His nickname is Father MM. He is now 53 years old, and he was born on May 17, 1973. He was born and raised in Cebu, Philippines. He is the youngest of the 13 siblings. There are six of his siblings, including him, in the United States, and the rest of his siblings and family are in Cebu, Philippines.
Father MM Cerna graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Management in 1997 in Cebu, Philippines. After graduating from college, he worked at a hotel for two years, became a Ballroom Dance Instructor for five years, and worked as a Licensed Realtor for five years before entering the seminary to study Priesthood in 2011. He was a seminarian of the Diocese of Cebu, Philippines, from 2011 to 2016.
Father MM Cerna moved to the United States on June 16, 2016, from the US Immigrant Petition filed by her American Citizen mother. He continued his seminary studies at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago for the Diocese of Joliet. He graduated in May of 2020 with his Master of Divinity graduate course. He was ordained to the Priesthood on June 20, 2020, at the Cathedral of Saint Raymond of Nonnatus in Joliet, IL, for the Diocese of Joliet.
After ordination, Father MM Cerna served as Parochial Vicar at:
• St. Raphael Parish, Naperville (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2022)
• Immaculate Conception Parish, Elmhurst (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023)
• Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Naperville (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026)
Father MM Cerna will begin his new assignment as our Pastor on July 1, 2026. This is his first assignment as a Pastor.
Father MM Cerna became an American Citizen in March of 2022. He has a great devotion to the Rosary and the Divine Mercy. He translated the Diary of Saint Faustina of the Divine Mercy into his own native Cebuano language.
Father MM's hobbies include running or walking on his treadmill daily and watching movies and YouTube videos. He loves and enjoys all kinds of food! He prefers to be called by his childhood nickname: Father MM
Father MM