SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO PARISH

Name of the Church

NAGUILIAN, LA UNION
Location

LEADER:
MABALOT, Kryzthyl Angela

SECRETARY:
FONTANOZ, Estephanie

MEMBERS:
ABAT, Kathleen
APOSTOL, Jennelle
CACCAM, Vanessa
DELA CRUZ, Nicole
FLORESCA, Jonard
IGLESIAS, Ashley
IRELAND, David
I. THE STAGES OF GROWTH

A. The Pioneers

In 1829, Fray Bernardo Lago, an Augustinian missionary, led an

expedition up the Cageling River from Aringay, which included Naguilian.
This expedition was critical as it initiated the spread of the Christian faith in
the municipality. However, the pioneering efforts in the region started way
back in 1739, when Augustinian Friars constructed the Catholic Church
after the Spaniards established their authority in the region.

B. Growth

PRE-FOUNDATION PERIOD

The Spanish colonizers had a dual purpose in coming to the

country's wealth, which included subjugating the mountaineers in the
province. This process began in 1823 and continued for several years.
However, in 1829, Naguilian was part of an expedition headed by
Augustinian missionary Fray Bernardo Lago from Aringay up the Cageling
River. This started the Christian faith in the community.
 At the time, the center of the population was concentrated along the
rivers and rich valleys of Barangay Ortiz and Barangay Natividad, where
people gathered together for protection and mutual support.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH AND THE MUNICIPALITY

A royal decree classifying the provinces and putting the region

under the civil rule was issued on May 31, 1837. The town of Naguilian
was founded in the following year, in 1839, by a Governador Cillo by the
name of Bernardo Matias. The same year, an Augustinian Friar named
Rev. Fr. Jose Foj established the Saint Augustine Parish Church. At that
time, Naguilian was ruled by the Church and the civil government.

THE EFFECT OF WORLD WAR II

On December 8, 1942, the Pacific War officially began. The

convent, along with the nearby homes and the Church, were all destroyed.
Spanish Friars ran the church until a Filipino Priest took over, but before
the world war, the church had endured the turmoil and weather
disturbances incurred during the long years of its existence until World
War II. Rev. Fr. Anastacio Bigornia was the first known Filipino
administrator who served our church for half a century with other assistant
Filipino priests.

It is still governed by Filipinos today, even though Spanish rule

ended in 1899. Following the conflict, the house of worship was
constructed by Liberation Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Enrique Dulay, out of
salvaged materials and burned GI sheets. A few years later, the US
 government settled the war-damaged claim, and later, the war-devastated
church was rebuilt and elevated by a meter. The interior walls and flooring
were smoothly cemented, and the trusses and GI roofing were made of
more substantial materials.

THE EFFECT OF THE KILLER EARTHQUAKE OF 1990

Only on July 16, 1990, when a powerful earthquake with a

magnitude of 7.7 shook the region and destroyed the entire frontage of the
church, including parts of the altar, resulted in significant damage to the
church. When this tragedy occurred, Msgr. Max O. Romero was the
administrator. Once more, the entire church organization, led by the parish
priest and the community, banded together to address and resolve the
crisis.

C. Expansion

After the effect of the earthquake in 1990, the officers from various
religious organizations and fellow brothers and sisters abroad supported
the establishment of the Rehabilitation Center under the leadership of
Judge Joven F. Costales. This has helped restore the church and resume
services to the community.

Moreover, in 2022, the church received another church bell through

the donations of residents of Naguilian, providing the church with the
motivation to continue to serve the people with liturgical services.
II. REFLECTION ON THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH

A. Doing the mission

Decades have passed, and the church has reconstructed and

drastically developed. Yet, it remains to provide services to the people,
including social teaching to reinforce moral foundations and the spiritual
development of every individual. As the church is inclusive, they also
reach out to people in faraway or mountainous areas. Aside from that, it
also encourages the youth to join and participate in the services of the
liturgical assembly as altar servers, lectors, choir members, and ushers.
With the help of the members and the people in the community, the
church seeks and saves the poor, the lost, and those in most need. As the
church continues to manifest the practice of divine worship, it also builds
the relationships of the discipleship community.
 Thus, the church pledged to continue and extend the community
birthed in the municipality and to help other people be faithful stewards of
reconciliation. People prayed for one another and for the church.
Afterward, the church practiced confession and forgiveness in the
personal lives of people, seeking healing. It remained in touch and
gathered to tell stories of God, discern and assist others, learn about and
lament destructive divisions and conflicts, and seek and celebrate signs of
hope during a hard time. As mentioned above, the church established a
network to foster relationships and partnerships and invite people around
the municipality to join them. They advocate and speak prophetically for
justice and reconciliation, including engaging civic and political leaders,
without compromising biblical convictions. Lastly, the church contributed
and shared resources. The people of the church worked humbly together
as servants to seek the church's renewal and to help mobilize the local
Christian community to be partners in God's reconciling mission.

