Church leaders, brgy. officials join hands for parish fiesta

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will officiate a mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Punta Princesa, Cebu City on Feb. 11.

The 4 p.m. mass is part of the celebration of the parish’s fiesta and the 61st anniversary of of the Lourdes Shrine (formerly Lourdes Parish) in Punta Princesa.

Fr. Randolp “Randy” Figuracion, Lourdes Shrine rector, said the fiesta activities started last Feb. 2 and will end on Feb. 11.

Figuracion said that at 6 p.m. today, Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo will officiate a mass to close the Year of the Grace that started last Feb. 11, 2017, the 60th anniversary of the Lourdes Parish under the Saint Don Bosco congregation.

The procession of the Feb. 11 fiesta will be held for the first time at 4 .a.m on the same day because the City City Transportation Office will not allow processions during the day because of heavy traffic. The procession has also been shortened this year because of the closure of Natalio Bacalso Ave. in Barangay Mambaling for the P700-million underpass project of the Depart- ment of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Also part of the annual fiesta celebration is the Barangay Bazaar, where Barangay Captain Restituto Atillo and Barangay Councilors Grace Caroline Baquero, Alvin Paez, Joselito Navarro, Clemencia Navarro, Fritz Sulla and Oliver Chua will lead in the sale of affordable goods. Proceeds will be turned over to the parish for its projects.

All the nine areas under the 48 chapels under Lourdes Shrine are endorsing candidates for the Princesa sa Lourdes competition.