9 Bulacan altar servers are 1st Gawad Obispo Almario awardees
Nine outstanding altar servers from the Diocese of Malolos became the first ever recipients of Ang Tungkod: Gawad Obispo Almario sa Tunay na Paglilingkod during the Lakbay-Tugon kay Kristo, Nov. 17, 2018. SEM. GERALD S. BARRAQUIA
By Sem. Ariz V. de Castro
Dec. 5, 2018
GUIGUINTO, BULACAN
In the presence of 117 delegates, 9 outstanding altar servers from the Diocese of Malolos became the first ever recipients of Ang Tungkod: Gawad Obispo Almario sa Tunay na Paglilingkod, on Nov. 17 during the Lakbay-Tugon kay Kristo, a vocation festival held at the Bp. Cirilo Almario, Jr. Gymnasium, Immaculate Conception Major Seminary (ICMAS), Tabe, Guiguinto, Bulacan.
Awardees are:
- Carlo Guevan of the Christ the King Parish, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan;
- John Kervie Lajom of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Baliuag, Bulacan;
- Kervin Libunao of the Nuestra Señora delos Remedios Parish, San Miguel, Bulacan;
- Jericho Nardo Mendoza of the Sto. Cristo-San Andres Kim Taegon Parish, Bocaue, Bulacan;
- Ariel Pulayan of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Sta. Maria, Bulacan;
- Jose Mari Bacolod Navarro of Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Malolos, Bulacan; Ronald Allan Doma of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Plaridel, Bulacan;
- Jerome Completo of the San Isidro Labrador Parish, Valenzuela City; and
- Vince Joseph Inocencio of the National Shrine and Parish of St. Anne, Hagonoy, Bulacan
“This is to honor him who founded our seminary, the heart of our diocese. This also serves as a tribute to him as the longest-serving bishop in our diocese so far,” said ICMAS Vocation Promotion Director Fr. Michael G. Antonio, explaining why such an award is named after the late bishop.
“TUNGKOD simply stands for Tunay na Naglilingkod,” added Sem. Mark Henri D.G. Ramos, ICMAS Vocation Promotion Ministry Head.
Parishes nominated those whom they believe to manifest zeal in their service both inside and outside liturgical celebrations and whose leadership have an exemplary impact on other youth. The ICMAS Vocation Promotion Team assessed the nominees and chose an awardee per vicariate.
Lakbay-Tugon is a annual seminary-sponsored diocesan event which aims not only to promote camaraderie among altar servers but also “to deepen altar servers’ understanding of their role in lay empowerment, of the universal call to holiness, and of the priestly vocation.”
Formerly called as Sacristans’ Day, it took a break from 2014 to 2016 and resumed in 2017 with the name Lakbay-Tugon.
