Balut Island’s St. Therese Parish turns 19

Balut Island: located in the southernmost tip of Davao Occidental Province is home to about 10,000 people of mixed cultures and nationalities. About a fifth of the population which is roughly two thousand people are Catholics who are devoted to their faith despite their small number.

The St. Therese Parish is located in Brgy. Mabila which is the town’s center for commerce and local government. It is also the main port of entry to the island and the gateway to the rest of the municipality.

At the heart of the town you will find this tiny parish standing alongside with the different cottage houses that serve as the home to the different zones of the parish because most of the GKKs are found in the different islands surrounding Balut. They built these houses so they can have a shelter whenever they decide to stay in the parish to participate in the activities that require more than one day of attendance.

Today as they celebrate the parochial fiesta, most of them have stayed-in to these houses for several days to participate in the sports and socio-cultural activities. The parents cook food for everybody while the youth and the children have their own activities catered for them.

The St. Therese Parish today celebrates its 19th year of existence. Not too old a parish, it was officially proclaimed as a parish on November 30, 1997.  it only  used to be a mission center of the different catholic congregations and missionaries who stopped here after extensive missionary work, the Redemptorists, being one of them. The parish comprises of 12 GKKs and later organized into three zones.

The mass officiated by Fr. Ronald Lunas, STL was attended by hundreds of members. There were about 19 children and grown-ups who received the sacrament of confirmation which was incorporated in the Holy Mass. Sacrament of Baptism was also held and the blessing of the candles and the newly-renovated church thereafter.

Fr. Ronald Lunas, in his homily talked about the old rugged cross he once saw that has no limbs and arms of Jesus, he thought of telling the owners to bury the said cross and get a new one but when he come closer and study the cross, he notices the inscriptions that says, “You are my legs to go and reach my people and my arms to work and embrace  them.”  He emphasized this as a mission, and explained further that St. Therese is one of the missionaries who has served the church until the end of her life. He now called for the members of the church to work together to reach the people of God where they can feel the embracing love of God in the church.

Toward the end of the mass, the PPC president was called to say a message to the parishioners. He thanked the members who willingly and lovingly served in the construction/renovation of the church, those who have left their homes to work and stay in the parish in order to participate in the week-long sports and cultural activities. He was also thankful to the parish priest, Fr. Saturnino Andoy who patiently worked and heed  their needs.

After the Holy Mass, the parishioners shared a hearty meal and watched championship ball games: basketball for men and volleyball for women.

The 19th fiesta celebration was a display of love, unity, and gratefulness. It showed how they love and respect their parish priest, Rev. Fr. Saturnino O. Andoy, for giving the parishioners the love and and support.

The Church that they built — St. Therese Church — has become a house of prayer and mission. (Blaze Cantaros | Sugid-Digos)