MANILA — Fr. Robert Reyes, known as the ‘running priest’, was named as head of the San Isidro Labrador Parish in Quezon City
In an interview Monday, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said the Catholic priest is also the head of the Ministry for the Urban Poor in the diocese.
“(It is) because of his love for the poor,” Ongtioco said when asked why Reyes was appointed as the head of the ministry.
His new assignment took effect last June 15.
In a separate interview, Reyes assured the faithful that he will always be at the parish, as what he always did whenever he has a parish to look after to.
“What the people did not know, in all the parishes I’ve been to I’m always there every day, although I also leave when I have to attend to other commitments. I also implemented all the programs that needs to be implemented,” Reyes said.
“I have two assignments priest-minister for the Ministry of the Urban Poor. There are many dioceses that have no such Ministry, so far the diocese (of Caloocan) under Bishop Pablo David has a Ministry for the Urban Poor,” the Catholic priest said.
This is the first time that the ‘running priest’ has been assigned with a parish in the diocese in over a decade after going on a “sabbatical leave” or “self exile” in 2006.
Reyes earlier had a conflict with Ongtioco over his assignments after insisting on his preference to engage in his social advocacies instead of parish work. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
