Sacred Heart Church set to start second phase of columbary project

The first phase of Sacred Heart Church’s columbary (CDN PHOTO/VICTOR ANTHONY SILVA).

AFTER completing phase one of its columbary, the Sacred Heart Parish church is set to begin work on phase two which includes the installation of more than 1,500 additional niches.

Parish Priest Fr. Vidal Gornez said the additional chambers alone would cost P13 million and will be shouldered by parish benefactors.

“We will start phase two to raise funds to pay off our remaining obligations,” he said in a press conference this month.

Phase one of the two-storey, fully-air conditioned Sanctuary of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, located within the parish compound along D. Jakosalem Street in Cebu City, was completed this month. The structure was built by Primary Structures Corp.

Gornez said the whole project cost P200 million, the first phase of which included the construction of the Divine Mercy Chapel, two wake chapels, and the St. Francis Xavier Hall which houses 6,424 vaults.

The parish priest said more than 2,800 vaults are under reservation while 131 are already occupied.

Gornez said the vaults offered under phase two consist of reasonably priced basement niches and premium-priced niches.

He said the basement niches will cost P50,000 to P60,000 while the premium niches, located inside the chapel, will be priced at P110,000 to P120,000.

Niches within the existing St. Francis Xavier Hall are at P80,000 to P100,000.

The Divine Mercy Chapel will be installed with 427 niches with the second level of the columbary housing 216 more.

The basement’s Columbiere Hall will have 860 niches for a total of 1,548 additional vaults under phase two.

Gornez said these “final resting places” can accommodate up to four urns and are of perpetual use.

As the columbary is strategically located right beside the parish, parishioners can conveniently visit their deceased loved ones right after hearing mass.

The sanctuary committee, headed by lawyer Augusto Go, is currently working with some banks to allow clients easy installment options.

Pre-selling began last Oct. 21 and is expected to end by the same month in 2017.

Gornez said the completion of the columbary also completes the parish’s pastoral ministry and care starting with Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, and Funeral after 64 years of existence.

He said proceeds from the columbary will be used for the church’s social and apostolic outreach programs for the poor such as charity clinics, scholarships, feeding programs, and a livelihood program for Yolanda-affected fisherfolk in northern Cebu, among others.