SAN ANTONIO ABAD PARISH

SAN ANTONIO ABAD PARISH PROFILE

I. San Antonio Abad Parish (F. 1967)

II. Address: Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City 6100

III. Lot: Donated by Doña Carmen Vda. De Lizares

IV. Titular: San Antonio Abad

V. Feast Day: January 17

VI. Vicariate: Bacolod South

VII. Chronology of Assigned Priests at  San Antonio Abad Parish (Taculing):

           

As Part of Community Area of San Sebastian, the priests assigned at San Sebastian and the Sacred Heart Seminary Fathers were the ones who celebrated Masses here.

Chaplaincy(1962):

Fr. Telesforo S. Sardon                             (During this time the community of San                                                                         Antonio Abad was based at the Lupit Shrine                                                                              and the Domus Dei served as the convent)                                                                            1962-1967: was assigned as Chaplain of                                                                            Granada: Our Lady of Lourdes Chaplaincy,                                                                                   Brgy. Grananda, Bacolod City.

Parish (1967):

1. Fr. Felipe Jumao-as                          1967-1978

      Parochial Vicar:

      Fr. Dimitri Gatia                                 1965-1967

      Fr. Danilo Paderna                            1967-1975: was assigned as Parish Priest of                                                                   Holy Rosary Parish, Fabrica, Sagay                                                                                City.

      Fr. Norman Segovia                           1971-1972: was assigned as Chaplain of                                                                         Henrietta Village, Bacolod City.

      Fr. Aristedes S. Rivera                        1967-1969: was assigned as Parochial                                                                            Vicar of San Sebastian Parish, Bacolod                                                                           City.

      Fr. Antonio M Sedeno                         1969-1975: was assigned as Chaplain of                                                                         Airport Subd.: Our Lady of Peace and Good                                                                   Voyage Chaplaincy, Airport Subd., Bacolod                                                                          City.

      Fr. Ramon Tirania                              1970-1972: was assigned as Professor,                                                                            Dean of Students, Dean of Studies of Sacred                                                                   Heart Seminary, Lupit, Bacolod City.

      Fr. Norman Segovia                           1971-1972: was assigned Chaplain to                                                                              Henrietta Village Chaplaincy: St. Joseph                                                                         Chaplaincy, Henrietta Village, Bacolo City.

      Fr. Telesforo S. Sardon                       1977 (5 months): was assigned as Chaplain                                                                     of Bacolod Murcia Milling Company,                                                                               Bacolod City.

2. Fr. Antonio Sedeno                              1978-1981

     

      Parochial Vicar:

3. Fr. Ramon Tirana                             1981-1982

      Parochial Vicar:

      Fr. Humberto Tumbos                                    1981

4. Fr. Danilo Paderna                            1982-July 12,1988: was assigned as                                                                          Diocesan Spiritual Director of Barangay      

                                                                  sang Virgen.

      Parochial Vicar:

      Fr. Pablo  Tabino

5. Fr. Msgr. Jose A. Silverio                  1988- May 9, 1995

      Parochial Vicar:

      Fr. Samuel Balboa                              1993-Feb. 1995: was assigned Parish Priest                                                        of Miranda: Holy Family Parish, Brgy.                                                                                  Miranda, Municipality of Pontevedra.

      Fr. Anthony Ben Ayubo                      1995: was asssigned as Professor at Sacred                                                                     Heart Seminary, Lupit, Bacolod City.

      Fr. Ernesto Salvador                           1996-2000: was assigned as Parish Priest of                                                                   Dos Hermanas: San Pedro Baustista, Brgy.                                                                           Dos Hermanas, Talisay City.

6. Msgr. Jose Ma. A. Gaston                 2000-2001 : went on a Sabbatical Leave.

      Parochial Vicar :

      Fr. Romeo Tumonong                         2000-2001

     

7. Fr. Romeo Empestan                         2001-2005: was transferred to                                                                                    Handumanan Parish: San Antonio Abad                                                                   Parish, Brgy. Taculing Bacolod City.

