On November 23, 2025—the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe—
Fr. Emmanuel “Nono” Alfonso, SJ, professed his Final Vows in the Society of Jesus at the Chapel of St. Peter Claver, Jesuit Residence, Ateneo de Manila University. Surrounded by close friends in the Society, the moment marked the culmination of nearly three decades of formation, service, and fidelity to a vocation that has shaped not only his life but also the mission of Jesuit Communications (JesCom).
On the very next day, the JesCom family, Fr. Nono’s own relatives, friends, and fellow Jesuits gathered for a cordial lunch celebration. The atmosphere was warm and familial—a fitting tribute to a leader who has served JesCom since 2008 with humility, courage, and resilience.
The Feast of Christ the King, which closes the liturgical year, also invites the faithful to reflect on the “good ending” toward which all Christian life is directed. Fittingly, it was on this day that Fr. Nono—long a witness of hope through the media ministry—was formally incorporated into the Society as a bona fide Soldier of Christ and loyal Son of Ignatius. This lifelong commitment, made by the proud son of Naga, was sealed through the solemn pronouncement of perpetual poverty, chastity, and obedience, together with a fourth vow of obedience to go wherever the Pope deems him most needed.
Source: Philippine Jesuits Facebook page
The rite of Final Vows is often described within the Society as the moment when the Jesuit, who once “offered himself” at First Vows, is now fully accepted by the Society—“for better or worse,” as Jesuit writer Fr. James Martin, SJ puts it. Many years of ministry, studies, prayer, and the life-changing 30-day Spiritual Exercises all lead to this point of confirmation.
For Fr. Nono, this path included his 2023 Tertianship in Australia, a six-month period of deep prayer and reflection. There, he revisited the life of St. Ignatius, the origins of his vocation, and the meaning of consecrated life. Describing himself then as “a toddler in the spiritual life,” he entered the program seeking renewed intimacy with the God who called him. It was also during this period, thousands of miles away from home, that Fr. Nono continued to help guide the final stages of JesCom’s acclaimed film GomBurZa—a testament to his dedication to the ministry even while in silence and retreat.
With Fr. Nono at the helm, JesCom has transformed from a struggling media apostolate into a flourishing platform for evangelization. Through award-winning films, radio programs, digital content, and partnerships with the greater Church, Fr. Nono has indeed lived out Ignatius’s call to serve “where the need is greatest.” His work—spanning Ignacio de Loyola, GomBurZa, Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM, media literacy efforts, and numerous social apostolate initiatives—has helped shape JesCom into what he once proudly described in a June 2025 meeting with the Jesuit Curia as a remarkable “witness of hope.”
As the Church marks the kingship of Christ, Fr. Nono’s Final Vows also remind us that every vocation is ultimately a pilgrimage toward God’s loving plan—a lifelong journey of responding to Christ the King with freedom, generosity, and joy.
Embracing this new chapter as a fully professed Jesuit, Fr. Nono offered his life once more to the mission of proclaiming Christ through the power of media. Fully, humbly, and gratefully, Fr. Nono’s journey continues to inspire JesCom’s ministry to bring the Gospel to new frontiers, ever faithful to the call of Christ and the Society of Jesus.
AMDG
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