VIEW PHOTOS: Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz 2018 and Gawad Parangal
The Filipino Chaplaincy of Melbourne celebrated its Silver Jubilee with a thanksgiving Mass by Most Rev Terence Curtin, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne on 30 September at St. Brigid’s Church in North Fitzroy. The concelebrated Mass was also in celebration of the Feast Day of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, the first Filipino Saint. The 25th celebration had for its theme “Remembering the past with gratitude, celebrate the present with joy and enthusiasm and embrace the future with hope”.
A procession of the image of San Lorenzo was held after the Mass. A lunch and program of activities were also held at the nearby hall.
The Chaplaincy conferred Silver Jubilee Awards to individuals, families, institutions, religious/civic organisations and choir groups in recognition of their generous support to the Filipino Chaplaincy and its apostolic mission. This was the first time that a Gawad Parangal was held.
The awardees supported the Chaplaincy in their own capacities. For example, Filipino couple, Danilo and Agripina Joson are considered pillars of the Chaplaincy. They have been serving the Church under the first Filipino Chaplain up to the present. Pina is called the “Mother of Chaplaincy” as she serves as the Treasurer of the Pastoral Council, while Danny acts as the Property Custodian looking after maintenance and repairs of the Chaplaincy Office and anything needing carpentry work like the caro of the saints for processions.
Pangkat Pinoy, the first all-Filipino choir formed 38 years ago, has been singing at Masses, weddings, funerals, ordinations, Philippine festivals and other ethnic events. Ana Templin has been serving the Chaplaincy for the past 25 years by coordinating Filipino Masses at the Holy Family Church and annual celebration of the Santo Niño fiesta.
Another Filipino couple, Jose and Flora Medalle served as pioneers of the Filipino Chaplaincy as they were the founding members of the Filipino Pastoral Council. Nearly all the awardees offered their awards to the rest of the groups and their teams for contributing and sharing their skills and talents to make their service possible.
The awardees were: Recipients of Special Recognition- Missionaries of Saint Charles (Scalabrinians); St Frances X Cabrini Province in Australia and Asia; St Brigid’s Parish; Fr Alfred Yap, SSS; Philippine Consulate of Victoria; Claretian Fathers (Melbourne), and Philippine Tours; Recipients of Service Award (Former Filipino Chaplains)- Fr Florentino “Boy” Galdo (served from February 1993- 2002); Fr Rolyn Vics (served from 2002- 2008), and Fr Luis Viovicente (served from 2009- 2014); Recipients of Silver Jubilee Award- The Philippine Times, Victoria; Western Family Medical Centre in Cairnlea, Victoria; Australian-Visayan Association of Victoria (AVAVI); Holy Redeemer Servant Community (HRSC), Harmonico Filipino, and Pangkat Pinoy; Ana Templin; Fernando Geronimo, Danilo and Agripina Joson, and Jose and Flora Medalle; Posthumous Silver Jubilee Award- Aniceta Zornosa Esmaquel and Buenaventura Are.
Specials numbers were rendered by Harmonico Filipino, HRSC Youth Group, Zabrina Araya, the Filipino Chaplaincy Choir of Melbourne, Francis Elefano and Judy Santos, Ysabel Mariano and Marie Antoinette Gorgonio.
A video of the Silver Jubilee Hymn sang by the Filipino Chaplaincy in Melbourne was presented. Rollie Limun composed the song while the video’s cinematography, editing and directing were done by Fr Joey Echano.
Fr Joselito Asis currently serves as the Chaplain of the Filipino Community of Melbourne, while Gigi Kalong is the President of the Filipino Pastoral Support of Victoria Inc.
Maridel Martinez served as master of ceremonies.
VIEW PHOTOS: Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz 2018 and Gawad Parangal
