PICC La Carlota Celebrates 113th Founding Anniversary

PICC Altar

The Philippine Independent Catholic Church (PICC) here in La Carlota celebrated its 113th Founding Anniversary with a simple, austere activity of street parade in the morning and followed by a thanksgiving mass officiated by my high schoolmate, Rev. Fr. Vicente N. Calan..

The celebration was focused on this year's theme: "To preach the message, to insist upon proclaiming it whether the time is right or not..." is taken from 2 Timothy 4:2 of the Holy Bible.

Only a handful of faithfuls and devotees joined this Sunday Mass and celebration. This could be attributable to the schism that took several years ago and this Church was compelled to have their own separate chapel and separate priest or Bishop.

PICC Logo

The Prayer

My first cousin, Mrs. Luz R. Iligan-Torrefranca led the congregation with her prayer:

"Lord,thank you for caring unceasingly for our family and for the people around us.Thank You for the Faith that gives us strength,for Your love that makes us one.

         "Let not money and infidelity destroy the Love that binds us together as a family."

"Me and our beloved Rte.Rev.Vicente Nada Calan, Diocese of La Carlota City, we call on You, Lord Jesus to be our guide today as we celebrate the 113th Culmination Program of our Anniversary Foundation of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church.

 "May we work together, so with the rest members in harmony knowing that You are in our midst; confident that Your Spirit abides in us to give us strength and guidance in our daily work."

She was followed by her husband, Donato Torrefranca, Chairman of the laymen organization, who delivered a welcome address.

After the mass, a lunch tendered by the concerned devotees and community supporters, was availed by their members.

Service in Pictorials


My Original Church

This Aglipayan Church was my original Church. Rev. Father Antonio Montelibano baptized me on March 1, 1952, My sponsors were the late Melecio Maque, Felicisimo Tomolon, and Diosdado Salongo.

I was spiritually brought up by my late parents who were faithfuls of IPCC's faith. I used to go with my late mother every Sunday. I used to see my late  father to be one of those pushers of cart of various saints in a yearly procession.

I used to join with other devotees' children every May for "Flores de Mayo", a month-long study on cathechism with a joyous, full of fun culmination in the end of month of May.

Every December, I used to go with my mother late in the evening to wait for the "noche buena" at mignight to welcome the birth of Jesus.

Those were the spiritual routines and Church activities I acquired and learned for for 28 faithful years of membership in the Aglipayan Church.

The priest whom I used to endear with since my adolescent until my adulthood was the late Rev. Fr. Jesus Barillo, a soft-spoken Bishop.

Now the original Church which I used to frequent was divided. This Diocese which my schoolmate, Rev. Fr. Vicente Calan administered was separated from the main Church. I had no precise idea why they'd been divided.

Anyway, congratulations schoolmate, Rev. Fr. Calan. Best wishes and God bless you.

The Devotees and Faithfuls



More power!