Santuario installs Fr. Rolando Tuazon, cm as its new Project Director and Administrator

(blogged by Pinky Choudhury)

Reverend Fr.  Rolando A. Tuazon, CM is the new Administrator and Project Director of the Santuario de San Vicente de Paul Shrine and Columbary.

Fr. Tuazon received his appointment from Fr. Rolando C. Santos, CM, the Provincial Visitor of the Philippine Province of the Congregation of Mission and main celebrant of the 9 AM Mass of the Santuario of  Sunday, June 13.

The concelebrants included Fathers Tuazon, Dario Pacheco and  Michael Kim, CM.

The installation ceremonies were incorporated into the Eucharistic celebration. . The rites started before the Proclamation Gospel, with the Provincial Visitor reading the appointment letter from the Provincial Council. Fr. Santos then led Fr. Tuazon in reciting the Nicene Creed as a profession of faith in the tenets and teachings of the Church.

Fr. Tuazon was kneeling at a prie-dieu placed before the altar and the center wall draped with a yellow and white silk cloth that highlighted the statue of their congregation’s founder and Santuario’s patron saint.

The Provincial Visitor then turned over to Fr. Tuazon the key to the Tabernacle, described as the symbol of commitment to and responsibility as shrine administrator for the Santuario and its mission and vision.

Mrs. Erlinda  Basilio – a member of the Executive Committee of the Santuario – handed to Fr. Tuazon a symbol of his office as a project director for the construction of the shrine and columbary – a mallet, which he received and  held up for everyone to see and applaud.

A heavy task – working towards national shrine hood

In his speech Fr. Santos stated that Fr. Tuazon had been strongly endorsed by his predecessor, Fr. Rizalino `Rey’ Garcia, who has been sent to the United States for studies after his six-year term of office.

“Thank you, Father Roland, for accepting this assignment,” added Fr. Santos.

He clarified that as project director, Fr. Tuazon will be in charge of the construction of the shrine and of fund-raising and facilitating things “so that, as we hope and pray, the shrine will be finished during his term.”

“As administrator Fr. Tuazon will be in charge of the liturgical, pastoral and social concerns in the Santuario and in compound of St. Vincent Seminary,” he added.

“It is a very heavy task,” he conceded, “but Fr. Tuazon will be accompanied by his superior, Fr. Dario and by all of you. This shrine is yours.”

The main celebrant noted that Bishop Antonio of Novaliches had stated that the Santuario can be a diocesan shrine when it is finished.  For it to be a national shrine, the Santuario will need a designation by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), stressed Fr. Santos.

“We will work towards that,” he said. “But that will not happen unless we finish the construction.”

What it means to be a Shrine

In his homily, Fr. Santos defined what a shrine is, stating that the liturgical readings of the day show that the heart of a shrine involves repentance, forgiveness, surrendering and linking of lives to Christ.

He pointed out, “The readings are also relevant to St. Vincent de Paul, who devoted his life to preaching the Gospel, more for the poor. And for the clergy and the laity, the meaning of a shrine is to devote  ourselves to the mission of Christ, who committed his life to the poor.”

Fr. Santos also focused on conversion, saying that the purpose of preaching the Gospel is to lead people to conversion – a change of heart and mind according to the plan of God and a practice of the Sacrament of reconciliation.

Before giving the final blessing, Fr. Santos invoked the help and blessing of Saint Vincent de Paul to the task at hand. “May the new leadership of Fr. Tuazon,” he prayed, “urge us to be able to bond with love. As we continue to serve, we will inspire, bless and strengthen each other.

After the mass, Fr. Tuazon thanked the Provincial Visitor for gracing the occasion, and acknowledged the heavy charge of building the Santuario.

With a smile he told everyone, “I have of course been in the team helping my predecessor and so, I was hesitant to accept this. It’s no joke to construct the shrine. But I said to the Lord, as in the responsorial psalm, `Here I am. Do what you want with me.’

“And as I see your kindness, creativity and generosity, I believe I have enough to contribute, even a little, to making good this House of God.”

In closing, Fr. Tuazon thanked Fr. Santos and the concelebrants, the Liturgy Committee for the installation, homeowners association officials, the local government represented by Ms. Josie Geronimo, wife of Barangay Captain Hector Geronimo, mandated organizations and ministries, and individuals who helped plan the event.

The closing rites included a blessing of children, an informal meeting and impromptu photo session with mass goers, and a get-together over light refreshments.