Most Reverend Ronald I. Lunas solemnizes the Saint Joseph the Worker Parish’ Church and altar Dedication on March 18, 2022, with the Holy Eucharistic celebration at San Jose District, Pagadian City. For Catholics, the anointing of the chrism symbolizes Christ as the Anointed One, while the anointing of the church signifies that it is given over entirely and perpetually to Christian worship.
Before the rite started, there was a symbolic offering of the building plan and the church’s keys, which were turned over to the bishop as the entrusted leader of the Diocese. The blessing of the church aisle and the people followed shortly after the offering headed by Bishop Lunas together with Rev. Fr. Paterno Dalumpines, Parish administrator, and Rev. Fr. Theodosius Mendoza, including the crucifix around the church.
Bishop Lunas anointed the altar, the seminarians covered it with cloth and lighted it with candles. At the same time, the Mother Butlers adorned the table with flowers to indicate that the Christian altar is the altar of the Eucharistic sacrifice. The dressing of the altar signifies that the altar is the Lord’s table at which all faithful jubilantly meet to be rejuvenated with divine food of the body and blood of Christ received during communion.
The 12 altar servers then lighted the candles and placed them around the 12 posts of the church. The light symbolizes Christ as the spring of lights in the world, which brightness shines out to Christian families who become part of the journey of faith.
After 31 years of its canonical erection, the church was finally dedicated. The said dedication ceremony was attended by the different priests, Holy Infant seminarians, Church ministries, organizations, and Basic Ecclesial Community members. Some Government officials also took part in the once-in-the-lifetime event of the SJWP history.
