OUR LADY OF LOURDES PARISH (Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City)

OUR LADY OF LOURDES PARISH PROFILE:

I. Brgy. Bata Parish: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (F. 1977; E.P. 1983)

II. Address: Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City 6100

III. Lot: Donated by Atty. Simplicio Palanca, Mrs. Anita Cuaycong and Miss                       Angelina Lacson.

 IV. Titular: Our lady of Lourdes

V. Feast Day: Second Saturday of February

VI. Vicariate: Bacolod North

VII. Chronology of Assigned Priests at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish:

           

As Part of Community Area of San Sebastian Parish, some of the priests who celebrated Masses here were:

1. Fr. Antonio Santes
2. Fr. Pablo Decena
3. Fr. Victorino Secondes
4. Fr. Carlos Allones
5. Msgr. Isidro Dormido
6. Fr. Luis Jalandoni
7. Fr. Romeo Esteban
8. Fr. Romeo Empestan
9. Fr. Victorino Rivas
10. Fr. Noel Javellona
11. Fr. Aurelio Dionesio

      

      Chaplaincy ( 1977):

                      First Permanent Chaplain:

                Fr. Gregorio  Patino                            May 29, 1977-1983…            

Parish (1983):

               First Permanent Parish Priest was Fr. Patino:

1.      Fr. Gregorio Patino                        …1983-1986: was assigned as                                                        Parish Priest of La Carlota: Our                                                        Lady of Peace and Good Voyage                                                         Parish, La Carlota City.

  

2.      Fr. Tomas Rito                                1986-1992: was assigned as                                                            Parish Priest of  Victorias: Our                                                          Lady of Victory Parish, Victorias                                                       City.

3.      Fr. Emilio Henares                         May 8, 1992-Apr. 7,1996: was                                                        assigned to Eroreco Chaplaincy.

   Parish Administrator:

   Fr. Louie P. Galbines                         June 1996-July 14, 1996:                                                                       reported back to the Bishop’s                                                              House.

4.      Fr. Wilfredo Gamarcha                  Apr. 1996-2001: was assigned a                                                     Parish Priest of  Valladolid: Our                                                        Lady of Guadalupe Parish,                                                                      Municipality of Valladolid.

         Parochial Vicar:  

               Fr. Tomas Tan                                    2001: was assigned as Parochial                                                           Vicar of Ma-ao: Our Lady of the                                                                    Pillar Parish, Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago                                                                    City.

              

5.      Fr. Edwin Cadena                          2001-2007: was assigned as                                                            Parish Priest of Mansilingan:                                                             Our Lady of Miraculous Medal,                                                          Brgy.   Mansilingan, Bacolod                                                          City.

      

       Parochial Vicar:

              

               Fr. Diosdado B. Latoza          June 2003-April 18, March 2004:                                                          was assigned as Chaplain of                                                                           Aranda, Brgy.    Aranda,                                                                                   Pontevedra.

               Fr. Christopher Entrata          March 2004-2005: was assigned                                                           as parish priest of Banago:                                                                             Nuestra Senora de Salvacion                                                                                    Parish, Brgy. Banago, Bacolod                                                             City.                                                                                        

      Assisting Deacon:   

               Rev. Alex Magbanua

6.      Fr. Fr. Rodolfo J. Tan                    2007- (as of April  2009)

                 

   Parochial Vicar:

               Fr. Rafael Baja                       2007- March 2009: was assigned                                                          as Chaplain of Sto. Nino                                                                                 Chaplaincy, West Visayas                                                                           Regional Memorial Hospital,                                                                 Bacolod City.

                       

VIII.       Religious vocations of men and women from San Sebastian Parish:

            Priest:

Fr. Nomeriano Esporzado

            Brother:

                   Bro. Joaquin Villaflor-Jamelo, OAR

            Nun:

Sr. Soledad Hilado, OSB

Introduction

            The chronicle of the Bata parish was one of the unique urban legends, the cooperation of the community to their pastors in the initial stage of community building and the construction of the Sacred House of Worship was phenomenal in itself. Seldom one could witness the full cooperation of believers worked together for a common cause from literally, all walks of life and age-group.

            Most of the members of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, may not be moneyed but their richness in sharing their talents and physical labour could only be compared to none among the parishes of the Vicariate where it belongs, the Central Vicariate.  Of course, success did not come easy there were also oppositions within and without the parish. But if it were not correct to say that the Catholics of this section of the diocese were successful in their struggle, it would be fitting to say that they were constantly faithful to their cause.

