The Barangay Lu-ag Church Project
The project to build a church for Barangay Lu-ag was initiated by the then Baragay Captain, Mrs. Consolacion Laguartilla, in consultation with Mr Ariel Lanada who is leading the international fundraising activity.
Mrs Laguartilla has very kindly donated 200 square meters of land for the construction of the church (see photo left, the area to the foreground of the trees formerly used for growing sugarcane).
Mr Lanada and many others have made monetary donations and we continue to seek assistance in the form of prayers, money, materials or equipment from all who wish the project well.
Construction commenced in April 2010.
NEXT STEPS: 2022 - Finish Tiling the Floor, Side Steps to the Altar, Metal Grills for the Windows
Our next objectives are:
- to complete the tiling in the main body of the church - the edges at the sides, around the columns and at the entrance;
- to contruct and tile the side-steps up to the altar;
- to install metal grills for the windows.
To support this work please
2020 - The main part of the church floor tiled
Although the sanctuary (altar area) floor had been tiled for quite some time, the main body of the church still had a rough concrete floor. Our project in 2020 raised sufficient funds to have the remaining floor-area tiled.
2019 - Sacristy and restroom constructed
Thanks to the generosity of Ms Cristy Lañada Arañador, funds were made available to construct a sacristy and restroom at the west end of the church.
2 February 2014 - Church Doors Installed
On Sunday 2 February 2014 the church doors were installed by the person who designed and constructed them - Joel Berguia. Pictures below show the church made secure from visits by animals etc. by the installation of temporary bamboo grills in the window spaces and the rear doors, and by the main doors at the front entrance. Eventually all of the exterior walls will be painted white and the lower-roofing will be painted red to match the main roof.
PHOTO GALLERY OF CONSTRUCTION
15 January 2014 - Blessing of the Church
The following article appeared in the Iloilo newpaper 'News Express' 20 January 2014 edition (www.newsexpressiloilo.com)
A DAY OF BLESSINGS FOR BARANGAY LUAG
After all the misery that typhoon Yolanda brought to our country, the people of Barangay Luag, Duenas, Iloilo, had cause to celebrate last Wednesday 15 January 2014..
Nearly four years after construction started, the Barangay's new church of St Vincent Ferrer was blessed. Mass was celebrated by Msgr Rabindranath Catalan, of St Jerome parish Duenas. To add further joy to the day, Lance Xavier Lanada and 4 other children were baptized. The celebrations were well attended by the community, barangay and municipal officials, including Mr and Mrs Mamerto Pelopero Sr – parents of the municipal Mayor of Duenas, Carmelite and Dominical Nuns also graced the occasion. After the events in the church, a party was hosted by Jose Ariel Lanada, Hon Bgy Captain Roger Bautista & Barangay council of Lu-ag at Mr & Mrs Consolacion Laguartilla residence.Barangay Luag is one of the 47 barangays that make up the Municipality of Duenas, in the 4th Congressional District of Iloilo province. Luag has a land area of 0.97 square kilometres and a population of around 434 (2010 census) The principal economic activity is agriculture (rice, corn and sugarcane) and most of the citizens of Luag are subsistence farmers and/or laborers, working on the land or at any casual work that they are able to find.The project to build a church for Barangay Luag was initiated by Mrs. Laguartilla, in consultation with Mr Ariel Lanada who led the fundraising activity and directed project works. Mrs Laguartilla, with great generosity, donated 200 square meters of land for the construction of the church and Mr Lanada and many others made monetary contributions.Construction started in April 2010 with the community coming together to provide the labor. The main walls and structural columns were completed by August 2010, but, not unusually for such an undertaking, the project then ran-out of funds. Nevertheless the project organizers persevered and funds were eventually collected to allow the main roof to be constructed, led by Joel Berguia. The roof was completed in October 2011.In May 2012 the Church was used for the first time. The Festival of Flores de Mayo took place throughout the month and children of the Barangay brought flowers in honour of the Virgin Mary.After another funding gap, the side-aisle roofs were completed in August 2012.Finally, in December 2013 and in to the new year, further major progress was achieved which brought the church to a stage where it could be blessed. The sanctuary platform and steps were constructed and tiled. The whole floor was concreted. The walls behind and to the sides of the altar, together with the columns were plastered/rendered and painted. The vestibule was roofed and its floor concreted and walls plastered. The walls of the aisles were raised in height ready for future installation of grills. The ground to the approach to the church was leveled. A cross was erected at the apex of the roof. Mass was celebrated in the church on 27th December 2013 and was followed by the barangay Christmas party.There is still plenty to do: provision of furniture; installation of grills, windows and doors; construction of the sacristy and much more. But the community, under the leadership of newly elected Barangay Captain Roger Bautista will continue to persevere and renew its efforts to bring the project to completion.In the meantime the church will be the living heart of the community, with mass celebrated every first Wednesday of the month and other activities taking place. Commenting on the achievement Ariel Lanada said "The faithful people of Baragay Luag, who often did not to go to mass because they could not afford the transport to Duenas, will now have a spiritual focus which will help community cohesion, provide moral focus for the young and help sustain the continued development of the community".
PHOTO GALLERY OF CHURCH BLESSING
