Spousal of Mary and Joseph Parish

Buntatala, Jaro, Iloilo

The humble beginning of the Spousal of

Mary and Joseph Parish at Buntatala, Jaro,
Iloilo City began in 1980 when the
prominent people of the said barangay,
former Brgy. Captain Zacarias Sumagaysay
with the collaboration of the late Felix Julitan
and some civic spirited people acquired a
lot through donations from the Archdiocese
of Jaro. This lot was used in putting up the
Jaro High School-Buntatala Extension, with
the condition that a portion of this lot would
be the site to construct a chapel to gather and manifest the Catholic Faith.

However, the location of the chapel was a little bit inaccessible to the parishioners. Thus, in
1982, with the permission of the Archdiocese, a modest chapel was built to a more accessible
lot.

Faith was so kind that after a decade, the Oblates of St. Joseph came and brought about their
desire to build a church in this barangay. They decided to come to Iloilo with the purpose of
thanking the Archdiocese for having a lot of vocations coming from this province and also to
propagate the devotion to St. Joseph and St. Joseph Marello.

At the turn of the new century, Rev. Fr. Alfredo Piad, OSJ was sent by the Congregation to
initiate their presence in Iloilo and to work for the erection of the new parish. The proposed
parish would be comprised of five barangays, namely, Lanit, Tagbak and Buntatala of Jaro, Iloilo
City, and Camangay and Guintas of Leganes, Iloilo.

On December 9, 2001, the groundbreaking ceremony was held. People from the five barangays
with their respective civic leaders were present to show their solidarity and support for the
realization of the said endeavor.

Even though the construction has not yet started, the dream to become a parish was realized.
On June 2, 2002, his Excellency, Msgr. Angel Lagdameo, DD, Archbishop of Jaro, officiated the
Canonical Erection of the Parish, consecrated to the patronage of the “Spousal of Mary and
Joseph”. Rev. Fr. Ray R. Sales, OSJ was also installed as the first parish priest.