Finally, out of the three-year accumulated contributions from parishioners and walk-in donors, the parish center of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Guadalupe, Cebu City, was inaugurated last month in time for the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) on Jan. 24 to 31, 2016.
The construction of the P17.9-million two-story facility located within the church premises, started on Sept. 8, 2011, to coincide with the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was inaugurated three years later, on the same feast day.
The IEC called on all parishes to make available their facilities for the event.
Ricardo de los Reyes, president of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), said they have six available guest rooms plus two mini-conference halls on the ground and second floors and a roof-deck which can accommodate 3,000 delegates.
Reyes said they are raising separate funds for the furniture and fittings of the center.
“This is the people’s gift to Mama Mary on her birthday, a product of her intercession to God,” said Msgr. Jose S. Montecillo, team moderator of the parish.
Montecillo and Msgr. Achilles Dakay conducted the ribbon-cutting ceremony and blessed the facility last Sept. 8, immediately after the dawn Mass concelebrated by Msgrs. Montecillo and Dakay, and Fr. Paquito Kintanar, parish team member.
The ground floor of the center houses the parish office, day-care classrooms, counseling room, chapel and mini-conference hall; the second floor houses the priests’ quarters, six guest rooms, dining hall, kitchen and the second mini-conference hall.
“It is the people’s center because practically every parishioner contributed to its construction,” says Reyes.
According to de los Reyes, the 27 mandated organizations agreed to conduct a fundraising program dubbed “Kahago” (hard work) by taking turns every Sunday to raise at least P20,000 with every single donation documented in a logbook provided at the two main entrances of the church.
For their part, the 69 chapel organizations, most of which are located in the lowland “passed the hat around” among their members and turned the proceeds over after proper documentation during their monthly mass as their “offering.”
Adding to the proceeds from “Kahago” and solicitation are the walk-in donations.
As of August, the parishioners raised a total of P10.3 million short by P7 million against the cost of the project.
“I can wait for it, this is my way of thanking the Lord for the family blessings,” said contractor, Archt. Charles Gosingco.