August 4, 2023- The sun radiated at Mambugan in Antipolo after weeks of pouring rain. The parish most particularly, came alive with fervor as it celebrated the Feast of St. John Mary Vianney, the Patron Saint of priests. This much anticipated event brought together locals and visitors alike, creating a lively atmosphere filled with faith, joy, and cognizance. Attracting devotees from near and far, the annual Fiesta proved to be a grand occasion. The festivities spanned several days, encompassing preparation with the nine day Novena Mass, ceremonies, motorcade, and fundraising event. The celebration commenced with a solemn Mass, where the faithful gathered to offer prayers, seek blessings, and pay homage to St. John Mary Vianney. The Mass featured captivating homily delivered by the newly installed bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo, Most Rev. Ruperto C. Santos, D.D. Living by his motto, Bishop Ruperto sowed seeds by inspiring us with St. John Mary Vianneyʼs exemplary life of faith, sacrifice and devotion to serving God and the community in 3 Pʼs : Pananalangin (Prayer): St. John Mary Vianney as a priest has battled hardship, temptation and tribulations with PRAYERS. Prayer has been his life, and his life was well lived with prayers. With this, Bishop Ruperto stressed out: Prayer must be appended with sacrifice, and that God answers prayers in His perfect timing because only He knows what is better for us. Pagdiriwang ng Santa Misa (Celebration of the Holy Mass): “Do this in memory of Me”. The epitome of priesthood , St. John Mary Vianney continued to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, enduring even the cold in his small chapel in Ars (France). One, two or numerous church goers did not matter. He was consistent in saying the Holy Mass well prepared, in full, not omitting anything to share Christʼs love to the community. In our life, Bishop Ruperto made us realized the importance of attending the celebration of the Holy Mass reminding us of Christ our Saviour, His love and passion. Pangungumpisal (Confession): Based on history, according to Bishop Ruperto, St. John Mary Vianney withstood 16 hours administering the sacrament of Penance, emanating the mercy of God. As people of God, we must reflect, repent and ask for forgiveness. Reach out through this sacrament and receive His loving mercy. Before the Holy Mass has ended, our parish priest, Fr. Jeffrey Quintela acknowledged the presence of the concelebrating priests as he classified: “retired but not tired” referring to Fr. Dong and Fr. Mario, some who preside Sunday Masses at the parish were Fr. Richard, Fr. Jay, Fr. Jenis, Fr. Rock and Fr. Mike, from Pacem were Fr. Windel and Fr. Gabriel, Shrine rectors and priests- Fr. Nante from the Cathedral, Fr. Aly from Cainta, and Msgr. Henry from St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Highlighting the celebration, Fr. Jeff narrated the arrival of Bishop Ruperto handing him over an envelope. As he opened, Fr. Jeff vibrantly announced the remarkable gift from the new Bishop of the diocese: a Relic of St. John Mary Vianney. This was venerated for the first time after the Holy Mass. The motorcade that wound their way through the streets of Mambugan followed a few hours after. The statue of St. John Mary Vianney, adorned with flowers and liturgical vestments, was carried on an intricately designed vehicle accompanied by devotees. This created a magnificent spectacle, evoking a sense of awe and devotion among the participants and onlookers. Capping the occasion was the fundraising activity organised by the Parish Pastoral Council. Adding an element of merriment to the Fiesta, the PPC headed by Bro. Ding Dinglasa organised “Dinner For a Cause”- a dinner dance party showcasing talents, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and laughter. Seeds were sowed on this Day of Priests. It was a resounding success leaving lasting grains that we will nurture: the SUN shining radiantly, our new bishop presiding the Holy Mass in honor of the Saint of priests, and the precious Saintʼs relic he endowed to the parish. They all serve as a testament that fostered the values of love, compassion and service embodied by St. John Mary Vianney.
