P R I E S T S
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FATHER CESAR A. RUBIANO
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A N N IV E R S A R Y
FATHER JEFFREY J. KEGLEY
Father Jeffrey J. Kegley, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Middletown, was born in May 1959, in Red Bank to Leon and Kathryn Kegley. Father Kegley attended St. Ann School, Keansburg, and graduated from Keansburg High School in 1978. He studied at the American Institute of Banking, New York Chapter, and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Thomas Edison State College, Trenton. During this time, he remained active in his parish as a member of the choir and in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which eventually led him to leave behind his career and embark on the path toward priesthood. After completing his studies in Immaculate Conception Seminary, South Orange, Father Kegley was ordained a priest by Bishop John C. Reiss in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, May 18, 1996. He was then assigned to St. Mary Parish, Middletown. In 2001, Father Kegley was named parochial vicar of St. Catharine Parish, Spring Lake, where he served for three months before being assigned to St. Veronica Parish, Howell, as parochial vicar. In 2004, Father Kegley was named administrator of Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton, after a merger created St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish in 2005. Father Kegley was named pastor of the new parish. In 2012, Father Kegley returned to St. Mary Parish as pastor there, where he continues to serve. He also remains an active member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and in 2011 was appointed liaison with the Diocese of Trenton for the Charismatic Renewal.
FATHER VICENTE N. MAGDARAOG
Father Vicente N. Magdaraog, parochial vicar in St. Veronica Parish, Howell, was born in July 1964. He was raised in the Philippines, where he graduated from Bicol University, Legaspi City, with a bachelor’s degree in industrial education. Having felt a call to the priesthood from an early age, Father Magdaraog chose to come to the United States in 1986 at the suggestion of Father Thomas Gier, a missionary priest and friend. Father Magdaraog began studying in Seton Hall University, South Orange, earning a bachelor’s degree in religious studies before pursuing theological studies in Holy Apostles College and Seminary, Cromwell, Conn. Father Magdaraog completed his preparation for the priesthood in Mount St. Mary Seminary, Emmitsburg, Md., and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John C. Reiss in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, Dec. 14, 1996. Upon his ordination, Father Magdaraog was assigned to serve as parochial vicar of St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford, where he spent six months before being named parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish, Barnegat, in 1997. After five years in Barnegat, Father Magdaraog was assigned to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Maple Shade, in 2002. In 2006, he was named parochial vicar of St. Dorothea Parish, Eatontown, until his current assignment in St. Veronica Parish.
FATHER ARIEL F. ROBLES
Father Ariel F. Robles, who serves in St. James Parish, Red Bank, was born in April 1968, to Rene and Corazon Robles in Malolos, Philippines. He has five siblings. Father Robles attended schools in the Philippines and began his preparation for the priesthood there in 1985 in Immaculate Conception Seminary, earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He continued his studies in Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila, and received a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology in 1995. Father Robles was ordained to the priesthood in Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Manila, Philippines, July 31, 1996. Following his ordination, Father Robles served as a professor and later as dean of studies in Immaculate Conception Seminary in the Philippines. He also served as a parochial vicar in several parishes in his home diocese from 1996 to 1998, and from 2004 to 2007. In 2008, Father Robles came to the United States and received his current assignment as an adjunct priest in St. James Parish, Red Bank. Since 2008, he has also been pursuing post-graduate studies in Seton Hall University, South Orange.
Father Cesar A. Rubiano, pastor of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton, was born in October 1967 in San Juan Rioseco, Colombia. He is one of three children of Fanny A. de Rubiano and Gonzalo V. Rubiano. He studied for the priesthood at Valmaria Major Seminary of the Eudist Fathers in Bogota, Colombia, and was ordained there for the Congregation of Jesus and Mary March 30, 1996, by Bishop Carlos Jose Ruiseco, now Bishop Emeritus of Cartagena de Ludias. Father Rubiano was sent to live in the United States by his congregation shortly after his ordination. He was first assigned to the campus ministry program in San Diego State University. In 2000, he moved to New York and became a city and hospital chaplain; director of the Eudes Foundation, an outreach created by his congregation to minister to those with HIV/AIDS, and a domestic violence volunteer for the Brooklyn district attorney’s office. After encouragement from Father Javier Diaz, a fellow Colombian priest and pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton, Father Rubiano was appointed in 2007 as an adjunct priest in St. Mark Parish, Sea Girt. Two months later, he was named diocesan coordinator of the Hispanic Charismatic Renewal based there. In 2007, he was appointed secretary and master of ceremonies to Bishop John M. Smith and a member of the diocesan curia, and he resided in Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, West Trenton. Incardinated into the Trenton Diocese by Bishop Smith on March 30, 2009, he was named temporary administrator of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish as he continued to serve with Bishop Smith. On Dec. 1, 2010, the official date of Bishop Smith’s retirement, Father Rubiano was appointed by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., to continue serving Bishop Emeritus Smith. Father Rubiano then began his doctoral studies in moral theology and bioethics in the Pontifical Academy, Rome. In 2014, he was named administrator of Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton, where he was named pastor in March, 2015.
FATHER MIGUEL VIRELLA, SVD
Divine Word Father Miguel Virella, pastor of Mother of Mercy Parish, Asbury Park, was born in July 1956 in Ciales, Puerto Rico. Father Virella earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo., and a bachelor’s in theology from Universidad Intercontinental, Tlalpan, Mexico. He then earned a master of divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. On Aug. 22, 1992, Father Virella made his first profession of vows with the Society of the Divine Word in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Techny, Ill. His profession of perpetual vows took place Sept. 16, 1995, in the same location. He was ordained to the priesthood March 23, 1996 in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, and assigned upon ordination to St. Anthony Claret Parish, Lakewood. Father Virella was later assigned to serve as parochial vicar in St. Rose of Lima Parish, Freehold, before being named pastor in Our Lady of Providence Parish, Neptune. In late 2011, he was also appointed as administrator pro tempore for St. Peter Claver and Holy Spirit Parishes, Asbury Park, in addition to retaining his leadership in his Neptune parish. In July 2012, two parish mergers resulted in the opening of Mother of Mercy Parish, Asbury Park, and Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., appointed Father Virella as pastor of the new parish community. Father Virella has served extensively in Hispanic ministry and is district superior of the Society of the Divine Word’s New Jersey District.
JULY 28, 2016 • TRENTONMonitor.com •
Lives OF FAITH • S39