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Recollect Caravan Visits Historic Churches of Zambales
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ALAMINOS CITY. 3 May 2006. The St Ezekiel Moreno nationwide caravan, composed of Fr. Soy Hernando, Rev. Ian Espartero, Mrs. Sonia Roco, Mrs. Cora Catindig, Prof. Luigi Romanillos, twelve Recollect prenovitiate seminarians from Antipolo, drivers and moved on to northern Zambales from Olongapo City. They left after a Holy Mass and Lauds at St. Columban parish church. They left the Anne Raquel’s Inland Resort for Olongapo after an early morning breakfast. Fr. Pol Lezada, parish priest of Olongapo, was in the lead car on the road to Infanta, Pangasinan. Fr Boyax Jaranilla stopped at Botolan to taken video shots of its Santa Monica parish church now its moss-covered splendor. They had a whistle stop at the provincial capital of Iba where Fr. Noriel Salvador welcomed them twenty-five members.
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Half an hour later the caravan proceeded northward. The caravan hit the road again and sped toward to Masinloc to view with sorrow the quake-destroyed old church of San Andres of the Recollects of yore. A 6.8 magnitude tremor hit Western Zambales with it epicenter twenty kilometers north of Masinloc. It caused serious structural damage to the temple of God We were delighted to view the advanced stage of the restoration. People all over the Philippines, especially the Masinloc emigrants in the USA, have pledged over 20M pesos. Millions had been poured in the church coffers. Sen. Loi Ejercito, Mrs Pimentel, wife of Sen. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel and other generous hearts contributed millions of pesos to the ongoing restoration project.
The San Andrés parish had been founded by the illustrious Father Andrés del Espíritu Santo in 1607, who was with the first mission in May 1606. Clear Augustinian Recollect symbols adorn the whole church: Saint Augustine’s image, Order’s coat-of-arms, pierced heart, etc. The newly-restored pulpit bears the coat-of-arms of Saint Nicholas Province.
The People of God will mark the quadricentennial of the foundation of their parish. Father Ernie Raymundo told this writer that a diocesan committee had been tasked to see to the fitting and grandiose celebration of this event. Bishop Florentino Lavarias said: “We will request the Province of St Ezekiel Moreno to join us in this festive event of our history. I had expected Fr. Lauro Larlar in the caravan.”
The parish of the Apostle Saint James in Subic, Zambales, joins the timely commemoration in 2007. Being one of the four parishes established by the pioneering missionary Father Rodrigo de San Miguel, known also in our history books as Father Rodrigo Móriz Aganduru. The early settlers of the villages of Morong, Bagac and Mariveles likewise witnessed the evangelization efforts of Father Rodrigo.
Mrs. Rose Orbos and the mayor of Infanta, Pangasinan, that borders with Zambales and his group waited for us at the provincial boundary. Motorcycle cops led the way to Alaminos City. The cathedral church of Saint Joseph was built by the Augustinian Recollects.
Alaminos City Mayor Nani Braganza hosted a sumptuous lunch for the caravan.
- Prof. Emmanuel Luis Romanillos
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