      Fr. Jacob Segorola                             Dec. 2002-March 2003: was assigned as                                                                         Parochial Vicar of Sum-ag:

      Fr. Dimitri Gatia  as team priest        2002: was transferred to Mt.                                                                                             View Chaplaincy.

      Parochial Vicar:

      Fr. Arnold Deletina                

8. Fr. Humberto C. Tumbos                  2005-March2009 

      Assisting priest:

      Fr. Nitodel Soriano

9. Fr. Aniceto Buenafe                          March 2009- as of April 2009

VIII.       Religious vocations of men from San Antonio Abad Parish:

Fr. Anthony Ben Moya-Ayubo

Nota Bene:

      The researcher chose the date 1962 as the date of the foundation of the parish because in this year Fr. Sardon according to his priest profile in the diocese was assigned for the San Antonio Abad Christian community.

Introduction

            The story of this parish is a story of great generosity and positive response to the need of the community by the members of the Christian community. It is a journey of faith, of hope and trust in the divine providence which is coupled with personal efforts of priests who are assigned here and the members of the congregation or even the non-Catholic who shared in this parish their talents.  This parish has a unique history of ecumenism not seen in other parishes.

            The painting that was done by Rev. Pastor Benildo Familiaran of the last Station of the Cross: The Resurrection and the rendition of the Cosmopolitan Church Choir during the blessing by Bishop Fortich of the Stations of the Cross, could attest to great ecumenical spirit. This 1981 event could be a milestone in the local ecumenical history.

     

The Phenomenological Church.

            1962-1970.  The base of Taculing Catholic community was at Sacred Heart Shrine and the temporary convent was located at Domus Dei .  Fr. Telesforo S. Sardon was the first to be assigned in this Catholic ministry.  San Sebastian Cathedral parish was at this time the only parish in Bacolod City proper.  Fr. Sardon slowly but consistently took care of the spiritual growth of the faithful.  At the latter part of Fr. Sardon’s ministry in this area, he already realized the need to have an independent church for the Catholic community of this area. The search for the church lot came to the knowledge of the generous lady, Dona Carmen Vda. De Lizares. She donated to the diocese a two-hectare lot for the use of the Taculing Catholic Community in November 1967.

            The cornerstone for the for the church building was laid on the feast of the Feast of San Antonio Abad, January 17, 1968. At this time, Fr. Felipe Jumao-as was the priest assigned and assisted by Fr. Danilo Paderna. To start the construction of the church, Fr. Felipe and Fr. Dan with the consent of Bishop Fortich mortgage the one hectare lot to the Development Bank of the Philippines for the amount of P100,000.00. That amount not being sufficient, fund raising activities were initiated by the ever loyal supporters of the church: Mrs. Carmen Lizares, Mrs. Erlinda Gatuslao and Mrs. Gloria Esteban.

            1971-1980. The San Atonio Abad Church was completely built in 1971 and the Sacred Heart Church was reverted to independently management of the Sacred Heart Seminary. The church was inaugurated on the Feast of San Antonio Abad on January 17, 1972.  The meagre community could not support the financial obligation that the parish had entered into so the clerics assigned decided to return back to the Lizares family the other one hectare lot they had donated with the supplication that they pay the loan balance at the Development Bank of the Philipines.  The ever reliable Lizares clan of Dona Carmen concurred with the suggestion and thus saved the financial woes of the subsisting  San Antonio Abad community.

            The Legion of Mary and Barangay sang Virgen were first lay associations at this time. As an offshoot of the Barangay sang Virgen came the Barangay sang Virgen Youth Movement.  The active participation of the youth led to the establishment of the Kapawa Dance Troupe.  Seminars and retreats for the youth were provided.

            Fr. Antonio Sedeno was the second Parish Priest assigned in San Antonio Abad Parish. In the clerical circle, Fr. Sedeno’s parish was wittily christened as Kaingin courtesy of the verdantly tall grass of varied kind: cogon , tigbaw and sugarcane.

            1981-1990.  In the first quarter of 1981 the Lupit bridge was finally completely constructed which led to the increase of the number of church goers who later became parish members and active participants of the parish activities. The Christian Family Movement became an active association at this time.  The Sacred Heart seminarians also became involved in the parish activities of San Antonio Abad, the seminary being within the parochial territory. The CFMers and the seminarians also contributed to the parishioners spiritual formation.

