Fiesta of Faith and Unity

Los Amigos, October 22 – The St. John Paul II Parish, Los Amigos, echoed with joy and fervor as it celebrated its 12th Parochial Fiesta with the theme “San Juan Pablo II: Kauban sa Panaw Isip mga Piniyalan ngadto kang Hesus pinaagi kang Maria.”

Different figures of the archdiocese celebrated the fiesta masses with us, starting with our parish priest Fr. Russell A. Bantiles for the 6:00 am mass, Monsignor Paul A. Cuison for the 7:30 am mass concelebrated by Archbishop Emeritus Fernando R. Capalla and Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, DD for the Pontifical Mass at 9:00 am. Also present were Reverend Amiel Arado who ministered the baptism, Fr. Lope Polinar and Fr. Alfredo Bustamante, Jr. for the GKK Masses, and Most Rev. George Rimando, DD (Auxilliary Bishop) for the 5:00 pm mass.

Parishioners came together after the fiesta masses to celebrate and share a delicious meal with everyone where the winning performances from the previous cultural night were showcased, and a raffle draw was conducted to add excitement to the event.

Days before the fiesta, the parish conducted a nine-day novena featuring the nine sorrows and joys of St. John Paul II, commemorating his virtues through the novena prayers, singing the gozos, and the celebration of the Holy Masses by different invited priests.

Each novena was followed by the highly anticipated cultural night, which showcased the talents and cultural heritage of the parishioners from different zones.

The cultural night transformed the parish grounds into a mesmerizing spectacle of music, dance, and drama, which captivated attendees and highlighted the immense potential within the community.

The last cultural night was intended for the youth night, which featured a theatrical presentation of the life of St. John Paul II from his early years to sainthood, spoken poetry, song duet, folk dance, and a St. John Paul II-look-a-like contest presented by the parish youth apostolate and different leaders of the parish.

In celebration of the fiesta, basketball games were played between the St. John Paul II Parish team and the Davao Clergy basketball team, where the SJP2 basketball team was declared the winner.

The annual celebration brought together parish members, the faithful, and the local community for a vibrant display of faith, culture, and unity. (Argie B. Lico | St. John Paul II Parish Media Head)