I was born in Pangasinan, Philippines, and am the youngest of eight children raised by a widowed mother. I went to St. Vincent de Paul College Seminary and Adamson University under the direction of the Vincentian Fathers and Brothers of the Philippine Province for his Philosophical Studies (College Seminary).
In 2005, I joined the Diocese of Sacramento as a seminarian and attended St. Patrick’s Seminary & University in Menlo Park for my Theological Studies. On May 2010 I received the Sacrament of Sacred Orders.
I was assigned as the parochial vicar of St. John Vianney Parish in Rancho Cordova (2010-2012) and of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Vallejo (2012-2014). I was also a priest-in-residence at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Downtown Sacramento (2016-2017) and started to work full-time as a staff member of the Tribunal Office at the Pastoral Center.
I am glad to join the parish community of St. Rose of Lima Parish as your new parochial vicar, while also continuing to work as a member of the staff of the Tribunal Office.
Trivia: “Fr. Mikel” is the unofficial spelling for my name, which started during my college seminary to distinguish my name from the other four seminarians also named Michael.