Santuario Eucaristico - Sacred Heart Parish
Santuario Eucaristico - Sacred Heart Parish is a Roman Catholic Church in Cagayan De Oro, Philippines. It is an Archdiocesan Shrine of the Holy Eucharist, located in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, and administered by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament fathers with St. Peter Julian Eymard, the Apostle of the Eucharist, as its patron.
History
The Archdiocesan Shrine of the Holy Eucharist
The Canon law defines the term shrine as "a church or other sacred place which with the approval of local Ordinary, is by reason of special devotion frequented by the faithful as pilgrims." At shrines the means of salvation are to be more abundantly made available to the faithful: by sedulous proclamation of the word of God, by suitable encouragement of liturgical life, especially by the celebration of the Eucharist and penance, and by the fostering of approved forms of popular devotion. (Canon 1234.1) The Archdiocesan Shrine of the Holy Eucharist (ASHE) is a parochial shrine. As a parochial shrine, it is the center for worthy and exemplary celebration of the Holy Eucharist; the liturgy of the sacrament of Penance should faithfully observe the norm. Unlike other shrines where only the sacraments of Eucharist and Penance are allowed to be celebrated, the ASHE, being a parish church, is sanctioned to celebrate Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals and other parochial functions. As a shrine, creative art forms, from music to sculpture to architecture, are promoted by ASHE. By emphasizing the Holy Eucharist artistically, the Faithfull's reverence and veneration to Our Lord is heightened. It conferred to the faithful the love of Christ through the various forms of ingenious depictions. Essentially, it perpetuated the Christian experience of faith.
Eucharistic Shrine
The Most Rev. Patrick H. Cronin, SSCME, DD, the 2nd Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, dreamed of a shrine of the Eucharist in the Archdiocese. When Msgr. Cronin approached the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in Sta. Cruz Church, Manila during the 1970's, he was inspired to establish a shrine of the Eucharist in the archdiocese he is serving. He invited the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Brothers to come to his diocese to help make his dream a reality. Due to a lack of personnel, the Fathers and Brothers were not able to positively respond to the invitation. However, Msgr. Cronin maintained contact with them. And by then, he preferred the Sacred Heart Parish Church in RER Drive Subdivision in Brgy. Kauswagan as the site of the dreamed shrine.
The Archdiocese and the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Thru the years, communications between the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament have been dynamic. When the Congregation in the Philippines became an independent province in 1993, thru its first Filipino provincial superior, Fr. Nory P. Vasquez, S.S.S., the exchange concerning the plan was revived. Msgr. Cronin's successor, the Most Rev. Jesus B. Tuquib, DD, STD, who also shared the same dream of putting up a shrine of the Eucharist, readily welcomed the SSS. At the archbishop's invitation, the Congregation came and stayed at Brgy. Consolacion to fulfill a canonical requirement of immersion for 2 years of any religious congregation establishing a foundation in a diocese. Here, they were tasked to take care of Nuestra Señora Virgen del Rosario Chapel while awaiting for the Sacred Heart Church at RER Drive Subdivision to be turned over to them by the Archdiocese and be made a shrine. Meanwhile, this was delayed since the Sacred Heart Parish Church must be transferred to another church within the parish boundaries. And so, in 1995, Eco-Church in Kauswagan proper was constructed for this purpose.The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart Chapel. On April 28, 2002, the parochial seat of Sacred Heart Parish was finally moved to the Eco-Church. The former parish church was now relegated into a chapel. On February 2, 2003, when all the canonical requirements were met, the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, headed by Fr. Mark del Rosario, SSS, at long last, occupied the Sacred Heart Chapel. The chapel was then renamed as Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Sacred Heart denoting its purpose to initiate it into a site of the shrine. By then the SSS community started to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with much meaning and love, and the Liturgy of the Hours, especially the Morning and the Evening Prayers, with the people. The SSS community also started the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the Altar of the Celebration every afternoon and the Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament every Sunday evening.
The Archdiocesan Shrine of the Holy Eucharist
Through the dynamic pastorship of Fr. Joel Lasutaz, SSS, who came in October 2005 to serve God's people, the community was inspired to fill their hungers on the Holy Eucharist. His determination has moved everyone to promote a life of loving Jesus who is actively, really present in the Eucharist. Moreover, its communal devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus lead them to love Jesus' beating heart in this august Sacrament of Love; for the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Holy Eucharist itself. Consultations with the Archdiocesan Council and Archbishop Ledesma were pastorally done in response to certain needs. Though canonical requirements of establishing a shrine were not imposed, on August 2, 2008, with the Decree of Canonical Erection of the new Sacred Heart Parish signed by the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, the Most Rev. Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, DD, the parish church was also granted the designation as the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Holy Eucharist.
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
When Msgr. Cronin approached the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in Sta. Cruz Church, Manila during the 1970's, he was inspired to establish a shrine of the Eucharist in the archdiocese he is serving. He invited the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Brothers to come to his diocese to help make his dream a reality. Due to a lack of personnel, the Fathers and Brothers were not able to positively respond to the invitation. However, Msgr. Cronin maintained contact with them. And by then, he preferred the Sacred Heart Parish Church in RER Drive Subdivision in Brgy. Kauswagan as the site of the dreamed shrine.
The Archdiocese and the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Thru the years, communications between the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament have been dynamic. When the Congregation in the Philippines became an independent province in 1993, thru its first Filipino provincial superior, Fr. Nory P. Vasquez, S.S.S., the exchange concerning the plan was revived. Msgr. Cronin's successor, the Most Rev. Jesus B. Tuquib, DD, STD, who also shared the same dream of putting up a shrine of the Eucharist, readily welcomed the SSS. At the archbishop's invitation, the Congregation came and stayed at Brgy. Consolacion to fulfill a canonical requirement of immersion for 2 years of any religious congregation establishing a foundation in a diocese. Here, they were tasked to take care of Nuestra Señora Virgen del Rosario Chapel while awaiting for the Sacred Heart Churchat RER Drive Subdivision to be turned over to them by the Archdiocese and be made a shrine. Meanwhile, this was delayed since the Sacred Heart Parish Church must be transferred to another church within the parish boundaries. And so, in 1995, Eco-Church in Kauswagan proper was constructed for this purpose.The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart ChapelOn April 28, 2002, the parochial seat of Sacred Heart Parish was finally moved to the Eco-Church. The former parish church was now relegated into a chapel. On February 2, 2003, when all the canonical requirements were met, the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, headed by Fr. Mark del Rosario, SSS, at long last, occupied the Sacred Heart Chapel. The chapel was then renamed as Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Sacred Heart denoting its purpose to initiate it into a site of the shrine. By then the SSS community started to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with much meaning and love, and the Liturgy of the Hours, especially the Morning and the Evening Prayers, with the people. The SSS community also started the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the Altar of the Celebration every afternoon and the Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament every Sunday evening.
Gallery
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The front side portion of the shrine.
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The newly renovated ceiling.
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The old ceiling.
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Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Garden
See Also
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro
- Roman Catholicism in the Philippines
- Cagayan de Oro City