Before you stands the San Roque chapel, a place that has evolved alongside Manila. This chapel’s story is intertwined with the devotion of its people. It stands as a testament to faith and community spirit.
Once upon a time, the area around San Roque chapel was full of santol trees. It was named Barrio Santol. The barrio was named after this abundant fruit. Back then, Barrio Santol was part of the Parish of Santa Clara. Residents found it hard to reach Santa Clara Church. It was quite a distance from the barangay.
As early as the 1920s, the residents of Barrio Santol had a special devotion to San Roque. They built a small chapel. It was called a “visita”. Novenas were held here to honor San Roque. His feast day is August 16. They asked the Archdiocese of Manila to build a church in their area.
On August 28, 1951, Bishop Gabriel Reyes established San Roque Church. He was the Archbishop of Manila. Father Pelagio Camahalan became the first parish priest. He served from 1951 to 1962. The parish covered a wide area. It reached Cementina in the north. It stretched to Tripa de Gallina in the east. It extended to the Pasay-Paranaque border in the south. Taft Avenue marked its western boundary.
Father Pio Palad followed Father Camahalan. He served from 1962 to 1970. During his time, two groups were formed. They were “Alay Kay San Roque, Inc.” and the San Roque Credit Union.
In 1970, Father Pedro Agbayani took over. He stayed until 1980. The San Roque Kindergarten School was built during his tenure. It started with one class. Now, the school is called San Roque Preschool of Pasay City. It has over 100 students.
Father Alfredo Fermin followed Father Agbayani. He served the longest as Parish Priest of San Roque. It was from 1980 to 1993. Father Fermin strengthened the Cursillo Movement of San Roque. The Charismatic Movement was also established. Parishioners from Santa Clara helped. The San Roque church often flooded during the rainy season. Parishioners had to wade through mud. They braved the flood to attend Masses. They came for bible studies and prayer meetings. Donations helped renovate the church. A parish office and a mortuary were built.
In 1993, Father Gerard Vincent Mascarina became the Parish Priest. He renovated the church altar. He also improved the tabernacle and lighting. More classrooms were added to the San Roque Kindergarten School. His mother Mrs. Fenny Mascarina elevated the school’s standards. She was a retired principal. A three-level Multi-purpose Hall was constructed. Also an Adoration Chapel was added. Cardinal Jaime Sin blessed the Chapel. It happened on August 16, 1993. More organizations were created. These included Couples for Christ and Knights of Columbus. The Parish Renewal Experience (PREX) also started.
In 1998, Father Joselino Tuazon became the Parish Priest. He worked with Father Armand Tangi and Father Joel Taping. Father Joey strengthened the PPC. He supported other church organizations. He established the Greeters and Collectors Ministry. He also started Hermanos y Hermanas de San Roque. The Mother Butler Guild was founded. Pintig ng Parokya became the official church newsletter. Father Joey held seminars for the parishioners’ development. He initiated having one fiesta each year. This followed liturgical norms. Before, two fiestas were celebrated. One was in April. The other was on August 16. It was the liturgical feast day of San Roque.
From 2002, the fiesta was celebrated only on the Sunday after August 16. A major church renovation began in 2002. The priests and generous donors contributed to the repairs. They fixed the church altar, roof, and ceiling. Father Armand, a UP Fine Arts graduate, designed the architecture and interior.
Today, San Roque chapel stands as a symbol of faith. It shows resilience. Its history is a tapestry. It is woven with devotion, community, and architectural evolution. The chapel is more than a building. It is a living testament to the enduring spirit of its people.