            Mr. Edgardo “Budot” Lizares commissioned the national artist, Saprid, to fabricate a six-footer bronze figure of the Risen Christ. This one of its kind master-piece was donated to the parish through Fr. Sedeno.  Presently (April 2009) this distinctive art work has not been polished and given attention worthy of its value, probably because of the parishioners lack of historical or artistic sense. The coloured-glass at the upper portion of the church was donated by Mr. Benneth Garcia. Mr. Ed Lizares, together with Jess Ayco of the Arts Association of Bacolod, was also responsible for the paintings of the fourteen Stations of the Way of the Cross.  This was uniquely ecumenical because the Fourteenth Station: The Resurrection of Christ, was painted by Rev. Pastor Benildo Familiaran. During the ceremony of the blessing of the paintings by Bishop Fortich, the Bacolod Cosmopolitan  Church Choir provided the musical repertoire. This significant event has not been replicated in this parish or to any other parish who may have the guts to claim as the bastion of ecumenism.

            In the latter part of 1981, Fr. Ramon Tirania was assigned Parish Priest. At this time, the Knight of Columbus Council 5684 became part of the parish. The Knights initiated the projects like the repair of the convent, medical clinics and donations for the parish needs.

            1991-2000. On August 26, 1995, the San Antonio Parish community was in a jubilant mood due to the ordination to the priesthood of its member, Fr. Anthony Ben Moya-Ayubo. Fr. Ben finished his theological training at the San Jose Seminary and the Loyola House of Theology under the Jesuit mentors of the Ateneo de Manila University.

            2001-2009. The Kristianong Katilingban (Basic Ecclesial Community) was strengthened by Fr. Romeo Empestan who among the priests preferred to use the Hiligaynon term for historical and cultural reasons. The non-permanent settlers in the parish were given opportunities to know their rights and responsibilities through education campaigns among the BEC Areas.

The Church of the Poor

            The essence of the donation of the Lizares family for the church lot was knowingly or unknowingly anchored on the doctrine of preferential option for the poor.  The church was built for the many non-permanent settlers surrounding the area.  The economically privileged could easily go to San Sebastian parish or the Redemptorist Church at that time. But the generous family of the Lizares put their Catholic faith into the concrete reality.  Church of the poor could mean sharing with the congregation whatever we have either talent, time or treasure.

            There is no discrimination among the haves and have-nots in the parish, in lay organizations and in BEC Areas.  It is an indication that the church is alive in the parish in our time.

SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY SAN ANTONIO ABAD PARISH:

      A. Primary Sources

     

      A.1.  Unpublished Documents:

      1. Books of Baptismal Records of San Antonio Abad Parish

      2. Books Marriage Records of San Antonio Abad Parish

      3. Books of Death Records of  San Antonio Abad Parish

      4. Books of Appointments of Priests of the Diocese of Bacolod

      5.  Books of Profile of Priests of the Diocese of Bacolod

      6. Brief typed written account of the parish history of San Antonio Abad

            A.2.  Interviews:

            1. Fr. Aniceto Buenafe at Fatima Parish Church on May 13, 2009. He is the                           parish priest of San Antonio Abad Parish.     

      2. Fr. Dimitri Gatia at Triumph of the Holy Cross Convent on March 29, 2009. Fr.                 Gatia was assigned here as Assisting priest.

            3. Fr. Romeo Empestan at La Herencia Subd., Bacolod City on April 13, 2009. Fr.                Empestan is a former parish priest of San Antonio Abad.

      4. Fr. Ernesto Salvador at Bakyas Parsih on March 8, 2009. Fr. Salvador is a                          former Parochial Vicar of San Antonio Abad Parish.

            B. Secondary Sources

            Memoirs and Articles:

            1. Handurawan, 2006

            2. 2008 Catholic Directory of the Diocese of Bacolod

            C. Websites:

            1. Diocese of Bacolod website: http://home.catholicweb.com/BacolodDiocese