The History of the Sacred Heart Parish

The History of the Sacred Heart Parish
(“God’s Manifestation of His Faithfulness for Forty-Eight Years”)

The Foundation
The Occupants of Barrio Obrero are a conglomeration of Cebuanos, Boholanos, Leyteños, Ilonggos, Antiqueños, Capizeños, Tagalogs and other ethnic groups. By nature people are very religious; these residents of the Barrio have varying religious fervor towards the patron saints they have long venerated in their provinces. These people, though under the Sta. Ana Parish by jurisdiction, exercise their faith by going to their preferred parishes with their favorite patron Saints. Some are therefore going to the nearby parish like San Pedro Parish, San Antonio Parish, Redemptorist Parish, etc. In their eagerness to carry out their respective family devotions, they or groups of them, thought that it’s high time to construct a chapel where they can worship God through their patron saints.

The first chapel to be erected was located inside the Trade School site in honor of San Isidro Labrador, after whom the chapel was named. Pioneers behind this move were Mr. Pablo Inte, Mr. Victor Gamolo, Mr. Leon Magbanua, Miss Victoria Babao and several others. However, when Manila school authorities learned of the location of the chapel within the school grounds, they asked for its removal somewhere else outside of the school campus. Thus, Mr. Pablo Inte, then president of the Barrio Obrero Catholic League, offered the only alternative place—a portion of his home lot on Clarin Street, which was later transferred again to the Junction of Iñigo-Torres streets. Personal likes and preferences being what it is, another group set up a chapel on Cervantes-New Burgos Street junction.

Construction of the new chapel, the Perpetual Help Chapel, was led by Madames Teresita G. Sorongon, Magelende delos Reyes, Patrocinio Gorre, Victoria Oliver and others. Soon after, however, the chapel was transferred at the dead-end of N. Torres Street where it stayed under the aegis of the Coronel family who led in the devotion of the family patron saint, San Vicenter Ferrer. In the meantime, another chapel was set up on the site vacated by Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel: the Santa Cruz Chapel. Another such chapel was also constructed by the Estellore family in Lupo Diaz Street in honor of the family’s own Patron saint, San Jose, for whom the chapel was named.

The Conceptualization of the Parish Church
Amidst such groupings and sectoral devotions, a uniting force came into the Barrio. Rev. Fr. Paul Lu Te-Shan PME, of the Foreign Mission Society of Quebec, Canada, was commissioned by the Most Rev. Clovis Thibault, DD. The first Archbishop of Davao to meet with the Catholic lay leaders of the community and broached the idea of setting up a new parish separate from Sta. Ana parish to which the Barrio belongs. The idea met the immediate approval of the different Catholic organizations which included the Adoracion Nocturna, Barangay sang Birhen, Catholic Women’s League, Cursillo de Cristianidad, Daughters of Isabela, Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary and others which were under the Sta. Ana Parish where some of its members are living in the barrio. To assist Father Lu in carrying out the responsibilities of a new parish community, a Parish Council was organized. It was agreed upon that the name of the parish will be the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish. Mr. Reynaldo P. Sorongon was elected President of the council with the officers and other prominent Catholic leaders in the Barrio as members of said council.

Meanwhile, the boundary of the Sacred Heart Parish was defined. It comprises the area bounded by Cabaguio Avenue leading to Bajada, then to San Roque, JP Laurel and finally to Lakandula street adjacent to Lapu-lapu street where the Agdao Public Market is now located.

On February 5, 1967, the Sacred Heart Parish Council, assisted by the Barrio Obrero Civic Organization headed by Mr. Alberto Gelbolingo effected the transfer of the wooden chapel located at the junction of Nicasio Torres-Inigo streets to a new and permanent church site reserved in the Stella Maris Academy campus. The first Mass celebrated by Fr. Lu in this new location was on Sunday, February 12, 1967 at 6:30 A.M.

The first Fiesta Celebration on June 3-4, 1967 was then celebrated and highlighted by a Princess of Charity Contest organized by the Sacred Heart Parish Council to raise funds for the construction of a permanent concrete church. The response from the parents and supporters of the different candidates was spontaneous and dynamic. Elizabeth Leonar was crowned Princess of Charity. Accordingly, proceeds from that single benefit was considered the biggest in the whole diocese of Davao.