The Phenomenological Church

            1977-1980. The Parochial Vicar of San Sebastian Parish, Fr. Gregorio Patino, since 1974 had been celebrating Mass in different Sitios in the barangays of Mandalagan and Bata. In some Areas, he celebrated Mass only during their fiestas and special occasions. During those times, these communities were part of the Community Area of San Sebastian. Fr. Greg’s charming personality  endeared him to most of the unpretentious members of the ministry. His down-to-earth approach and lifestyle could have been the best contributor to his instant clique with the faithful.

            The supporters of this ministry and of Fr. Greg, petitioned Bishop Antonio Y. Fortich to allow the elfin pastor to live with them in their community. Their request was answered in 1977 when the popular bishop assigned Fr. Greg to be the first Chaplain of Brgy. Bata. But not before the congregation promised Bishop Fortich of their total support, id est, they would take care of his basic needs as Chaplain. Fr. Greg’s assignment was sealed by his installation on May 29, 1977 by the Vicar General, Msgr. Josefino Iledan.

            He lived in a nipa hut which served as his convent made through the efforts of concerned mothers who labelled themselves as Tingug ni Nanay. He mysteriously survived within a three hundred pesos monthly stipend from the Valderrama Chapel plus the fifteen to twenty pesos Sunday collecta.

            In 1978, the fiesta Mass was celebrated at the Bata Elementary School because the Chapel could not accommodate the increasing number of believers. Even in 1979, the fiesta Mass was celebrated outside of the old chapel because the attendees of around three thousand could not fit in it. After the Mass, a magnificent phenomenon occurred with the marching of the congregation from the old chapel to the new location led by Bishop Fortich who also spearheaded the laying of the corner stone of the soon-to-be-constructed Chapel.

            After thirty four months of munificent acts of the believers of the Chaplaincy, a beautiful ecclesiastical edifice was constructed.

            1981-1990. On December 13, 1981, this Chapel with sixteen pillars  symbolical of the sixteen documents of Vatican II, was blessed  and the Kristianong Katilingban  of Our Lady of Lourdes was declared a parish. The parish continued to grow in number but also in wisdom and understanding about their rights and duties as Christians and as citizens of our country.  The education and organizational programs continued.

            1991-2000. In 1998, the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Kinder School was blessed by Fr. Alfredo Z. Gamarcha to continue on the Catholic education beginning with the kids.

            2001-2009. Fr. Edwin Cadena successfully continued on the parish program and he renovated the church.  Fr. Rodolfo Tan was assigned interchangeably with Fr. Edwin. Fr. Edwin to Mansilingan where Fr. Boy Tan was the parish priest and in Fr. Edwin’s place,   Fr. Tan was given the assignment.

The Church of the Poor

            The gathering of different congregations of nuns and a number of the affluent ones of the parish and outside of it for the building of the physical church and basic ecclesial community manifested the trend to the preference towards the poor. The livelihood projects for the community coordinated by the self-effacing priests manifested what kind of church it really was.

            The sharing of time, labour, skills and funds of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, kids, professionals, drivers, businessmen, masons, plumbers, caddies of Marapara Golf Course and etcetera  bear witness to this community which was and is truly the church of the poor.

SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY:

      A. Primary Sources

     

      A.1.  Unpublished Documents:

      1. Books of Baptismal Records of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish from:

      2. Books of the Priests’ Profile of the Diocese of Bacolod

      3. Books of the Priests’ Assignments of the Diocese of Bacolod

            A.2.  Interviews:

            1. Fr. Christopher Entrata at Banago Parish Church on March 5, 2009. Fr.                   Toping Entrata was former Parochial Vicar of Bata Parish.

            2. Fr. Wilfredo Gamarcha at La Herencia Subd., Bacolod City on April 13,                2009. Fr. Fred Gamarcha was former parish priest of  Our Lady of Lourdes                Parish.

            3. Fr. Diosdado B. Latoza at La Herencia Subd., Bacolod City on April 13,               2009. Fr. Dado Latoza was former Parochial Vicar of  Our Lady of Lourdes               Parish.

            4. Fr. Rodolfo Tan at Bata Convent on March 9, 2009.  Fr. Boy Tan had been           the Parish Priest of Bata Parish since 2007 to the present (April 2009).

            5. Mr. Sotero Milos at University of St. La Salle on March 2, 2009. Mr. Milos            was from Bata and had served the parish when he was a seminarian.

            `B. Secondary Sources:

            B.1. Books:

            B.2. Memoirs and Articles: