85th San Nicolas de Tolentino Parochial Fiesta: Reiterating Stewardship on Faith, Life, and Environment

City of Mati, Davao Oriental – Lay faithful and devotees flocked at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral celebrating the feast day of San Nicolas de Tolentino, once again honoring him for 85 years of guidance, intercession, and protection, offering his life as an epitome of faith, and worthiness of being a steward.

In his homily during the episcopal mass, Bp. Abel Apigo made a brief recall on St. Nicolas’ answer to God’s call, he then cited what persuaded St. Nicolas to enter the religious life, as he grew up to be prayerful, and how he at an early age, felt and heard the call to religious life.

Bp. Abel emphasized the importance of being entrusted with the task of being stewards, as aptly reflected in the theme of this year’s feast day, “Kabulig sa Panaw sa Pagkapiniyalan sa Pagtoo, Kinabuhi, ug Kinaiyahan”.

He added that like San Nicolas, we should be awed with the grace of being chosen as stewards and we must receive it with utmost humility, and be assured that amidst difficulties and challenges, we will persevere because God is with us. Just like the patron saint when he consistently tells the people, “I will heal you through the power of God”.

“In the Gospel, there was the great commissioning of the apostles in preaching the Good News. We will share in this task, and that in celebrating the feast day of San Nicolas, may we be strong in serving God, of being stewards of faith,” he furthered.

“We can also say that we have done good with our preaching the Gospel, where people were led back to God. In government, government workers also do good with the projects and programs implemented, proving that the needs of the people are taken cared of,” he stressed.

In the concluding part of the Holy Eucharist, Bp. Abel Apigo gave a Plaque of Appreciation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy for pioneering Catholic education in the Diocese of Mati. IHMA just celebrated its 75th Founding Anniversary on August 19-20, 2022.

In the afternoon fiesta mass where government officials also attended, led by Gov. Cora Malanyaon, Vice Gov. Niño Uy, Mayor Michelle Rabat, and some members of the 17th Sanggunianig Panlalawigan, and Mayor Juanito Inojales of Gov. Generoso, Diocese of Mati Chancelor Fr. Alfe Alimbon reiterated the challenge hurled to all through the theme, saying it is very relevant with what is transpiring in today’s world of vociferating development, compromising the environment.
“We need to be firm with the task entrusted to us. We have very unpleasant scenarios, particularly mining and illegal logging causing destruction to the environment. We have to think what can we do to show that we are indeed stewards,” he said. (Neela G. Duallo | Photos: San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral SocCom Mati FB page)