SANTO NIÑO PARISH

SANTO NIÑO PARISH PROFILE

I. Sto. Niño Parish (F. 1983; E.P: October 7, 1991)

II. Address: Galo-BBB St., Bacolod City 6100

III. Lot: Donated by Hon. Judge Jose R. Querubin and his wife, Mrs. Consuelo Querubin                and their eleven children through the efforts of one of them, Mrs. Pacita                       Querubin de Jesus.

IV. Titular: Sto. Niño

V. Feast Day: Third Sunday of January

VI. Vicariate: Bacolod South

VII. Chronology of Assigned Priests at  Sto. Nino Parish (Galo-BBB):

           

As Part of Community Area of Fatima Chaplaincy, the priest who was celebrating Mass here was Fr. Anthony Atillaga and later in 1981 with Fr. Cassimiro B. LLadoc before he was assigned to  Granada: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Brgy. Granada, Bacolod City.

      Chaplaincy(1983):

      Msgr. Eduardo Gumboc                    1983- Oct. 7, 1991...  

      Fr. Telesforo J. Neri    (OIC)               Apr. 26,1988-Aug.10,1988: was assigned as                                                                    Parochial Vicar of Ma-ao: Our Lady of the                                                                      Pillar Parish, Ma-ao, Bago City.                                           

Parish(October 7, 1991):

1. Msgr. Eduardo Gumboc                    …Oct. 7, 1991- Sept.  1993: went into a                                                                    Sabbatical Leave.

      Fr.Rene Posa,OSA                              Oct. 1993

     

      Fr. Filomeno Duaban                         Nov. 1993-Dec. 1993

Msgr. Gumboc                                         Dec. 1993-1995: was assigned as Rector of                                                                     Sacred Heart seminary.

      Fr. Vir Mahinay                                  June. 1995-Sept. 1995: Cansilayan

      Fr. Tomas Rito                                    Apr.-May 1995

      Fr. Felixberto Ibesate                          June 1995

      Fr. Vir Mahinay                                  June. 1995-Sept. 1995: Cansilayan

2. Fr. German Templa                           Sept. 1995-Nov. 22, 2001:
3. Fr. Joel Roquez                                  Nov. 22, 2001-Jan. 19, 2003: went to the                                                                  U.S.
4. Fr. Telesforo Neri                              Jan. 19,2003- June 2003: was assigned as                                                                Parish priest of Da-an Banwa: St. Roque,                                                                  Brgy. Da-an Banwa, Victorias City.

5. Fr. Jesmar V. Manato                       July 11, 2003-April 2004: was assigned                                                                    Vice- Rector of The Sacred Heart Seminary

6. Fr. Elmer B. Poniado                                    April 2004-july 22, 2007: was assigned as                                                                 Chaplain of Cansilayan: San Isidro                                                                            Labrador, Murcia.

7. Fr. Ernesto L. Majillano                    July 22, 2007-(as of March 2009)     

VIII. Religious Vocations from Santo Nino Parish:

Priest:

Fr. Adolf  Guanco-Occeño

Introduction

            The birth of the Sto. Nino community was contributed by the devotion of one lady to the child Jesus.  On the site of the present Chapel (May 10, 2009) then was a simple chapel which was used by the community but the lot was not donated to the diocese. One day one of the owners of the lot, Mrs. Pacita Q. de Jesus, lost a precious jewel which annoyed her so much. A friend of her suggested praying to the Sto. Nino. An inspiration from the child Jesus instructed her to put up a chapel on the site in his honour instead of worrying about a stone which one could see anywhere.  Without consultation with her siblings she began constructing a chapel. Her husband was in a construction business. What followed was a clash of opinions among members of the family but ultimately led to the donation of  the present site. 

The Phenomenological Church

            1983-1990. In 1983 when Msgr. Eduardo Gumboc was assigned to the Galo-BBB ministry, there was no convent so he stayed in the sacristy of the chapel. One day Mrs. Pacita Q. de Jesus visited the chapel from Manila where she had taken residency. Msgr. Gumboc told Pacit, as the good monsignor fondly addressed her, that the church lot had not been donated to the diocese and according to Canon Law the priest should not reside in the chapel.  Thus, if the lot would not be bequeathed to the diocese the monsignor himself would leave the chaplaincy. This information led Pacit  to lobby to her siblings for the donation of this specific lot. Her action after much discussions and debate among the inheritors ultimately steered the members to the act of donation. The eleven children agreed to offer the title of the land for the Catholic Church through the diocese of Bacolod.

