What if I told you that a simple act of faith sparked the creation of something magnificent? This is the story of Our Lady of Visitation. It began with Don Pablo Atillo.
In the 1930s Don Pablo Atillo brought an image of Our Lady from Manila to Cebu. The Atillo family were devout followers of the Blessed Mother. They wanted to share their faith. The image first resided in a small chapel within the Atillo residence. Devotees came from all walks of life. Soon the chapel became too small. The need for a church was obvious.
The first Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes took shape. It was a simple structure made of nipa and sawali. It stood on the site of the Don Bosco Youth Center.
World War II brought destruction. In 1945 the nipa and sawali church was ruined. Devotees rebuilt the church on the same site. The image of the Blessed Mother was temporarily kept at Don Pablo Atillo’s home. It made regular trips to the church for the annual novena and feast day.
The Atillos wanted a more permanent house of worship. They approached Msgr Julio Rosales with a Salesian priest, Peter John Clifford SDB. Their goal was church autonomy from the San Nicolas de Tolentino parish in 1956. Gaining parochial independence was no easy task.
Don Pablo Atillo officially donated a 4009 square meter lot to the Archbishop of Cebu. Msgr Rosales formally accepted the donation two months later. A small wooden convent was built that same year. Entrepreneur Eliseo Cornejo championed the project.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish was officially established on January 27 1957. Father Clifford SDB became the first parish priest. Father Pericle Bianchini SDB an Italian missionary was his coadjutor. Father Clifford used money raised by the Cebu Boys Town to pay construction bills. They sold eggs. A weekend movie fundraiser also helped.
The wooden structure of the church was completed on February 11 1958. It was in time for the Centenary Celebration of Our Lady of Lourdes. The community rejoiced.
Father Clifford wanted a bigger church. He bought an 8000 square meter cornfield along F Llamas Street. Marcello Abella sold his lot for only P5.00 per square meter in 1959. Father Clifford sold certificates of donation. The money helped to buy the lot.
In 1962 Engr Plutarco Diaz designed the proposed church. He was a faculty member of Cebu Institute of Technology. The parish grew quickly. In 1964 Father Jose Bosch SDB became the new parish priest. He continued the development of the parish. He bought another lot from Dona Maria Esperanza Osmena. Another lot was acquired from Sergio Osmena Jr that same year. This amounted to 1.4 hectares.
February 13 1966 was a historic day. Father Bosch rolled a huge rock from Buhisan River. It was for the laying of the cornerstone. Simeon Lee volunteered to provide the crane. Archbishop Julio Rosales blessed the site.
In 1970 an 18 meter high concrete parabolic shell was erected. The church now has an overall length of sixty meters. Its transepts are 22.3 meters. The 6 foot stone tabernacle is a striking feature. Father Bosch searched for a hard rock for the tabernacle. He explored the Mananga River twenty seven times. He found one weighing more than twelve tons. The door of the tabernacle is solid bronze.
The crucifix above the main altar is slightly bigger than life size. It was donated by workers from Father Bosch’s hometown in Spain in 1972. Except for the arms the body is made of Dutch pine.
In 1971 Architect Virgilio Asuncion redesigned the rear walls facade canopy grotto and belfry. The three bells are named Fatima Maria Auxiliadora and little Fatima. They were donated by the Spanish people.
The stained glass windows were installed in 1973. The baptismal font is made of carved stone. The statue of the Blessed Mother is made of marble. Governor Osmundo Rama provided transportation for the stones. Above the sanctuary is a chandelier. Each bulb represents a chapel in the parish. The stained glass Stations of the Cross portray the passion of Christ.
It took over 16 years to finish the present church of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Without dedication support and collective efforts the parish would not be the magnificent church it is today. Our Lady of Visitation stands as a testament to faith perseverance and community. It shows what can be achieved when people come together. They build something beautiful and lasting.