In general, it can be said that the Saint Augustine Parish Church

has four areas of mission: (i) worship; (ii) human development; (iii) social
action; and (iv) renewal and reconciliation.

i. It is the missionary presence of the church to declare the

wonderful deeds of Christ, who called you out from darkness into
His marvelous light. At the same time, an essential task of
missionary activity is to plant and nurture the church where it has
not yet taken root.
 ii. The concern for human development is to nourish people
with the body and blood of Christ, to develop the potentialities God
has bestowed upon them, to enjoy the new life in Christ and have it
abundantly, and to enable them to share such abundance with their
fellow beings.

iii. Social action is a pastoral activity of the church and is

inherent to the church's calling. It is the sending out in the service of
the Kingdom of God to promote an atmosphere where people can
enjoy a bigger share of the gifts of civilization for the development
and fulfillment of their potential as human beings.
 iv. With everything that has happened, including World War
II and the devastating earthquake, the church must be reformed
insofar as it has become deformed. The Church must constantly
renew itself, giving itself a new form, a new shape in history, and
adopting a new order to make the Gospel alive to the people in the
municipality.
B. Challenges and Difficulties Encountered in Doing the Mission

St. Augustine Hippo Parish Church of Naguilian, La Union is a

religious organization committed to serving its congregation and the local
community. Like any parish, St. Augustine Hippo Parish faces various
challenges and difficulties in fulfilling its mission. These challenges
include:

1. Limited Funds and Resources

- One common challenge facing St. Augustine Hippo Parish is

limited financial resources to fund various programs and
initiatives. They rely on tithes, donations, and contributions
from their members and the community. Unfortunately, the
lack of funds hampers their ability to run outreach programs,
maintain facilities, and support those in need. Additionally,
outdated facilities and limited access to essential
technologies present significant obstacles that affect the
effectiveness and reach of the parish's mission.

2. Community Outreach and Engagement

- St. Augustine Hippo Parish faces a significant challenge in

building strong connections with the local community in
Naguilian. The parish's mission is to serve the community by
addressing social issues, providing assistance to those in
need, and promoting spiritual growth. However, St.
Augustine Hippo Parish faces difficulties because of
differences in culture, people being skeptical, and resistance
towards religious institutions. These challenges can make it
harder for the parish to successfully connect with and
engage the community.

3. Recruiting and retaining dedicated volunteers

- Like many other religious organizations, St. Augustine Hippo

Parish depends on volunteers to fulfill its mission. However,
finding and keeping committed volunteers who are willing to
dedicate their time and skills on a regular basis can be quite
a challenge. This challenge becomes even more prominent
when the community itself has limited resources or lacks
awareness about the activities and initiatives of the parish.
 4. Responding to evolving needs

- Communities' needs and challenges change over time,

which means that parishes like St. Augustine Hippo Parish
need to adapt to tackle them effectively. It's essential for the
parish to constantly identify and respond to these evolving
needs by creating new programs, improving existing ones,
and embracing innovative approaches. However, this
process demands thoughtful evaluation and flexibility to
ensure that the responses are truly effective.

III. MISSIONARY RESPONSE

How can you participate actively in the mission of Christ through your
church involvement?

Attend the catechist's visits.

Make an effort to attend the catechist's visits to the barangay.

Listen attentively to grasp the Catholic faith better.

Spread the word about the church’s missions.

Tell the news that the catechist visited in barangay. Inform our
family, friends, and neighbors about the events and outreach programs
organized by the church so that they will be able to help a wider range of
audience. Even the simple act of promoting their activities on social media
platforms can help in their missionary works.

Donate to the church.

Be involved in the church’s mission of helping the people of our

municipality, especially those that are from far-flung areas. Donate old
clothes, old toys, and even food such as canned goods and rice
particularly when we have the means to do so. And also, give aid
financially during church offerings, even if it is a small amount.

Use our spiritual gifts to serve our church.

 Serve the Lord by joining the church as a choir member, lector,
usher, or sacristan when we have the talents or skills to be one.

Invite a friend to go to church with you.

Regularly attending mass on Sundays is one of the simplest ways

we can participate in the mission of Christ through our church. Bringing a
willing friend to listen to the words of God is a great way to bond and bring
the good news to the people, which is both our mission and the church’s
mission.

Support missionary work.

Praying for catechists’ safety, health, wisdom, and success in their

work. Also, pray for the people they serve, that they will come to know
Jesus and feel His love.

Join a parish group or ministry.

In order to become active in ministry, especially youth ministry.

Volunteer our time and talents to help the program with various tasks like
cleaning, decorating, and event planning.

Join religious organizations created by the church.

Be a member or officer of the various religious organizations

created by the church. These organizations have the goal of helping the
church in its activities and functions.

Engage in a parish event.

Participate in the church's Triduum celebration. Attend the masses

and liturgies and participate in the rituals and traditions, such as the
washing of the feet and the lighting of the Paschal candle.

Encourage the youth to participate.

Like how Saint Augustine Parish Church encourages the youth to

participate in various services, we can also help the youth participate in
church activities. We can act as role models for the next generation,
inspiring them to deepen their faith and actively take part in Christ's
mission.