Later, a temporary convent was constructed beside the wooden temporary church.

In that same year, Fr. Lu requested Mr. Argelino D. Manajero to design the proposed Sacred Heart Church. After a series of consultations with Engineers and other lay leaders, a concrete steel-fabricated circular structure was decided upon. Through the leadership and guidance of Fr. Lu and the assistance and cooperation given by Engr. Federico A. Raz, who solved the problems encountered in the structural design and stability of the proposed church, trials, adjustments and modifications to suit the needs of a growing community were envisioned and threshed out before the plan was finalized. Boring tests in the proposed site were made and found satisfactory. Engr. Raz also suggested that a miniature replica of the proposed concrete church be made to give the parishioners an actual perspective view of the church. Fr. Paul Lu, with the help of the carpenter, constructed in five weeks a miniature model which was taken around and presented to prospective suppliers of materials for estimates.

The planning of the construction of the Sacred Heart Church is underway. A portion of the location site was already earth filled and paid for out of the proceeds from the caroling of the various religious organizations.

The Construction of the Church
The actual construction of the Church in 1968 was deferred until additional funds could be raised for at least the initial construction expenses. The parishioners again embarked in a raffle fund-raising campaign. Although the proceeds from this, was not that much, it somehow augmented the church fund so as to enable to begin with the first stage of the church construction. At the same time, however, Fr. Lu, with Engr. F. Raz, Mr. Manajero and the architect, C. de la Cerna from Cebu, A. Bundallan and Engr. E. Leuenberger, from Steel Fabricators and Builders found some practical and workable improvements in the church would become dome-shaped. This improvements proved to be not only more elegant but also more economical; so finally in February 1969, the actual construction commenced. The first storey, the concrete steel-fabricated circular church was finished. By the end of 1969, all electrical installations were made through the kindness and free services of Mr. Johnny Hernandez, Master electrician, a devoted parishioner of the Parish.

The construction of the Church was temporarily stopped when the late Archbishop Clovis Thibault, P.M.E. D.D. appealed to all Priests, religious and laymen to be united together to build the Mother Church of Davao, The San Pedro Cathedral; later, came the construction of St. Jude Parish Church, and Mintal Parish Church. By the end of the year 1977, the three aforementioned churches were almost completed and de facto, they are being used already for religious worship and services.

Early in that same year, the Parish Council, under the leadership and driving spirit of Atty. Apolinario B. Veruasa, has unanimously decided to resume the construction by seeking the approval of the Archbishop Antonio Ll. Mabutas, D.D. And by May 1977, Fr. Lu had obtained the consent of the Archbishop before his departure for Iloilo to attend the Serra National Convention.

The second phase of construction had begun only on Sept. 1977. The foundations and dome framing was designed by Engr. E. Leuenberger, drafted by Lady Architect, Laila Abatayo and fabricated by the Truscon Steelworks Inc.; And the reinforced concrete spherical lune was designed by Engr. Dominador F. Soriano, Assistant Dean of University of Mindanao Engineering Department and structural Engr. Of the Architect-Engr. Maning Chiew. The foundations and the tied beams were accomplished by December 1977. The installation of dome-framing began only on Jan. 4, 1978. The Church was roofed with G.I. from 6 1/2 m. and up provided with sky light dome systems, with Acrylic Plastic, designed and fabricated by Permalin Inc. Quezon City, and installed by Mr. Serapio Sombilon, the construction supervisor.

Then, Fr. Lu, with the support of the present Parish Pastoral Council, with their new President, Mr. Roberto Puentespina, continued the work and in that same year, by extending the concrete flooring to the steel beams, the 16 spherical lune opening with curve canopies, one reinforced concrete gutter ring and the double-stairway that will bring the faithful up for their worship.

The Completion of the Church
The two-storey Church was finally completed by the second quarter of 1979. The first floor has a chapel of all Saints, a social hall, the parish office and the meeting hall for the CWL, the Filipino-Chinese Sacred Heart Ladies Circle that was founded in 1971, the KofC and other religious organizations. The second floor is the church proper with an 800 seating capacity. It is practically simple, elegant and modern church; and is in conformity with the liturgical renewal after Vatican II.

