They Shall call him “Father"

They have three children: DJ, the eldest, a graduate of the University of Central Florida; RJ is a student at the University of Central Florida and Anna attends Philip Shore Magnet School of the Performing Arts. Fr. Bonoan was born on December 16, 1954 in the Philippines to the late Bishop Emerson Bonoan and Alicia Sales and practically grew up and was raised in the Episcopal Seminary community of St. Andrew's in Quezon City where his father was a professor. It was at St. Andrew's that he completed his BA in Theology and MA in Divinity. Following ordination into the priesthood on April 29, 1979, he served as an assistant parish priest or parish priest in three parishes and was resident staff at the newly established Philippine Independent Catholic Church Seminary near Manila.  

Fr. Bonoan and his family emigrated to the United States in 1983 where he became a U.S. citizen. He was first assigned with the Philippine Independent Catholic Church Diocese in Tampa as the Dean of the Pro-Catholic Church of Jesus of Nazareth. He came to the Diocese of Southwest Florida in 1993. Also in 1993, Bishop Harris licensed him in the Episcopal Church as Priest-in-Charge at St. Luke's, Land O'Lakes. In 1998, he was received by Bishop John Lipscomb as a Canonical Resident of the Diocese of Southwest Florida and answered the call to serve as the Diocesan Canon Missioner to the Asian Community. He was later assigned to the Asian Ministry Office located at St. Andrew's in downtown Tampa after he completed his term at St. Luke's. He ultimately became a part of the parish staff and has served in both capacities since 1998.

In addition to assisting at local mission churches and parishes, he has also served on the Diocesan Extension Committee, the Anti-Racism Committee and the Multicultural Committee. He was as board member of the Seafarer's Ministry at the Port of Tampa. He has also been active with Cursillo.