DILI – The Superior General of the Society of Jesus (SJ), Fr Arturo Sosa, has appointed Fr Erik John J. Gerilla, 46, as the next Regional Superior of the East Timor Region (ETR).
Fr Erik, known as ‘EJ’, was born in 1977 in the Philippines. After obtaining a Bachelor of Accountancy from Ateneo de Davao University (1998), he joined the Society of Jesus at the age of 26 in the Philippines. Following his studies in Philosophy, he was sent to East Timor in 2008 for his regency in Colégio de São José. After his theological studies at Loyola School of Theology, in Manila, EJ was ordained priest by Cardinal Antonio G. Tagle, then Archbishop of Manila. He was then missioned again to East Timor.
Along the years, he had a number of responsibilities within the East Timor Region: Director of Jesuit Social Service – Timor Leste (2014), Regional Treasurer and Development Officer of the Jesuits in Timor-Leste (2017). After his tertianship in Australia and his final vows, since 2020 to present time, he has been the parish Priest of Paróquia Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima, in Railaco, Timor-Leste.
Fr EJ Gerilla will take office on January 3, 2024, the Feast Day of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.
Timor-Leste is East Timor’s official Portuguese name.
– Courtesy of Curia News (minor edits by The Macau Post Daily)
Undated file photo of Fr Erik J. Gerilla, the new SJ regional superior of East Timor – Photo courtesy of Jesuit Global
