‘A Night to Remember’: Celebrating Milestone and Oneness

On September 30, 2023, the St. Francis of Assisi Parish – Ma-a held an inaugural event, ‘A Night to Remember’: Celebrating Milestone and Oneness celebration at the ballroom of Grand Menseng Hotel. The formal event was organized to celebrate the parish’s 28th Parochial Fiesta.

The event proper started at 7:00 in the evening. The night formally began with an invocation performed by the parish choir. Introduction and acknowledgment followed, carried out by the night’s host, Gerome Ray Jamison Sanoy. The night’s opening segment ended with the opening remarks, done by Mr. Jez Ferraris.

While everyone was eating, an Audio Video Presentation was playing on the screens, discussing the church’s history and milestones, and showcasing interviews with the former parish priests of the church, the list included Fr. Leonardo Dublan Jr., Fr. Amado Arroyo, Fr. Zenon Ampong, and Fr. Emmanuel Gonzaga. The video concluded with final words from the parish’s current parish priest, Rev. Msgr. Paul A. Cuison.

Rev. Msgr. Paul A. Cuison expressed his gratitude to everyone in attendance and shared his heart-warming speech about his time in the church and his tenure as parish priest.

After days of practicing tirelessly for that night’s performance, dancers graced the dancefloor and danced under the ballroom lights. The choreography was splendid, with the performers dancing the Rigodon De Honor, followed by the Line Dancing. The dancers performed with grace as they smiled with glee, while onlookers were amused by the presentation on display. With the final bow, the ballroom filled with the sound of cheers and applause.

With the program over, everyone occupied the dancefloor as the band GAP69, with Rigel Lyra Micolob, began to play vintage dancing songs from the late 1900s and early 2000s. The people started to dance and enjoyed the rest of the evening as music continued to play all night long. (Alessandro Rikardo V. Millabe | SFAP Ma-a SocCom)