt High School.
After high school, he went to St. Joseph College Seminary and graduated in 1992. Then, he proceeded on to Mundelein Seminary and finished in 1996. After he was ordained priest on May 18, 1996, he was assigned as associate pastor of St. Pascal church in Chicago until 2000 and St. Isaac Jogues in Niles from 2000-2003. In 2003, he became the pastor of St. Francis of Asisi/Our Lady of the Angels and St. Peter Canisius on the West Side of Chicago. Presently, he is an associate pastor of St. Bartholomew in Chicago since 2007.
Fr. Ferdinand Labitag, C.M.
Ordained on February 27, 1999 as a priest of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Fathers) from Gubat, Sorsogon, Fr. Dandy studied Philosophy at Our Lady of Penafrancia Seminary in Sorsogon and Vincentian Hills College Seminary in Angono, Rizal and Theology at St. Vincent School of Theology. He spent his first 3 years of priestly ministry doing mission for the Archdiocese of Ozamiz City in Mindanao and as chaplain of the Carmelite Monastery of St. Joseph in the same city.
In 2002, he went to Taiwan to join the Chinese Province of the Congregation of the Mission. After a year of Mandarin language studies, he was assigned as Provincial Treasurer and as pastor of an indigenous community in Taidong, Taiwan until he came to Chicago in 2009 to study Non-profit Management at De Paul University.
Misang Tagalog Core Group
We are a group of modest Filipino-Americans who believe that the deep spiritual thirst and hunger in the hearts of Filipino-Americans and Filipino expatriates here in Chicago and its suburbs, need to be addressed. So, we dedicate ourselves to help build and support a community, characterized by our profound faith in God through our Filipino Catholic devotions, traditions and heritage, to respond to these needs. Thus . . . a regular celebration of the Holy Eucharist in Tagalog or "Misang Tagalog" was born!
In the midst of today's changing and challenging times, we sincerely pray that this community of faith provide a spring of strength and unity, as well as a source of love and joy to every kababayan as one grows in relationship with it.
After more than eleven (11) years of keeping up the same setting; Sunday afternoon, five o'clock, Transfiguration of our Lord Church, gathering around the Table of the Word and the Holy Eucharist . . . we will continue our work of bringing Christ to Filipino families in Chicago through the Misang Tagalog.
Bishop Solis with members of the Core Group after the 10th Anniversary Thanksgiving Mass.
Core Group Members
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| Budz Bagadiong | Cari Bagcus | Shirley Calabas | Albert Palafox | Amor Eden Saenz | Louie Velasquez |
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| Willie & Lita Endaya | Jesse & Lilette Mante | Lito & Sally Martinez | |||
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| Rene & Ayres Pagatpatan | Romy & Pining Rufo | Dante & Cora Urbina | |||
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| Rudy Bautista | Julie Chavez | Ronald Fajardo | Lucy Galang | Romy & Lourdes Taan | |
Mike & Beth Yraola |
Former members of the Core Group:
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| The Core Group with Fr. Dandi Labitag. | The Core Group with Fr. Ding Dayo. |