St. James COPA Foundation recently hosted its traditional COPA Night, an annual event that brings together its benefactors and beneficiaries in an evening of fellowship.
The event started with a Thanksgiving Mass presided over by Bishop Rolando Tirona and concelebrated by seventeen bishops who are partners in their flagship Adopt A Parish program. This was followed by dinner at the Barangay Community Center, which was highlighted by the the Foundation’s awarding of its first ever COPA Parish Awards.
This Award is intended to give formal recognition to the adopted parishes that best exemplify the role of the parish in building church communities. All of COPA’s close to 200 adopted parishes submitted video reports of their work to their respective Bishops and from among these were chosen the candidates for the COPA Parish Award.
In a unanimous decision by an esteemed Awards Committee headed by Bishop Ronald Lunas, Chairman of the CBCP Commission on BEC, the COPA Parish Award for 2022 was given to the Parish of San Fernando Rey in San Fernando, Bukidnon under its parish priest, Rev. Fr. Conrado Casas,Jr. Fr. Casas ministered to the indigenous people or lumads in the forests of Bukidnon when they were displaced by the government’s all-out war against the NPA’s in that area. During the pandemic, he mobilized volunteers to sustain the delivery of food and medicines to the lumads. They delivered their support to all, regardless of religious affiliation and transformed their BECs (Basic Ecclessial Communities) into one humanitarian endeavor. The Awards Committee highlighted three characteristics of their approach: synodality, innovation and sustainability.
Two other parishes received runner-up awards. The first runner-up Parish Award was given to Our Lady of the Mountains Mission Station in Cabagtasan, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental under the stewardship of parish priest Rev. Fr. Mark Anthony Ongos. The Board of Judges took note of Fr. Ongos’ unique empowerment of the laity against the odds brought by the pandemic, economic downturn from the prolonged lockdowns, Typhoon Odette and clashes with rebels that populate their locality.
The second runner-up Parish Award was given to the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Salvacio in Jomalig Island, Quezon Province headed by parish priest Rev. Fr. Ericson Laguna. The judges took note of Fr. Ericson’s integration of his pastoral work under the theme of “Ugnayan”, reaching out to the community and to government. He adopted the millenial approach to innovation, spreading to as many people as possible thus making the process cooperative, ecumenical and participative.
This event was also livestreamed to benefactors as well as priests and parishioners of COPA’s adopted parishes. Close to 900 coming from all over the country watched the progran live via Facebook and another 168 participated via Zoom. In this event, COPA gave a report on its other ministries – the Social Action Ministry reaching out to the disadvantaged in Muntinlupa and Las Pinas, and the Emergency Assistance Ministry which extends relief and rehabilitation assistance to victims of fires and natural calamities. Another highlight of COPA night was the testimonial of Bishop Antonieto Cabajog of the Diocese of Surigao who shared how COPA helped his severely stricken diocese during Typhoon Odette. COPA continues to help the diocese in its rehabilitation efforts to rebuild churches destroyed by the typhoon.
COPA thanks the AAV community for its enduring support through the years and invites them to continue supporting its mission. Donations may be made through via online transfer to BPI C/A No. 8291-0107-85/ St James COPA Foundation Inc; or Drop donation at COPA office or COPA boxes in the St James Main Church; or Request for pick up by calling Ludy at 0917-8106272.
