Every beginning, through replete with difficulties, is always marked with optimism. Its vision, still etched with streaks of darkness like the breaking of the dawn, nevertheless carries a lot of promise. the hope for the revelation of a fuller day is marked with courage, determination is at its best.
Such is the case of the Most Holy Trinity Parish in Datag, Caramoran, Catanduanes, Philippines; the pains and joys of its birth now comprising its unfolding history.
Its past goes back to the pioneering works of Franciscan Missionaries in the northwestern side of Catanduanes. while it is true that the first encounter of the natives with Christianity happened in Batalay in the southeastern town of Bato in 1576, actual works of evangelization in the island would start a little later in Caramoran.
Perhaps afraid that a fate similar to that of the Augustinians led by a certain Fray Diego de Herrera who were martyred in Batalay would be awaiting them, the Franciscan chose Caramoran as an alternative safe entry of missionary endeavors. Hence, the first parish to be ever created in Catanduanes is Caramoran, dating back to the year 1600.
Datag, one of the more progressive barangays of the town, naturally came under its jurisdiction. hence, it is safe to say that Christianity in this place and its environs is no longer young. it is a product of centuries of preaching under the spiritual tutelage of Caramoran. but the Spiritual care of the area was given more attention when assistant priests started to be assigned in Caramoran in 1995.
The first assistant priest to be assigned in Caramoran was Rev. Fr. Allan Pereyra who serve under Rev. Fr. Vicente III Borre from 1995 to 1997. At that time, Sunday Masses begun to be celebrated regularly in Tubli and Datag. Quenched of their long spiritual thirst, the people were inspired to renovate their chapels and construct rectories, "kumbento" in popular lingo, to ensure the regular celebration of the liturgy. The most Rev. Manolo A. delos Santos, Bishop of Virac, on his part, began to consider the possibility of creating a new parish in the area.
After Fr. Pereyra's pioneering works in the place, the following assistant priest took turns in caring for the would-be parish:
1997 - 1998 - Rev. Fr. Avelino O. Sualibio
1998 - 1999 - Rev. Fr. Joel S. Rama
1999 - 2000 - Rev. Fr. Arnel M. Barba
The pastor of Caramoran at that time was the Rev. Fr. Jose Tejada.
In 1999, to adequately lay down the foundation of the would-be parish, the Bishop commissioned group of Redemptorist priests, brothers and lay workers under Rev. Fr. Joey Echano, CSsR and Rev. Fr. Jun Adriano, CSsR to conduct popular missions in the area. prior to this assignment, the group also spent a year of missionary works in Tabugoc, a barangay in the neighboring town parish of Pandan and now a full-fledged parish. While in Datag, the Redemptorists organized Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC's), liturgical ministries and conducted catechetical apostolate.
On April 25, Great Jubilee Year 2000, the Bishop formally created barangays Bocon, Datag East, Datag West, Maui, Milaviga, Sabloyon and Supang into a quasi-parish with Datag as its seat. Placed under the heavenly protection of the MOST HOLY TRINITY, it was put under the pastoral care of Rev. Fr. Allan T. Pereyra as administrator. Fr. Pereyra, who first laid down the ground works in the area five (5) years back, would also see its eventual establishment into a full-fledge parish in 2005, and care for it until his transfer to the St. Lawrence Parish in Baras in 2010.
During his incumbency, Fr. Pereyra beautified the parish cemetery where he constructed a concrete chapel and a towering concrete cross, improved the parish church, erected an Easter "castillo" and constructed an imposing concrete two storey rectory. He also facilitated the improvement of the barangay Chapels within his jurisdiction.
Succeeding Fr. Pereyra is the Rev. Fr. Joey R. Tendenilla, the present parish priest. An expert in liturgy, having served as Director of the Diocesan Commission on Liturgy for many years, His immediate concern turned to the enhancement of the celebration of divine worship in the parish. He reinforced the liturgical ministries and made worship services, including the celebration of the sacraments, readily available not only in the seat of the parish but also in all barangays comprising it.