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In simple yet solemn rites earlier, Fr. Jeffrey Quintela was formally installed as the fifth parish priest of St. John Mary Vianney Parish, presided over by Most Rev. Francisco M. De Leon, DD, Bishop of Antipolo. Parishioners from Fr. Quintela's former parishes, priests from the Diocese of Antipolo and from neighboring dioceses, as well as his family and friends graced the occasion. In his homily, Bishop De Leon explained his preferences for his selection of parish priests, that is, pastoral stewardship and financial stewardship. As the celebration coincided with the Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he also shared the significance of the chosen date, since Fr. Quintela has a deep devotion to our Lady under the title Our Lady of Guadalupe since the new parish priest took his minor seminary formation from Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary in Makati City. The Bishop also explained the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and shared the scientific findings regarding the miraculous discoveries on it. Before the end of the celebration, Fr. Quintela thanked those who were present, especially the Bishop, his brother-priests, his family, friends, former parishioners and his present parishioners. He asked his present parishioners to help each other attain holiness and to draw each other closer to God, and not to him as the parish priest. Dinner was served after the Mass. St. John Mary Vianney Parish' new pastor Fr. Jeffrey Quintela led this year's Parish Advent Recollection held earlier at the parish church. It was mostly attended by parish workers, together with ordinary parishioners and visitors from other parishes as well. In his sharing, Fr. Jeff reminded his parishioners to focus on the real meaning of Christmas, to set aside things that distract us from focusing on Christ's coming in history, in glory and in mystery, since it is common nowadays that things that are holy are taken as something of the world. As examples, he played samples of "Christmas songs" and explained that most of the songs we hear nowadays as Christmas approaches do not really talk about what Christmas is all about. He also shared that the spirituality of the Advent Season is to live a spirit of focusing, longing, seeking and cleansing. He also shared a photo of a Presepe, an Italian tradition of what we know as a "Belen" or Nativity Scene, but portrayed elaborately. In the photo, he shared that people during the first Christmas were so busy with their daily activities that they failed to notice that Jesus was born in their midst, known only to Joseph, Mary and some shepherds. To sum up and to challenge his parishioners, he left to them the acronym W.A.T.C.H., that is to watch one's words, actions, thoughts, character and home. After an hour of sharing, those who attended were filled with new knowledge and renewed in spirit to celebrate the seasons of Advent and Christmas.
This year's parish fiesta marks another milestone in the history of St. John Mary Vianney Parish. What started as a community with a temporary chapel with a jurisdiction from Kingsville Subdivision to Cogeo Gitna in Marcos Highway and from Masinag to Padi's Point in Sumulong Highway is now a stable parish celebrating its silver anniversary. The parish already lost territory due to the creation of new parishes, but it has grown not only in population, but also in the spirit of its patron St. John Mary Vianney.
From July 26 until August 3, 2019, the parish celebrated this milestone with a series of Masses and Cultural Nights to give thanks to Our Lord for the many blessings He has bestowed on the parish for the past 25 years. Priests who, in a way or another, have served the parish were invited to celebrate the Novena Masses. After the Mass, the talents from the different communities were showcased at SM Cherry Antipolo. On August 3, 2019, the last day of the Novena, rains did not hinder the devotees of St. John Mary Vianney to hold a procession along Marcos Highway, which was followed by a simple program with games and dances headed by the Parish Youth Ministry. In the evening, the Coronation Night of the Ginang ng Parokya 2019 was held at SM Cherry Antipolo. On August 4, 2019, the Auxiliary Bishop of Antipolo, Most Rev. Nolly C. Buco, D.D., graced the parish fiesta when he celebrated the 9:00 am Mass. Concelebrating with him were Fr. Lourdesto Garcia (present Parish