Rev. Monsignor Jeremias Ras Rebanal, JCD, PhD

February 5, 1930 – January 24, 2026

Monsignor Jerry Rebanal lived his 71 years of priesthood with an energy and passion that seemed inexhaustible. Ordained on March 26, 1955, as a priest for the Diocese of Legazpi, Philippines, after studies at the Holy Rosary Archdiocesan Seminary in Naga City, he served with reverence and humility worldwide, touching countless lives through his ministry, scholarship, and an extraordinary gift for making every conversation substantive.

What made Monsignor Jerry legendary was his remarkable ability to organize and communicate—and the way he moved people to action. Sent by his bishop for graduate studies in Canon Law at U. of Santo Tomas, he would later earn doctoral degrees in jurisprudence (JCD) from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and in sociology (PhD) from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. But his scholarship was never merely academic; it equipped him to build networks and organizations that served people and mobilized communities.

His pastoral journey carried him from the Philippines to Canada to New Jersey, where he served as Pastor of St. Aedan's Church in Jersey City until his retirement. Called to unite cultures and communities, he organized and coordinated both the Filipino Apostolate and Hispanic Apostolate for the Archdiocese of Newark. He didn't just administer these ministries—he built them into vibrant communities. This included his work in mentoring young Filipino priests and creating spaces where faith and heritage flourished together.

Monsignor Jerry was equally at home in the pulpit and the classroom. He served as Dean of the Graduate School at Aquinas University, Professor at St. Vincent's School of Theology, and held academic positions spanning from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila to the University of Windsor in Ontario. As a judge on marriage tribunals in Newark and London, Ontario, his canonical expertise was matched by his pastoral sensitivity—he understood that behind every case was a human story, salvaging many a couple’s relationships and unity, uniting and binding families to their everlasting gratitude.

But perhaps what made him most remarkable was how he carried others with him. He was a natural storyteller, weaving tales of his childhood in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation in World War II, his studies in Spain, Rome, and Canada, and the Marian pilgrimages he led to the Holy Land, Rome, Guadalupe, Lourdes, and beyond. His memory was legendary—he could recall details from decades past, keeping the stories of his family alive across continents and generations. His intellect and wisdom amazed all and moved his flock to action well beyond individual capabilities.

Despite the demands of leading parishes, coordinating apostolates, teaching, and serving on tribunals, he always made time for his family, reaching out across time and distances to advise, console, and offer a helping hand, including his ten grandnieces and grandnephews in the Philippines and the United States, and delighted in his twenty grandnieces and nephews. Tito Jerry (later Lolo Jerry) served as the moral guide and arbiter for the family. He was the patriarch who baptized, married, buried, and counseled hundreds around the world, yet never forgot a birthday or a story shared over a glass of red wine, always steering them to paths of righteousness.

Monsignor Jerry was emotionally engaged and deeply present. Though he was a leader of extraordinary accomplishment, he never led alone—he brought people along, invested in their formation, and created community wherever he went. His faith was lived not just in grand gestures but in the daily practice of showing up, listening deeply, and serving tirelessly.

Monsignor Jeremias Ras Rebanal is survived by his brother, Dr. Raphy Rebanal and his wife Ofelia Severo of Schenectady, NY, and their children: Raphy David (Olivia Maristela) and their four children, Randy (Zandra Pasigna) and their three children, Rachel (Kito Delgado) and their child, and Raeann (Michael Maddalone) and their three children.

He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Valeriano and Catalina Ricafrente Rebanal; his maternal grandparents, Juan Ras and Alejandra Quintana; his father, Sotero Rebanal; his mother, Vicenta Ras; his brothers Atty. Levi Rebanal (Isabelita Felix) and their children Noel (Georgina Untalan) Neil (Suzette Llamas) and Lizette and two grandchildren, Monsignor Antonio Rebanal, and Atty. Uriel Rebanal (Lina Arevalo) and their children Jay, Uriel (Ninez Bello) and Joeter (Janet Pesino) and seven grandchildren; and his sisters Sister Therese Agnes, OCD (Elisa Flor) and Araceli. Sotero and Vicenta has indeed multiplied and bountifully blessed with all these Rebanal children and grandchildren. We are all eternally grateful to the Lord for all the blessings showered on us, and for all of you, Monsignor Jerry’s flock of extended families.