INSTALLATION OF THE PICTURE FRAME OF ST. BONIFACIA RODRIGUEZ AT ST. ANNE PARISH IN MOLO, ILOILO CITY, PHILIPPINES (DECEMBER 24, 2015)

Molo church was established in 1863.  Like many of the old churches in the Philippines, this church has evolved through construction and reconstruction having gone through war and natural disasters.  It is a Gothic-Renaissance Church and evidently the two pointed belfries is its most remarkable gothic feature.   The church is made of white corral rock. 

In 1992 it was declared as a national landmark by the National Historical Institute.  It is considered as one of the most attractive churches in the Philippines.  St. Anne or Sta. Ana is the patron saint of Molo Church.  But an interesting fact about the church is that it features the images of 16 female saints along the aisle of the church.   These saints are Sta. Marcela, Apolonia, Genoveva, Isabel, Felicia, Ines, Monica, Magdalena, Juliana, Lucia, Rosa de Lima, Teresa, Clara, Cecilia, Margarita and Marta.  Hence, the reference to Molo Church as feminist church or women’s church.  In the past years, the picture frames of four women saints had been added and installed at the side altars of the Church namely St. Edith Stein, St. Bakhita, St. Candida, and St. Vicenta.

The midnight mass this year (December 24, 2015) at St. Anne Parish ushered in the installation of the picture frame of St. Bonifacia Rodriguez, the foundress of the Siervas de San José.  As early as 10:00 in the evening, the church was already fully-packed with people eagerly awaiting the birthday celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Sr. Amor, Sr.Alma, Sr. Luz and Sr. Cecille of CT Iloilo and Sr. Dahlia of CT Silay who were seated in front, were joined by Febeme, the Province’s Web administrator to document the event. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist was very alive with the active participation of the parishioners, the dynamic singing of the choir and the powerful presiding of the mass by the parish priest Fr. Espiridion “Boy” Celis.

The installation rite took place right after the mass with the beautiful introduction of Fr. Boy.  

FR. ESPIRIDION "BOY" CELIS

Sr. Amor then presented in brief the life story of St. Bonifacia Rodriguez while the audience was attentively listening. Soon, all the sisters started their procession from the entrance of the Church where the big picture frame of St. Bonifacia   was being carried by two Church staff as they move towards the altar where the newly-built wooden wall stand was located near the rostrum.  

PROCESSION OF THE BIG PICTURE FRAME OF ST. BONIFACIA

PROCESSION OF THE BIG PICTURE FRAME OF ST. BONIFACIA

SSJ SISTERS: DALLY, CECILE, ALMA, LUZ AND AMOR JOINING THE PROCESSION

After hanging the picture frame, Fr. Boy blessed and incensed the picture followed by the loud applause of the people inside the Church. 

FR. BOY INCENSING THE PICTURE OF ST. BONIFACIA

Soon people lined up to kiss the relic of St. Bonifacia while the sisters distributed the estampita of St. Bonifacia with the novena prayer. The wall stand was then moved at the back of the mass presider’s chair at the altar. 

It was truly a great Christmas gift from the Lord and the sisters could hardly contain the joy in their hearts as they went home at two o”clock in the morning.

 

SSJ SISTERS: DALLY, ALMA, AMOR, CECILLE & LUZ WITH FR. ESPIRIDION "BOY" CELIS