MONSIGNOR Elmer Abacahin, a respected Catholic priest and former president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), has died at 69 after a year-long battle with cancer, the Press Club announced.
COPC President Froilan Gallardo expressed the group’s grief, describing Abacahin as “a mentor, a friend, and a guiding light.”
He shared fond memories, including the priest’s blessing of his home and car in 2016, and offered condolences to Abacahin’s family.
Abacahin, who served as the 39th president of the Press Club, held the post for four terms: 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2017.
Former COPC President Dr. Manuel Jaudian lauded his impact, noting, “Monsi Elmer greatly contributed to the Press Club, especially in upholding moral values.”
A prominent figure in the Catholic Church, Abacahin was ordained in 1983. He was the first executive secretary of the Committee on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, serving from 2004 to 2011. In 2021, the committee was elevated to an episcopal commission.
Among his other roles, he was Archdiocesan Pastoral Coordinator, director of the Youth Apostolate in the 1990s, and vice rector of the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Misamis Oriental.
In 2000, he was conferred the title of Monsignor by The Holy See.
The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro requested prayers for his repose, announcing a wake at the Abp. Hayes Hall of St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral. His funeral Mass and burial are scheduled for Nov. 25 at San Jose Memorial Park.
Abacahin’s passing leaves a profound void in both the Press Club and the religious community he served for decades.
