Restoring Hope

The Our Lady of Fatima Parish has been a place of worship community for 70 years, serving as a sanctuary for the Christian countless lay faithful and priests who have shared various experiences throughout the years. Unfortunately, on March 5, 2023, a massive fire broke out inside the church, causing significant damage to the building, including the sacristy, other ministry rooms, and the items used for Holy Mass. Despite this tragedy, some items were fortunately saved, including the statues of saints and other items for the Mass.

Since the incident occurred, the Holy Mass has been held outside the church, where parishioners gather to pray and participate in other liturgical activities. However, the community has longed for the restoration of the church’s interior and the return of the celebration of Holy Mass inside the church.

On April 2, 2023, during the celebration of Palm Sunday, the Our Lady of Fatima Parish joyfully celebrated the Holy Mass inside the church again. The parishioners, including their parish priest Rev. Fr. Severino “Ben” Capulong and his assistant parish priest Rev. Fr. Marvin Del Campo, were delighted and grateful that they were finally able to conduct the celebration of the Holy Mass inside the church that they had been hoping for since the fire occurred. The Holy Week masses and liturgical activities were celebrated inside the church.

The community shared some thoughts about their experiences during the incident, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and determination in the face of adversity. They declared that they may have been knocked down by the fires, but they would not be defeated as devotees of our Lady. Their strong faith and prayers gave them the strength and hope to rise up from the tragedy.

Lastly, despite the ongoing construction to restore the beauty of the church, the community joyfully continues to serve and attend Mass, united in their faith and resilience. The Our Lady of Fatima Parish has stood the test of time, and its people have shown that they will continue to do so, no matter what challenges they may face in the future. (Bro. Julius Lugay)