To ensure that the actual needs of his parishioners would be properly addressed, he held a parish pastoral consultation assembly in February 2010. With key persons representing the various sectors in each barangay present in the assembly, the new parish priest got an immediate grasp of the real situation prevailing in his post. It was then that the "WESTYN" (Worship, Education, Services, Temporalities, Youth, New Evangelization) model was adopted as the pastoral strategy of Fr. Tendenilla's tenure in the parish.
The pastoral assembly also proved to be a revelation of sorts. It revealed the readiness of the parishioners to give their best to the Lord in terms of boundless generosity of time, talent and treasure. in no time, a truly functional and efficient Parish Pastoral Council under the able leadership of businessman Johnson Idanan and Corazon Alino were in place. Soon after, parishioners now residing outside the parish also began to pledge support. Hence, the much-needed construction of new, bigger, aesthetically and structurally-sound parish church, which had been shelved for sometime, gained fresh attention and renewed interest.
After Fr. Pereyra's pioneering works in the place, the following assistant priest took turns in caring for the would-be parish:
1997 - 1998 - Rev. Fr. Avelino O. Sualibio
1998 - 1999 - Rev. Fr. Joel S. Rama
1999 - 2000 - Rev. Fr. Arnel M. Barba
The pastor of Caramoran at that time was the Rev. Fr. Jose Tejada.
In 1999, to adequately lay down the foundation of the would-be parish, the Bishop commissioned group of Redemptorist priests, brothers and lay workers under Rev. Fr. Joey Echano, CSsR and Rev. Fr. Jun Adriano, CSsR to conduct popular missions in the area. prior to this assignment, the group also spent a year of missionary works in Tabugoc, a barangay in the neighboring town parish of Pandan and now a full-fledged parish. While in Datag, the Redemptorists organized Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC's), liturgical ministries and conducted catechetical apostolate.
On April 25, Great Jubilee Year 2000, the Bishop formally created barangays Bocon, Datag East, Datag West, Maui, Milaviga, Sabloyon and Supang into a quasi-parish with Datag as its seat. Placed under the heavenly protection of the MOST HOLY TRINITY, it was put under the pastoral care of Rev. Fr. Allan T. Pereyra as administrator. Fr. Pereyra, who first laid down the ground works in the area five (5) years back, would also see its eventual establishment into a full-fledge parish in 2005, and care for it until his transfer to the St. Lawrence Parish in Baras in 2010.
During his incumbency, Fr. Pereyra beautified the parish cemetery where he constructed a concrete chapel and a towering concrete cross, improved the parish church, erected an Easter "castillo" and constructed an imposing concrete two storey rectory. He also facilitated the improvement of the barangay Chapels within his jurisdiction.
Succeeding Fr. Pereyra is the Rev. Fr. Joey R. Tendenilla, the present parish priest. An expert in liturgy, having served as Director of the Diocesan Commission on Liturgy for many years, His immediate concern turned to the enhancement of the celebration of divine worship in the parish. He reinforced the liturgical ministries and made worship services, including the celebration of the sacraments, readily available not only in the seat of the parish but also in all barangays comprising it.
To ensure that the actual needs of his parishioners would be properly addressed, he held a parish pastoral consultation assembly in February 2010. With key persons representing the various sectors in each barangay present in the assembly, the new parish priest got an immediate grasp of the real situation prevailing in his post. It was then that the "WESTYN" (Worship, Education, Services, Temporalities, Youth, New Evangelization) model was adopted as the pastoral strategy of Fr. Tendenilla's tenure in the parish.
The pastoral assembly also proved to be a revelation of sorts. It revealed the readiness of the parishioners to give their best to the Lord in terms of boundless generosity of time, talent and treasure. in no time, a truly functional and efficient Parish Pastoral Council under the able leadership of businessman Johnson Idanan and Corazon Alino were in place. Soon after, parishioners now residing outside the parish also began to pledge support. Hence, the much-needed construction of new, bigger, aesthetically and structurally-sound parish church, which had been shelved for sometime, gained fresh attention and renewed interest.
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento