Friday, March 16, 2007

St. Al's Rebuilding (1)- Installation Of The New Parish Priest

Starting today, I will be writing my accounts, ideas, reflections and views on the construction of our church building here in St. Alphonsus Mary De Liguori Parish, Magallanes Village.

It will be good to start with the day of my installation as the new parish priest on the afternoon of September 3, 2004, a first Friday. We were blessed with the presence of then Archbishop of Manila, Arch. Gaudencio "Lolo" Rosales and some priests. The church were filled with friends, relatives and previous parishioners from San Juan Nepomuceno, in Malibay, Pasay City. The celebration started smoothly and with solemnity. But something happened after the rite of installation. I was then kneeling before the Archbishop who was sitting on a chair. Then, we both stood. He, near the chair, while I, to the chair to sit. The movements are to show the Archbishop entrusting to me the teaching authority, pastoral care, and liturgical leadership in the parish as parish priest. However, the server, thinking that I was going to pose with the Archbishop for a picture, removed the chair I was suppose to occupy. Trusting that the chair was still there, I sat without knowing the chair had been removed already. I fell, but not completely, because the Archbishop was quick and alert to grab my hand. He saved me from completely falling and hit the floor. It was very symbolic! Will he be the one who will take care of me in the coming days?

The story did not end there. In his introduction in his homily, he said that now, I already know who is my greatest enemy in the parish; "the server who pulled the chair". It drew some laughter from everybody, including me! After communion, it was my turn to speak. Part of what I said was what I also said when I was installed in my previous parish. In full, I said that I am blessed by having a new parish that already has everything in it; a church, a convent, a memorial chapel, a columbarium and a parish office. There is really nothing more to build. Anyway, I came to the parish not to build buildings, but to build people.

Six days later, the church got burned!

No comments: