SFDA Parish-Tagakpan Inaugurates Newly Constructed Stations of the Cross

San Francisco de Asis Parish-Tagakpan inaugurated the newly constructed stations of the cross last Saturday, February 26, 2022, at 8:00 in the morning. The inauguration began with a thanksgiving mass presided by the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Mark Jann Perez, OSJ, and was concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Jeffrey T. Dinglasan, OSJ. The mass was attended by several parishioners, including the sponsors of the project who were also given an image of St. Joseph as a token of gratitude.

The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that remembers Jesus Christ’s final day as a man on Earth. Beginning with His condemnation, the 14 devotions, or stations, focus on individual events of His final day. As the individual moves from station to station, the stations are typically used as a mini-pilgrimage. The individual recalls and meditates on a single occurrence from Christ’s final day at each station. Before continuing to the next station, they recite specific prayers until all 14 have been completed. During Lent, the stations are most commonly prayed on Wednesdays and Fridays, especially on Good Friday, the day in a year when the events occurred.

After the thanksgiving mass, the people went outside of the church for the unveiling of the newly constructed stations of the cross. The crosses were blessed by Rev. Fr. Mark Jann Perez, OSJ, together with Rev. Fr. Jeffrey T. Dinglasan, OSJ, and Rev. Fr. Delbert Jardinaso, OSJ.

Fr. Perez decided to construct the stations of the cross inside the compound of the church to help strengthen the faith of the parishioners through prayer, especially as the Church begins the season of Lent. The parish hired Reynaldo Restauro; an artisan and PSL (Pangulo sa Liturhiya) to take charge of the construction. According to Mr. Restauro, it took him more than four months to finish the project.

With the grace and goodness of the Lord, the GKK and other individual and private stakeholders provided financial support that contributed to the success of the project. Other members of the GKK also spent their time and effort cleaning and landscaping the areas of each station. Indeed, the spirit of unity and camaraderie amidst the pandemic was an evident manifestation of the phrase “communion of communities.”

The parishioners of San Francisco de Asis Parish – Tagakpan are praying for more blessings and guidance from the Lord as they contemplate and reflect at the newly-constructed Stations of the Cross. (Adonis Y. Bono, Jr. – SFDA SoCCom)