It was an uphill climb for the parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Lambusan, San Remegio, to have a new church built in place of the old structure which had seen better days. However, under the pastoral leadership of their parish priest, Fr. Erik Toquero Orio, the project took shape. It was completed in two years, thanks to the support and generosity of the community. Fr. Erik gratefully declared, “What once seemed distant was built—not by magic nor miracle—but through faith, hope and the shared dedication of a united community.”
A full moon ago, shortly before he was reassigned to the Virgen de Los Remedios parish in Minglanilla, Fr. Erik invited friends and benfactors to the Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar. Vicar General Msgr. Rogelio Fuentes (representing Archbishop Jose Palma) together with Fr. Erik and other visiting priests presided over the rites. Msgr. Fuentes lauded the Churrigueresque church architecture (Spanish baroque style) as a beautiful place of worship and promptly reminded the congregation that “the temple of God is not limited to the physical structure of the church building but is also present in the lives of the faithful.”
A dinner reception with a program showcasing Filipino culture wrapped up the day’s festivities. Musical numbers came from singer Girlie Lapinid Laspiñas and the CBSAA Rondalla of Bogo city under the baton of Maestro Slavsky Ybañez. Lively native dances provided color to the celebration.