Fr. Nicolas “Nick” M. Echeveria, OSA (Order of Saint Augustine) was born on September 10, 1940 in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental to Cristobal Serdones Echeveria and Prisca Alegado Madrono. He was the fourth child in a brood of twelve.
He finished his elementary education at the Balingasag Central Elementary School (1947 – 1953) and his secondary education at Saint Rita’s School, also in Balingasag (1953 – 1957). In July 1957, he entered the Order at San Agustin Seminary in Intramuros, Manila. From the year 1959 to 1962, Fr. Nick took up his philosophical studies at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Espana, Manila. He was a novice from July 1962 to July 1963. He professed his first vows as an Augustinian religious on July 25, 1963, still in Intramuros. He then continued his studies at UST and took up theology from 1963 to 1967.
He solemnly professed his vows on July 25, 1966 and was ordained a deacon at the Manila Cathedral by His Eminence Rufino J. Cardinal Santos, Archbishop of Manila on May 20, 1967. On the feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, he was ordained a priest by the Most Rev. Alejandro A. Olalia, Archbishop of Lipa at the chapel of the Saint Francis de Sales Major Seminary in Lipa City, Batangas.
Fr. Nick has served in varied apostolates and ministries of the Province through the years. His first assignment was at San Jose Community in Iloilo City from November 18, 1967 to June 24, 1968. Shortly, he was transferred to the Basilica del Santo Nino Community and served there until November 1971. On the same year, he was assigned back to Iloilo, but this time as a Member of the University of San Agustin Community. It was during this time that he completed his MA degree in Guidance and Counselling at the University of San Carlos (Cebu City). From 1975 – 1978 as well as in 1985 to 1988, he was the School Director of Colegio del Santo Nino (CSN) in Cebu City. In 1982, he earned his MA in Spanish from the Instituto de Cooperacion Iberoamericana (Madrid) with a thesis entitled La Relacion entre lo humano y lo divino en la poesia de Fray Luis de Leon. Fr. Nick also served as Treasurer of the Basilica del Santo Nino from 1984 to 1989.
From June 1989 to 1994, Fr. Nick was assigned as Parish Priest of Nuestra Senora de Gracia Parish in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City. He also served in various capacities at the Monasterio de Guadalupe Community as Prior and Treasurer and as Member of San Agustin Seminary’s Formation Team.
On April 1994, Fr. Nick was moved to Santo Nino de Cebu Parish in Mohon, Talisay City, Cebu where he served as Prior of the Community and as Parochial Vicar at the parish. From May 1996 to March 2000, he was assigned anew at the Basilica del Santo Nino first as Community Member, and later as Sub-Prior and Vice Rector (July 1997 to March 2000) and Treasurer (July 1998 to March 2000).
From April 2000 to March 2004, Fr. Nick was once more assigned in Mohon. He was Prior and Treasurer of the Community and Parish Priest of Santo Nino de Cebu Parish. After serving in Mohon for four years, Fr. Nick was transferred to the Basilica del Santo Nino in April 2004 serving as Sub-Prior of the Basilica Community until April 2008.