Community builds Calungsod church

Toledo City – The Catholic faithfuls here are rushing to finish the church of the Blessed Pedro Calungsod before  his canonization in the Vatican on Oct. 21 this year.

From a chapel made of wood and tin roof in 2006,  the churchgoers  are now rushing to finish the Pedro Calungsod church that sits atop a hill with a 360-degree view of the lush mountains of the city.

In 2006, the Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal approved the establishment of the parish church in the name of Calungsod whose origins was traced to the Visayas.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was all praises to the Blessed Pedro Calungsod parishioners during Sunday’s seventh annual fiesta, which also marks the sixth anniversary of the parish in barangay Cantabaco.

“I am glad to see that there have been many improvements in your church since my last visit,” Archbishop Palma told a congregation of about 1,000.

He was impressed with the church’s newly tiled floors, stained glass windows depicting the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, and scenes from Calungsod’s life.

The rectory, flooring, sanctuary finishing, churchyard landscaping and other parts of the church have yet to see completed though.

Palma was the main celebrant of the fiesta’s concelebrated mass that was participated by Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Antonio Rañola, Msgr. Ildebrando Leyson, Msgr. Gerardo Jumao-as.

Monsignor Leyson is one of the lead promoters of the cause for Calungsod’s canonization. The 94-year-old Monsignor Jumao-as along with Fr. Michael Hisoler persuaded Architect Servillano Mapeso and his wife Josephine to donate the one-hectare land where the hilltop church now sits.

Mapeso who worked on the architecture of the church said so far, P4 million was spent on the structure and another P4 million may be needed to complete it. “We need more benefactors,” Mapeso said.

Fr. Russel Emmanuel Sungcad, parish priest of Blessed Pedro Calungsod church admits that although the parish is poor, his parishioners are  not losing hope of finishing the church that honors the soon-to-be second Filipino saint.

“It is bayanihan spirit of the faithful,” he said.

Having a patron saint who was young when he was martyred is something young people in the parish community can strongly relate, the parish priest said.

Fr. Sungcad recalled that Fr. Jumao-as thought it was a miracle that the church started to rise.

From its humble beginnings, the parish church has grown from two sacristans to 80, 21 chapels to 35,  and five lay ministers to 60 persons serving at least 21,000 churchgoers.

Monsignor Leyson said  one of Blessed Pedro Calungsod’s tasks when he went with the Jesuits on a mission to Guam was the construction of chapels in 16th century.

“The Blessed Calungsod can relate to your need for a church. He was a carpenter,” he said.