            With all the legal and canonical impediments having ironed out, Msgr. Gumboc started the construction of the convent with the enthusiastic support of the congregation.

When it was completed the sacristy-dweller-monsignor moved to the top of his new permanent yet temporary home. The space that the new convent had provided inspired the Antiqueno pastor to carry out some projects for the young people of the chaplaincy.

            The pastor who was also skilled in carpentry tutored the youth about this art. The young people came to be dexterous of this ability that when they were suggested upon by the monsignor of his plan to hold the Ati-atihan Festival they respond positively.  They were even the ones who fabricated their drums and other materials for the festival. The fiesta of  Sto. Nino chaplaincy and later parish was never equalled it its fanfare among the Bacolod City parishes.  The youth organizations of this community were so united that activities they spearheaded were fulfilled successfully all the time.

            Msgr. Gumboc became the foster father of many a youth. He helped some in their schooling in high school and even in college. He always allocated to others the generosity shared to him by friends and supporters either material, economic, emotional or spiritual.

            With the permission of  Msgr. Gumboc, the Chapel then accommodated some  parishioners of the Fatima Chaplaincy as they awaited the resolution of the clerical squabble between the assigned priest and the newly assigned priest in 1988. 

           

            1991-2000. In April 1992 the ministerial obligation of Mons to the parishioners of Sto. Nino was brought to a halt when he decided to have a sabbatical leave to restore his health. At the end of the the term of term of Msgr. Gumboc the Charismatic movement came into being.

            Fr. Templa completed the Convent construction.  He renovated the altar and installed the Philippine Map-background with bamboo-cement design.

            The Sto. Niño Parish community was very proud to have contributed to the vocation to the priesthood of Fr. Adolf Occeño on September 25, 1995.  He had an outstanding record at the Central Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas. He was a Certified Public Accountant  who graduated €accountancy at La Salle Collge-Bacolod.

            2001-2009.  Fr. Roquez had the grills around the church painted.  Fr. Jesmar started the fund raising for the church renovation. Fr. Elmer Poniado continued this fund raising but the money was not enough. In August 2007, Fr. Ernie Majillano started the renovation.

            Fr. Ernesto Majillano renovated the altar and its accompanying embellishments. The new design brighten the altar and its gave more aura of sacredness. He continued the parish programs and the existing lay associations.

The Church of the Poor

            The Christian community of this parish was really a church of the poor. The activities were always accommodating to the poor and did not in anyway intended to displace the poor. Originally, many temporary settlers were the parishioners of Sto. Nino. Either it was arranged or not that the titular of the parish was Sto. Nino who was born in a borrowed manger, it did not dispel the  fact that many of the church goers here were immigrants according to their respective needs. Many were students, others were mall workers and few young couple workers.

            The church and the community are open to all walks of life.

SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY OF STO. NIÑO PARISH

     

      A. Primary Sources

     

      A.1.  Unpublished Documents:

      1. Books of Baptismal Records of Sto. Niño Parish

      2. Books Marriage Records of Sto. Niño Parish

      3. Books of Death Records of Sto. Niño Parish

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

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

            A.2.  Interviews:

            1. Msgr. Eduardo Gumboc at the Bishop’s House on March 20, 2009. Msgr.                           Gumboc was the first parish priest of Santo Nino Parish.

      2. Fr.Elmer Poniado at Paraiso Beach, Punta Taytay on March 3, 2009. Fr. Elmer                    was a former parish priest of this parish.

            3. Fr. Jesmar V. Manato at the Sacred Heart Seminary School of Philosophy on                     April 4, 2009.

            4. Fr. Ernesto L. Majillano at La Herencia Subdivisión on April 13, 2009.

            5. Mr. Marlon Tan at his residence at Celine Homes, Bacolod City on May 3,                         2009.

            `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