Priest), Fr. Bienvenido Miguel, (Vicar Forane and Parish Priest of St. Francis Xavier Parish), Fr. Alfredo Ganzon (former Parish Priest of St. John Mary Vianney Parish), Fr. Dong de Guzman (attached priest serving St. John Mary Vianney Parish) and Fr. Val Sotero (PACEM Missionaries). In his homily, Rev. Miguel Tan shared that he first came to know about St. John Mary Vianney when he learned about the saint's Act of Love. He urged the parishioners to follow the example of St. John Mary Vianney in his love for God. Fr. Lourdesto Garcia thanked everyone for their support to the programs in preparation for the parish fiesta. VIVA! SAN JUAN MARIA VIANNEY! On the eve of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the Parish Pastoral Council and the different ministries serving St. John Mary Vianney Parish once again made their promises of commitment as parish workers. Members of the Parish Pastoral Council, Lectors and Commentators Ministry, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Knights of the Altar, Mother Butler Guild, Ministry of Ushers, Music Ministry and other organizations were present in the said celebration. In his homily, Fr. Lourdesto Garcia explained the theological significance of the occasion and related it to the life of the Church. He said that the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity, though distinct from each other, belong to one Godhead because of their unity and love. The same must reflect on the life of the Church, from the family, to the different organizations and to the Church as a whole. As the PPC and the different ministries renew themselves, the marks of the Church must also be reflected in the life and works of the ministries - that they may be united as one, that they may be holy as the founder of the Church is Holy, that they should adhere with the teachings of the apostles and as much as possible be open to the needs of everybody. Something very special happened during this year's parish fiesta celebration. For the first time in the parish's history, a first class relic of its patron St. John Mary Vianney visited the parish. The relic (a piece of bone from the rib) arrived in the parish in a simple yet solemn arrival ceremony last July 26, 2018, the first day of the novena. It was lent to the parish by the Blessed Ivan Merz Center and Reliquarium in Marikina City. After the first Novena Mass, Bro. Dave dela Cruz of the Blessed Ivan Merz Center and Reliquarium shared about the life and works of St. John Mary Vianney, as well as the significance of veneration to the saints and their relics. For nine days, priests serving the parish and from the neighboring parishes celebrated the daily Novena Mass. A cultural presentation of Filipiniana dances were also presented after Mass by the different ministries, organizations and chapel communities of the parish. Faithful had the chance to venerate the relic every after Novena Mass. On the Feast Day of St. John Mary Vianney on August 4, a procession in his honor was held in the morning, participated by the different ministries, organizations and chapel communities who wore festive attire and danced to the beat of the drums. In the evening, a solemn concelebrated Mass was offered by the Bishop of Antipolo, Most Rev. Francisco De Leon, D.D. Together with him were Fr. Lourdesto Garcia, Parish Priest and other guest priests serving the parish and from neighboring parishes. In his homily, Bishop De Leon urged the parishioners to continually pray for priests that they may become like St. John Mary Vianney, especially those who baptized them, who heard their confessions, who annointed their sick loved ones and most especially those who in their human weakness became unfaithful to their calling. After the Mass, a simple agape was done at the parish hall. Though rainy weather prevailed during the duration of the novena, another prayer was granted through the intercession of St. John Vianney, that it did not rain during the activities during his feast day. VIVA! VIVA SAN JUAN MARIA VIANNEY! Full photo albums can be accessed here:
NOVENA Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 FEAST DAY Procession | Concelebrated Mass (Album 1) | Concelebrated Mass (Album 2)
On August 5, 2017, the eve of the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, ten aspiring members of the Knights of the Altar were formally received into the ministry and received their blessed albs and cinctures in a simple ceremony during the 6:30 p.m. Mass.
