Meet Fr. Noel Cruz, M.S.

Where were you born and raised?

Fr. Noel Cruz, M.S.I was born in Bustos, Province of Bulacan, in the north-central Philippines. My father’s name is Conrado, a professional surveyor, and my mother, Natalia, is a housewife. We were originally seven children – four boys and three girls – and then one sister, Patricia Ann, was adopted when she was only seven days old. My brother, Fr. Froilan Cruz, O.F.M., serves as a priest in the northern Philippines.

We are a very close-knit family and, on Sunday, we would always go to Church together. For meals, everyone had to be present; in fact, we would wait until all were present; our parents truly valued our eating together and always began with prayer before meals.

Our family’s special occasions were, of course, Christmas and Easter but also attending the three services of the Easter Triduum.

How did you first hear about La Salette?

After I had lived at the Franciscan seminary (semi-contemplative) for five months, I went into the library and found information on the La Salette Missionaries, who were an active religious order. In the Franciscan Seminary, only an hour travel from my family’s home, we had family visits every two months, a bit too restrictive for my family, who wanted to see me more often.

I inquired about entering the LS College Seminary in Santiago City, Isabela. Soon I moved to Silang, Cavite where I completed my postulency, novitiate and then took philosophy and theology at the SVD Seminary at Tagata City.

I was ordained January 23, 1992, at the La Salette National Shrine in Silang, Cavite. I have served as associate pastor for two years, and was put in charge of the College formation program for five years. In 1999 I came to the U.S. for the first time for Mission Appeals in the eastern United States.

Window above altar in Shrine Church, Silang, Cavite, PhilippinesIn 2000 I served for three months in Argentina but got ill and came back to the U.S. for treatment. Then I returned to the Philippines and served in parishes and our National Shrine. In 2015 I was asked to serve as associate pastor in St. Christopher’s Church in Moreno Valley, California.

What did you enjoy most in your ministry?

I loved serving in parish ministry because of its wide variety of ministries. I got to meet so many wonderful people. It was for me a fulfillment of my priesthood. For example, sharing my faith-experiences in my homilies, celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation – the fulfillment of our charism of reconciliation as La Salettes.

What impresses you most about the LS Apparition?

I visited the Holy Mountain of LS in France twice and met so many other La Salettes. I was impressed with our oneness of charism and purpose. We are all Mary’s children.

When I visit other La Salette ministries, I am consistently impressed with our basic unity as a community. Mary’s words, “Don’t be afraid”, help me to let go of any hesitation or fear of meeting, working and living with other La Salettes.

In accepting to do Mission Appeals in the summer of 2016 in the eastern U.S., every weekend I am sharing Mary’s final mandate – “make this message known to all my people” – to many different parish communities, thus fulfilling the final mission she asked of us all.