In June 4, 1979, twelve-years and four-months after the first mass was celebrated in that wooden chapel, the first fiesta mass was finally held inside the concrete circular church. It stands as a sign of the collective will, effort, unity and cooperation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish community.

The present church was built under the leadership of Fr. Lu with the following Parish Council Presidents: Reynaldo P. Sorongon, Sr. (1967-70) Alfrefo U. Tamayo (1970-73): Apolinario B. Veruasa (1973-78); and Roberto G. Puentespina (1978-1982).

On April 25, 1980, the Most Rev. Antonio LI. Mabutas, D.D. then Archbishop of Davao, solemnly blessed the newly completed Church. It is a symbol of the parishioners’ ACT OF THANKGIVING AND PRAISE TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS.

The Church Today
Though the two-storey Church was finally completed by the second quarter of 1979, after some years, it already underwent some renovations to accommodate the present needs of the parish. By this time, from having a sacristy with comfort room, Adoration Chapel, the OND Sisters’ convent, Social Hall, Veneration Chapel, the Memorabilia room, the storage room, just last year 2016 the first floor has a newly renovated fully air-conditioned with a capacity of 300 church-goers Chapel being used for daily/weekly masses, a fund-raised elevator cum belfry for the “physically challenged” parishioners, newly upgraded public comfort room, relocated candle lighting area, Parish Caritas office transformed into a charity mini-grocery to cater the marginalized and financially needy parishioners. As an off-shoot to SHJP’s countdown to its Golden Jubilee celebration, Msgr. Paul together with his Resident Priest Rev. Christopher Alcayde and with the support of his Parish Staff and the Parish Pastoral Council, they dreamt bigger and further. After the renovation of the St. Margaret Mary Chapel an elaborate major restoration of the second floor Main Church and its external façade is something to look forward to.

It is also good to note that the parish has two special occasions to be celebrated every year, the Foundation Day every February 11 and its Feast Day every first Sunday of June.

The Present Situation
Since the establishment of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in 1967, the Parish became more and more organized with the coming of the Parish vicars and with the succeeding Parish Priests. While the City of Davao grows older, more people from the provinces of Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental and even from other neighboring provinces, flock into the City to look for work, many people have occupied some open spaces or areas in Bo. Obrero and in some nearby Barangays which seemingly not owned by anybody. Nonetheless they were and are still squatters for the fact was; the whole of the barrio is already titled and therefore, owned by somebody. Thus, two-thirds (2/3) of its population belongs to the poor level on the poverty line. And about one-third (1/3) only, belongs to the affluent Filipino and Filipino-Chinese families.

In the early 2000s, the legitimate lot owners in Barrio Obrero and in the nearby Barangays started re-claiming their property. Thus, by the power of the Court, squatter areas such as in Iñigo Extention where the Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel was; in Lakandula, Agdao, where the San Miguel Chapel was; in Villamor where the Sto. Nino Chapel was; and in Dacudao where the Our Lady of Fatima Chapel was; was all demolished. So, the parishioners of the SACRED HEART OF JESUS are getting fewer due to this sad and dehumanizing situation. And those who have remained in some squatter areas are not at peace because in any given time they would also be demolished. Thus, from the twenty-five (25) strong BECs in Fr. Afable’s time, it was narrowed down to twenty-one (21) and then went up to twenty-three (23) because two (2) new BECs were opened in the time of Msgr. Burlaza.

Even if the parishioners of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish are getting fewer because of that reality, many people from outside the parish are still flocking the Church because of so many reasons. One maybe because of the parking space; two, because of the STELLA MARIS ACADEMY OF DAVAO (SMAD), particularly the Mass at 8:00 a.m. wherein most of the attendance come from the Filipino-Chinese community whose children are schooled; Three, because of the solemnity of Church; And four, because of the many devotees of the Sacred Heart of Jesus who are convinced that their prayers are being answered. (Souvenir Programs, 1967, 1968, 1985, 2004)