Fr. Loddy Garcia, Parish Priest, shared in his homily that the Transfiguration of Christ is a foretaste of the glory of eternal life. Our Lord, after noticing the fear within his closest confidants, chose to accompany them up to Mt. Tabor to experience this foretaste of heaven. And there, he was transfigured or "changed" before them. Fr. Loddy also explained the importance of Moses and Elijah in the event. Relating the day's liturgical celebration to the life of the altar servers, he then said that "the lives of these ten new Knights of the Altar will now change. They won't be like any other children, who on Sundays prefer to sleep or play all day, but they are in the parish to serve the Lord." He also thanked the parents and guardians for their support for their children's vocation to become altar servers, and he asked them to continue guiding them so that they will be model Christians as they grow up. After the homily, the ten new members were presented to the parish priest by coordinator Bro. Kristoffer Balazuela. The candidates then expressed their promise to be committed, obedient and to be a role model to others. Their vestments were then blessed and were invested upon them by their parents, with the assistance of senior altar servers, who served as their "ninong." They were then finally blessed and commissioned by the parish priest and thus, accepting them into the Knights of the Altar. This year's theme was taken from Psalm 37:4, "Find your delight in the Lord who will give your heart's desire." The ten new altar servers were: Iverson Raymund Cabacungan (Peña 3), Jaike Lawrence Contrevida (Far East Asia), John Lloyd Dayucos (Pagrai Ibaba), Alfrancis Florendo (Maries 1), Victor Cary Mendoza (Peña 3), John Emmanuel Puno (Maries 1), David Johann Raquel (Meadowood), Earl Patrick Rayala (Virginia Summerville), Laurence Tañola (Maries 1) and Chinsky Viraguas (Peña 1). In simple yet meaningful ceremonies, the Parish of St. John Mary Vianney celebrated its 22nd Parish Fiesta in honor of St. John Mary Vianney, Patron of Priests. In preparation for the said feast, Novena Masses were held from July 26 until August 3, celebrated by priests who presently serve the parish. On Friday, August 4, a procession of the image of St. John Mary Vianney was held, participated by various ministries, organizations and parishioners from the different areas and communities served by the parish. Simple breakfast was served afterwards. In the evening, at 6:00 p.m., a solemn concelebrated Mass was offered in thanksgiving for the blessings received by the parish. Rev. Msgr. Rigoberto S. de Guzman, Vicar General of the Diocese of Antipolo was the main celebrant. Together with him were Fr. Lourdesto Garcia (Parish Priest), Fr. Rolando de Guzman (Attached Priest), Fr. Bienvenido Miguel (Vicar Forane & Parish Priest of St. Francis Xavier Parish), Fr. Aly Barcinal (Rector & Parish Priest of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish-Shrine), Fr. Val Sotero (PACEM), Fr. Greg (PACEM), and Fr. Mario Operario (retired priest of the Diocese). After the Mass, a simple fellowship was done at the patio of the church, with sumptuous food from the different communities, and singing and dancing performed by the different ministries and organizations of the parish. Though rainy weather prevailed during the duration of the novena, another prayer was granted through the intercession of St. John Vianney, that it did not rain during his feast day. VIVA! SAN JUAN MARIA VIANNEY! SM Cherry Antipolo opened its doors to its patrons and customers today, June 30, 2017. The opening ceremonies started with the celebration of the Holy Mass presided by Fr. Lourdesto Garcia, Parish Priest of St. John Mary Vianney Parish, and assisted by Fr. Rolando de Guzman.
In his homily, Fr. Garcia mentioned that the new establishment is a blessing to the community, that when one enters the mall, one can find our needs and wants. Fr. Garcia also prayed that the blessing experienced by those who enter the mall may also be shared with others. After the Mass, the blessing of the mall area and of the different stores commenced. At 10:00 AM, the doors are finally opened to the public. SM Cherry Antipolo is located along Marcos Highway, across the parish church of St. John Mary Vianney. MAMBUGAN, ANTIPOLO CITY - On the eve of the Solemnity of Pentecost, officers and members of the different ministries and organizations of St. John Mary Vianney Parish renewed their commitment as church workers.
Members of the Parish Pastoral Council, Lectors and Commentators Ministry, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Knights of the Altar, Mother Butler Guild, Ministry of Ushers, Music Ministry and other organizations were present in the said celebration. Parish Priest Fr. Lourdesto Garcia told them in his homily and quoting the Gospel according to St. John, that they must know how the Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, so they would understand why the Lord has called and sent them - that Christ has to undergo passion, death and resurrection, and that, as His followers, they would and must be ready to experience the same. Fr. Garcia emphasized the importance of commitment and obedience, since this is the servants’ response to God’s call to service and to ask for the help of the Holy Spirit in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities as parish servants. St. John Mary Vianney Parish is located along Marcos Highway in Barangay Mambugan, Antipolo City. It caters to the spiritual needs of the faithful residing in the communities from Masinag Market up to Blue Mountains. The parish is maintaining its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sjmvpantipolo. /kab |