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ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH INVITES THE MSP FOR ITS 30TH FOUNDATIONAL ANNIVERSARY

THE FIRST MSP-founded and administered parish in Luzon area, the St Francis Xavier Parish, has celebrated its 30th founding anniversary last October 18, 2008. The parish, which is located within the Greenheights Subdivision in Mayamot (Marikina City), was established by the MSP in 1978, but, ten years later, it was turned over to the Diocese of Antipolo.

His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales DD, the Archbishop of Manila, was the main celebrant of the thanksgiving mass on that day. He was joined by the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo, Most Rev Francis de Leon DD as well as by some priests of the diocese and the MSP priests. The MSP priests who concelebrated were Fr Lads Oliver, Fr Pat Casino, Fr Gerome Hernandez, Fr Sonny Cantillano, and Fr Jun Tacaisan. The diocesan priests present were the current parish priest, and the former parish priests, about four of them.

The Cardinal paid tribute to the MSP, being the founders of the parish. In fact, the bulk of his homily was a sharing on how the parish started. Through this journey back to beginnings of the parish, it was learned that the good cardinal, who was then the Mission Director of the MSP at that time, was instrumental in the search and establishment of the parish. According to him, the choice of the name of the parish has something to do with mission and the MSP. He shared the growing pains as well as the joys felt during the early years of administration. The Cardinal fondly remembered that one MSP priest (Fr Jags Jugadora) was ordained in the parish which, at that time, simply appeared as a small chapel. At that time, he was the Bishop of Malaybalay, and he was glad to go back to that parish in order to ordain an MSP priest.

After thirty years, a lot of changes occurred in the place as well as in the parish.  Now, with its huge building, “it is even difficult to locate where the previous site of the Church is,” the Cardinal said. A few friends of the MSP still remained in the parish. One of them is Ms. Dory Cruz. One of the highlights of the celebration was the giving of the plaque of appreciation to Ms Cruz for her untiring service to the parish in the past thirty years.

The revisit was a moment of reminiscing the good old days of the MSP in the place. Happy Anniversary, SFX Parish!

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