St. Joseph Parish Prepares for Bishop’s Ordination

January 6, 2019 was another big conference held in the parish during its first week. This time, they called on the GKK presidents of the 69 GKKs comprising the parish. Every GKK was well-represented during said conference called for by the GKK Parish Coordinator and SocCom volunteer, Franz Abraham Balahim and the 5-member Finance team.

The conference was opened formally and they started to tackle one agendum after the next. The first agenda was the one being the Call to Rosary Crusade by families and individual. This is in response to the Circular by Bishop Guillermo Afable urging everyone to pray the rosary everyday either by family, by small group or individually. After series of deliberations, the parish will give each GKK a framed image of Mary, each frame being different. From Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Mother of Perpetual Help and more. It was agreed that the GKKs will conduct the praying of the rosary and bring the image of Our Lady from one house to another every single day.

Another topic they tackled was the incoming fiestas and events of the parish. Franz, the GKK coordinator reiterated that same policies are to be observed in order to have a celebration of the Holy Eucharist right at their chapels. Questions were raised and answered accordingly.

Later on, the Parish SocCom coordinator, Blaze Cantaros took the floor and made press releases about the incoming activities in the parish and the diocese in general. She announced February 10 as the day when Fr. Bong will take his Oath of Fidelity at the San Isidro Parish in Digos City, February 11 as the day of ordination of Bishop Ronald Lunas at the Mary Mediatrix Cathedral, February 16 as the Thanksgiving Mass to be presided by the newly ordained Bishop at the time – Bishop Ronald Lunas. A potluck dinner will follow after the afternoon mass and a Tribute/Program will be conducted in honor of Fr. Lunas as the previous parish priest now administrator of the parish and March 25 as the day of Installation. She made sure everyone marked the dates so they can witness, prepare and pray for the success of the events.

This time the Finance team took the floor by talking about the expenses that are to be incurred during the Ordination. As was agreed in the diocesan planning, the GKK leaders supported the whole idea of raising the much needed amount needed to come up.

Lastly, the group organized among themselves a committee to oversee the Thanksgiving Day of Fr. Lunas to St. Joseph the Worker Parish and plan for the incoming travel to Pagadian to send forth Fr. Bong and witness his installation in the Diocese of Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur. (Blaze Q. Cantaros | St. Joseph Parish SoCCom)