Advisories & News
Press Release
TELECONFERENCE ON 500th YEAR OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE PHILIPPINES
2020-07-18
pr- 33-2020
In participation are (from top right): Consul General Orontes V. Castro, Deputy Consul General Edna May G. Lazaro, Cultural Officer Cecilia D. Santos; (second row from left) Sister Theresa Jose (Council of Elders of the El Shaddai – DWXI PPFI Toronto Chapter), Rev. Father Sherwin M. Holandez (Chair of the Toronto Organizing Committee [TOC] for the 500th Year (Quincentenary) of Christianity in the Philippines, Ms. Lysle Kintanar (TOC’s Chair for Events & Logistics), Sister Elvie Rustia (Secretary/Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors of El Shaddai Toronto); (third row from left) Brother Medi Galang (El Shaddai Head Disciple), Mr. Garry Tanuan, Trustee for Ward 8 of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, and Ms. Elvira Foronda (TOC’s Chair for Fund-raising).
16 July 2020, Toronto, Canada – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto hosted a Zoom teleconference on 16 July 2020 with members of the Toronto Organizing Committee (TOC) to discuss updates on the preparations for the celebration of the 500th year of Christianity in the Philippines. The Consulate General and the TOC has had three (3) meetings prior to the declaration of a state of emergency in Toronto brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Present at the virtual meeting were members of the Toronto Organizing Committee (TOC) chaired by Reverend Father Sherwin M. Holandez, Parish Pastor of the Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Church in Toronto, members of the El Shaddai-DWXI PPFI Toronto Chapter, headed by Council of Elders Sister Theresa Jose, and Mr. Garry Tanuan, Trustee of Ward 8 of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). TCDSB and El Shaddai were invited to the meeting to explore possible areas of cooperation in connection with the religious component of the Quincentennial celebrations in Toronto, as well as to encourage the active participation of young Filipino-Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Rev. Father Holandez mentioned that the Archdiocese of Toronto approved TOC’s taking the lead in the religious component of the quincentenary celebrations in Toronto. Father Holandez also updated the group on the preparations for the launch, as well as the various planned activities leading to the main events for the 2021 Quincentennial celebrations. He also agreed with the proposal to conduct an interfaith prayer to highlight the presence of other denominations and harmony among them in Philippine society. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the launch, initially scheduled for August 2020, has been moved to 3 October 2020. The kick-off celebration will be a pre-recorded Mass, either at OLA Church or at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, and a short program, which will all be made accessible on YouTube.
Other planned events at the Parish-level are the Living Rosary in October 2020, Simbang Gabi from 16 to 24 December 2020, and Kumpisalang Bayan, Visita Iglesia and Lenten activities in March 2021. Fr. Holandez also mentioned about a Filipino-Canadian Conference on New Evangelization in May 2021, with the theme “Filipino-Canadian Families and Young People Walking with Jesus”, with Fr. Jerry Orbos as proposed speaker, as well as a conference in July 2021 for the Filipino-Canadian religious, consecrated persons and associates, and a Talk with families, youth and lay groups. His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has been invited as Guest Speaker in this Talk, as well as to celebrate the Mass with the participants. A grand Fiesta sa Nayon featuring food and traditions from different regions of the Philippines is also being planned. TOC is also working on a PH500 Souvenir Program project. A Mass to be celebrated by Cardinal Thomas Collins of the Archdiocese of Toronto, will be the highlight of the Closing Celebration in August 2021. It was also mentioned that the TOC is in the process of engaging Filipino-Canadian religious and secular communities as event convenors, to assist in the above-mentioned planned events.
Consul General Castro informed the group about a proposed art contest and exhibition depicting the quincentennial jubilee of Christianity, which will be a project of Sentro Rizal Toronto, in collaboration with the TCDSB. The contest and exhibition will be open to students from Catholic elementary and secondary schools in Toronto.
Trustee Tanuan and Sister Jose expressed delight on the opportunity to be a part of the quincentennial celebrations. The former committed to support the TOC in reaching out to the youth, through its 92,000 Catholic students in Toronto and Filipino-Canadian staff in the Board. El Shaddai also pledged support to the celebrations. Sister Jose mentioned that 2021 is also a big year for them as they will host in July 2021 the USA-Canada-Europe El Shaddai Anniversary event. They have invited Bishop Ted Bacani and Brother Mike Velarde from the Philippines.
Consul General Castro ended the meeting with the assurance of the Consulate General’s support and active participation in the events leading up to the Quincentennial commemoration in 2021. END