Rev. Msgr. Pedro Celestino Say

Reverend Monsignor Pedro Celestino Say claimed his heavenly reward on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 after a brief illness. He was born on March 28, 1928, in Manila, the fifth of seven children of John and Tee Hee (Ty) Say. Growing up, life in Celestino’s household was austere because of his father’s declining health and his mother’s death when he was five. The Say children were schooled gratis by French-Canadian missionary nuns of the Immaculate Conception and baptized together in December of 1936. Their devout Catholic faith fortified the family throughout WWII, at which time Celestino witnessed and experienced hardship and mistreatment during the Japanese occupation of the islands. Celestino recalls stopping by the church every day to say, “Hello, Jesus. You better take care of this little boy or he is done for!”

After high school, Celestino snuck into the Benedictine monastery soon after graduating, but had to return home due to his father’s severe protestations. Two years later, he re-entered the same monastery and was allowed to stay when his godfather said to his father, “If this is not your son’s vocation, he will be out in a week. If it is a true vocation, you’re fighting God.”

Celestino was ordained on March 21, 1958, by Archbishop Santos in the abbey chapel in Manila. As a Benedictine Father of the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, Father Say served as Head Librarian of the Benedictine College, Manila, from 1959-62 and subsequently obtained a MS in Library Science from The Catholic University of America in 1964. In 1968, Father Say was appointed Prior-Administrator of the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, a position he held until 1973, one that carried all the responsibilities of an Abbot.

When Martial Law was imposed on the islands in 1972, the Benedictine monks and their homilies, which were continuously monitored, came under criticism by the government. At the Congress of Abbots in Rome in September of 1973, Father Say tendered his resignation and asked for reassignment. He was subsequently assigned to the Archdiocese of San Antonio where he worked as a Benedictine religious from 1973-80, at which time he earned his American citizenship and was incardinated into the Archdiocese. He served as Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in San Antonio from 1973-75 before moving to Hallettsville to assume the same position at Sacred Heart until 1982. Father Say served as Pastor of Sacred Heart parish from 1982-94 before becoming Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Victoria in 1995, a position he held until 2015. Named Monsignor in 2013, he directed the restoration of the Lourdes’ sanctuary from 2008-2013 and continued enhancement of the church with sacred murals by Ukranian artist Bogdan Chernetskiy from 2013-2015.

Msgr. Say is remembered as a prudent administrator and merciful confessor, a gentle priest whose compassionate ministry to the homebound and hospitalized endeared him to thousands. He is preceded in death by his father and mother, John and Tee Hee Say, his sister, Magdalena Say Yap, and his brother, Luciano Say. He is survived by two sisters, Anne Say Lau of Northern California & Marcelina Say Stockman of Sylmar, California, and a brother, William Francisco & wife Angela Say of Glendale, California, and nearest living nephews Ben & wife Dione Say, Marty & Leo Say, all of Irving, Texas. Donations in Msgr. Say’s memory may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Preservation & Enhancement Fund, 105 N. William St., Victoria, TX 77901 or charity of donor’s choice.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 7, 2015 from 4-7 PM at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with a Rosary and Vigil service to begin at 7 PM.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 AM on Saturday, August 8, 2015 from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Celebrant, Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, S.T.D., Concelebrants, Rev. Msgr. John Peters, Fr. John Kollannur, and The Priests of the Diocese of Victoria & Visiting Priests. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery.

Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.