New Retablo blessed by Archbishop Soc

20 January 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. “Keep the story of this retablo alive. Tell your children who will tell their children’s children how we built the retablo. How the people of San Fabian in 2011 came together with a sense of mission, and with gratitude in their hearts, built this new and beautiful retablo!” Father Oliver E. Mendoza said in his message before the retablo of the church of the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, was formally blessed by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas .

Mission 143-44: A Call to Mission of Gratitude

Fr. Mendoza further said as he traced how the retablo was built, “Last July 2011, we launched a fund raising campaign which we called “Mission: 143+44”. The campaign was a call to a mission of gratitude, and a call to love. Gratitude to our God who is generous. Say Dios ya iiter ton amin so nakaukolan tayo. Say Dios ya laiwan masbiblet! Tan say Dios ya no mangiter ed manlepwa, ag nasabaan”.

This new retablo is a work where you all are a part of. Every part of this retable comes from you. Kaiba kayo ed sayan agawa. Agya agawa no anggapo kayon akikasakey ya angiter na balbaleg ya pisasalamat ed say Dios a Katawan. Wala yan retablo lapud inter yo so pisasalamat yo ed say panangaro na Dios ed sikayo, tan diad parokia tayo ya San Fabian.”

The blessing was done during the Eucharistic Celebration in honor of the patron saint of the town, St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, on 20 January 2012, at 5:00 PM.

Procession in honor of St. Fabian

A procession was held after the celebration of the Eucharist. It was participated in by the faithful, the members of the barangay ecclesial communities. The barangays brought the images and statues of their barangay patrons.

“Iba and Dios!”

In his homily, Archbishop Soc emphasized how differently God’s ways are in relation to man’s way and thinking. “God is not always practical, according to man’s thinking and man’s ways.” “’Iba ang Dios’ when he forgives and loves”, he further said.

Libro na Pisasalamat

The names of all the donors and all those who helped and supported the construction of the new retablo were enshrined in the new retablo. The names were written in the “Libro na Pisasalamat” which was put in a special place at the bottom of the Tabernacle of the retablo.

Archbishop Soc acknowledged the effort and the sacrifices of the parishioners of St. Fabian. “God knows the sacrifices you have made in order for the retablo to be made. Your names are in the heart of our Lord. They are kept near the Tabernacle where our Lord is.”

Pictures courtesy of Fr. Frank Ungria, Bro. Randolp Romero and Sis. Violy Omiles.

Thousands welcome the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima

by Elizabeth N. Terte

11 January 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. “It is truly edifying!” Mr. Carl Malburg, the present custodian of the statue, exclaimed in awe and amazement as he watched the number of devotees who visited the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, where the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima stayed on 9-10 January 2012, grew by the hour.

“The number of devotees who are coming even surpassed the devotees who come on Holy Thursday and Good Friday”, said Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, parish priest of the San Fabian. “The people have been continuously coming in and out of the parish church since Our Lady was brought in the parish church.”

Grace-Filled Visit

The statue of Our Lady of Fatima was brought to the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, from the St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Dagupan City after an overnight visit. Parishioners, led by the Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, and the members of the Knights of Columbus, including the K of C Honor Guards, accompanied the transfer from Dagupan City to San Fabian, Pangasinan.

The statue was met at the foot of the Cayanga bridge by hundreds of parishioners. Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas was on hand to welcome the statue. The Mayor of San Fabian, Madam Irene F. Libunao and BM Mojamito Libunao,  joined the parishioners in welcoming Our Lady in San Fabian. Our Lady arrived in San Fabian shortly after 9:00 AM. Rev. Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza put the crown on the head of Our Lady as soon as she was brought out of the vehicle which transported her.  The Archbishop led the devotees in the procession going to the parish church.

Waves of White Handkerchiefs

The pupils of Longos Elementary School with their teachers were the first to welcome the statue as it passed their school. They waved their handkerchiefs, as the Longos Central Elementary School Drum and Lyre played Marian songs.

Pupils and students from the different schools in San Fabian lined up along the processional route to welcome Our Lady. They soon joined the procession in going to the parish church.

Students from the Archdiocesan School of San Fabian, St. Blaise Christian School, West and East Central Elementary Schools and the San Fabian National High School joined the hundreds of parishioners during the procession.

Archbishop Soc: “San Fabian as Center of Formation of Priests”

Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, presided over the Mass welcoming Our Lady in San Fabian.

Archbishop Soc revealed why of the many parishes in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, it was only in Dagupan and San Fabian that were visited by Our Lady of Fatima.

“San Fabian will soon become the center of formation of our priests”, Archbishop Soc said. “Next month we will start the construction of the Theology Seminary in Palapad (San Fabian). Before Jesus will come, Mary has to come first.”

The Theology Seminary in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan

The Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan has assigned a lot in Barangay Palapad, San Fabian, Pangasinan measuring twenty seven thousand square meters as the future site of the theology seminary.

