“Ministrare Non Ministrari” - “I came to serve and not to be served.”
This Latin dictum was placed on the altar walls of St Paul the Apostle Church in Cabagan, Isabela on December 10, 2003, the day I was ordained to the priestly ministry for the Diocese of Ilagan, Philippines.
My full name is Michael Fernando Thomas Purugganan Gazzingan, the first born of Bonifacio Talamayan Gazzingan and Eufrosina Gazzingan Y Purugganan. I was born on January 28, 1976—the eldest of three. My younger brother, Fr. Mark, is also a priest, and the present Pastor of St. Victor’s Parish in San Jose. Priesthood runs in the family. I have two grand uncles who were Bishops in the Philippines. People close to me call him Gelo or simply Michael or Mike. I went to the seminary at the age of thirteen. I love to play basketball and later shifted to tennis. (I am looking for a tennis buddy now on Mondays.)
I went to Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary in Makati Philippines and later transferred to San Jacinto Seminary in the region where I was raised. I finished college at the Royal and Pontifical University of St. Tomas Central Seminary in the Philippines with a Bachelors in Philosophy, Licentiate in Philosophy and AB Classical. After high school and college seminary, I went on a discernment period for two years and worked in the telecommunications industry. I then decided to return to my seminary formation to finish the required degrees before being ordained to the priesthood.
My first assignment was to assist in the Parish of St. Joseph, Echague Isabela for a year. My bishop then entrusted me with the office of Pastor at St. Isidore Parish where I served for five happy, fruitful years. I then came to United States and joined the Diocese of San Jose in September of 2009 to serve in the Parish of St. Maria Goretti (San Jose) until 2015. Bishop McGrath later assigned me to St Athanasius (Mountain View), and then to St Frances Cabrini (San Jose) where I concentrated mostly on hospital ministry at Good Samaritan hospital.
I look forward to my time here at St Thomas Aquinas and to serving all of you in my own humble and little way. Ministrare non ministrari.