A pious lady architect who has been a recipient of the papal award Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, Architect Susana Castillo, has made the design for the future seminary. Once completed, it will be able to accommodate eighty seminarians who can also take their classes in theology within the same compound.

The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan has already two formation houses for future priests: the Mary Help of Christians High School Seminary in Binmaley, Pangasinan and the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary in Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City.

A massive fund raising campaign is being undertaken by the Archdiocese for the construction of the Theology Seminary which is to begin next month.  The Theology Seminary is envisioned to be finished and fully operational by June 2013.

Unending Flow of Devotees

Since the arrival of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in the morning of 9 January, it was observed that there had been continuous flow of devotees visiting and venerating Our Lady. Many had observed that it was like the number of people who go to the church during the Holy Week, or during the fiesta of the town.

Families come to pray in front of the image of our Lady. “It is very touching to see children being led by their parents as they kneel and pray the rosary in front of Our Lady”, Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza observed.

Visit to Tandagan, Palapad, San Fabian, Pangasinan

A farewell Mass was celebrated on 10 January at 2:00 PM, by Rev. Fr. Genaro Jijune Herramia, the Vicar Forane of the Vicariate of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Before the image was transferred to the next place to be visited by Our Lady, the Pilgrim Virgin Image was brought to Tandagan, Palapad, San Fabian, at the location where the Theology Seminary will be built. A short prayer was led by Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza. Marian Songs were sung during the short procession to the topmost part of the hill where the future chapel will be built.

“The Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima may leave us, but she will always remain in our hearts.” Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Our Lady of Fatima visits Tandagan, Palapad, San Fabian, Pangasinan, the site of the Theology Seminary in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagpan

This hill is where the Chapel of the Theology Seminary will be built.

Photos and pictures courtesy of  Judys Apilado, Violeta Omiles and Weng Nicer (from their Facebook accounts. – ed)

 

(Elizabeth Terte is a member of the Union of Prayers for Vocation (UPV)of the Parish of St. Fabian. She is also a member of the Parish PREX Secretariat. She is at present the Head Teacher of Palapad Elementary School – ed).

International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima to visit San Fabian

6 January 2012 – San Fabian, Pangasinan. It is a visit that is much awaited. It probably will come once only in one’s lifetime. A visit that is an occasion of grace for those with welcoming hearts.

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima will visit the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, on 9-10 January 2012. The visit is part of the journey of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue in Pangasinan. San Fabian is one of only three parishes included in the itinerary. The other two parishes are the St. John the Evangelist in Dagupan City, and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima

The statue is under the the legal jurisdiction of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. It is referred to as “International” because it has travelled in over 100 countries since it was blessed by the Bishop of Fatima in 1947.

The history of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue begins in 1946. At that time, after the youth of Portugal attended a Congress in Fatima, they took the Statue from display in the Cova on pilgrimage to Lisbon. As they walked the route they stopped at the towns and people gathered to pray. In Lisbon when they entered the cathedral, the miracle of doves occurred. Many other phenomena also occurred inspiring devotion and inspiring the fervor among the people.

The statue was returned to its place in the Cova de Iria but many people wished for a visit in their own communities. The Bishop asked Sr. Lucia in a letter about sending the statue on tour. Sr. Lucia responded with a letter suggesting that the new statue, just then being made, by the famous sculptor Jose Thedim be used as a pilgrim statue. The Bishop agreed and, on May 13, 1947, this new statue was blessed and named the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. (from the website: http://www.pilgrimvirginstatue.com/history.html)

Weeping Madonna

This particular image is also referred to as the “Weeping Madonna”. It was recorded to have shed tears a number of times in the past. At the height of the debates in the US Supreme Court on the Roe vs. Wade case that eventually legalized abortion, the Image was documented to have shed tears in July 1972.

The Schedule of the Visit

The Pilgrim Virgin Statue will arrive in Dagupan City at 4:00 PM, and will stay at the St. John the Evangelist Church until the next day when it will be transferred to the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr at 8: 00 AM.

The statue will be met at the foot of the Cayanga Bridge by the devotees and parishioners of the Parish of St. Fabian. A procession will follow going to the parish church. It is expected that the students of the different schools will be lining the processional route to welcome the image. A Welcome Mass to be presided by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas will follow at 9:30 AM.

The parishes of the Vicariate of St. Thomas Aquinas have scheduled their masses during the stay of the image in the parish. The religious organizations and BECs will have their hourly vigil starting at 5:00 PM until 12 Midnight.

The Pilgrim Statue will be transferred to  the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Urdaneta City after the 10:00 AM mass in the parish church.

Miracles and Conversions

The visit of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima has become many occasions for conversion and renewal. It has been occasions too for many miracles to happen. Truly, or Lady’s request at Fatima of prayer, penance, reparation, true devotion and consecration to Her Immaculate Heart, remain as timely as ever.

The visit of the Pilgrim Image to the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan was made possible through Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.