Brief History of ST
Brief History of ST
Brief History of ST
Augustine Parish
Sagbayan,Bohol
St. Augustine Parish of Sagbayan Bohol was canonically erected last January 9,1952, by the late
Julio Cardinal Rosales, the Bishop of Tagbilaran. Sagbayan was the most progessive and populate barrio
of Clarin before it was created into a Municipality according to the Executive Order No. 204 in February
9,1949 issued by the late President Elpedio Quirino. It was then the territorial jurisdiction of St. Micheal
the Archangel Parish In Clarin. It was Rev. Fr. Justo B. Sanchez, a native of Clarin, Bohol as the first priest
of Sagbayan.
The seat of the parish priest was the small chapel of the barrio of Sagbayan which was located
within the land owned by the late Baudelio P. Torrefranca ,founder and first appointed Mayor of the
municipality. The area was too small for the future and town plaza , so the benevolent founder donated
an appropriate portion of his other lot where the present St. Augustine Parish Church and Convent now
stands.
December 29, 1954 was the laying of the cornerstone of the First St. Augustine Parish Church
and a wooden convent, but before it was completed in 1964, the church was badly damaged by the
typhoon.In August 28,1965, a monumental laying of cornerstone to start the re-building of the new
concrete Parish church. When Rev. Fr. Juan M. Castil, appointed as the 6th Parish Priest in May, 1972,laid
the cornerstone of a new concrete Parish Convent. Also during his appointment, the parish priest
celebrated it’s silver year.
By January 1979, Rev. Julio Estillore started building a new concrete convent and was roughly
complete by Rev. Fr. Januario C. Jumamoy, the 9th Parish Priest. When Rev. Fr. Marcelino Biliran was
appointed as the 14th Parish Priest in 1994, an untiring young priest the of the Church respectively. He
planned also the Parish Churchs “ Three Million Extension- Expansion Project” and immediately started
upon completion of the main altar renovation. He introduced the Super-Mega ( SM Sagbayan),a unique
Fund Raising Scheme- the super and mega contributors,whose generosity limit has no limit…” giving
until it hurts.”
He was succeeded by Rev. Fr. Thomas S. Balatayo and continued in his famous “Sagbayan 2000”,
another Fund Raising Scheme to raise millions to complete the project. Then, continued by his
successors Rev. Fr. Emmanuel M. Bodota in his Sagbayan 10,000 and it was fully completed during the
time of Rev. Fr. Marcos Caballo who was the 17th Parish Priest. On June 2, 2009 , the 18th Parish Parish
Priest of Sagbayan, Rev. Fr Areston Villason Limocon. Fr. Arlims , as he is fondly called by his friends and
parishioners, made significant and remarkable contributions to the parish . December 9,2010 was the
laying of cornerstone for his project “TWO-STOREY PARISH RECTORY” with his KKTK (Kombento ko
Tukuron ko). In April 18, 2011 he started the construction of the Project and it took him only a year and
a month to build the “two-storey rectory”. That was May 5, 2012 when the Blessing of the New Convent
was done with the presence of the Most. Rev. Leonardo Y. Medroso, D.D. Bishop of Tagbilaran. The
convent was almost done, however in October 15,2013 the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the
province ravaged many houses, churches and convent. Fortunately, the Sagbayan Chruch and Rectory
was not totally damaged. The Sagabayan Church which was once notably- making a big difference in its
beauty, elegance and customized design still stand, yet needs repair. Thus, in November 2014, Fr. Arlims
started the Retrofitting of the Convent. To date, Sagbayan Rectory is one of the most admired convent
in Bohol. The man behind this success, REV. FR. ARESTON V. LIMOCON ended his term as Parish Priest
on June 8,2015.
The first Parish Youth Ministry in Sagbayan was headed by Mrs. Melyn Cocamas- Labor in 1993.
I, Glenda Ermac- Quiao, joined the group in 1995, where I became the youth coordinator from 1996-
2002. PYM’s pride. Mrs. Mylene Cocamas-Labor and Mrs. Peregrita Jiminez-Datahan left us in Sagbayan
to continue their service in the youth head office in the Diocese of Tagbilaran. We are 20 and more solid
core group members. We are the ones who religiously come to sing in the choir every Sunday’s second
masses, comes to Taize Prayer every Saturday evening and goes to the Barangays hold bible sharing with
young people who cannot make it to the Poblacion area on weekly basis . We walk to barangays for
hours , rain or shine and no refreshments or honorarium.
As representative of the young people, we are considered as salt and light, the hope of the
future, and the servant leaders working our way around to let the youth community grow making a
difference in the eyes of the whole town. Whole year round we are loyal to our service in the Lord. In
Januay, we arrange and provide flowers for the church. February is where we held Valentine disco to
raise funds, March-April are the months we would go another parish to attend Youth Camps and Youth
Days, Holy week means a life commitment to us where we would sleep in the convent practicing for the
songs and the Easter main event and would just come home to get a shower and change our clothes.
May is the month where we would sponsor Youth Night for fiesta and disco to raise additional funds for
future youth activities. June to October we come back to our routine then comes November where we
would volunteer in cleaning and helping out the All Saints and All Soul’s day masses which is being held
at San Ramon and San Vicente Norte cemeteries. December 16 is when we celebrate National Youth
Day, we also join the church caroling together with all other parish groups all month. The most
remarkable we have done supported by Fr. Mar Biliran was the Christmas Dawn Drama masses in 1996,
the re-enactment of the stations of the cross where we became instant actresses and actors, the Youth
Encounter headed by the diocese. The Night of Sagbayan Fiesta 1999 wherein our assigned night
became one of the best, that was remarkable.
It sounded like a perfect journey but it was never easy and smooth. Some people did not believe
in us, considered us a nuisance, did not see the difference we have made and considered us young and
without direction. We have had our dramas, tears and pain struggling to rise above. God heard our cry
and sent us some very supportive people like the parish priests, generous parishioners and important
community officials. We have won the best animators of the diocese in one of the Youth Days held at
the IHMs Seminary. We have successfully attended Youth Days in Panglao, Calape, Maribojoc,
Panggangan, St. Vicariate and all others. We have all been able to experience being sent for conferences
and regional meetings. Sagbayan PYM always stood out in so many ways.
Behind the name Parish Youth Ministry, a lifetime friendship developed. We have seen our
members succeed, some failed and some stood up again, graduated college, found a job, went overseas,
became the town’s Saguaniang Kabataan officials, attended each other’s birthdays and how could we
forget the mañanita. We stood by the heartbreaks, new relationships and dealt with the tough real life
situations as mature grown-ups.
We are proud to say we have won against the challenges of life and is still here no matter what.
After 26 years, we still have that fire in our hearts to serve. We formed brotherhood. We are one family.
The last reunion we have was held at Sagbayan Peak celebrated by Fr. Supremo who used to be a
volunteer seminarian in our parish in our youth days. Fr. Crowell Ochea used to be a volunteer too like
Fr. Supremo in pur parish before.
No matter where we are now, in the country or outside Bohol or overseas we remained bonded
under the name “Parish Youth Ministry” core group. We have been sent by the Lord to be servant
leaders which we are all doing until now wherever we are in the world. We are all successful in our ways
and we are proud to be supporting the new generation we called millennials .
To the young of today, have faith in the Lord always, aim for a goal, work for it without giving
up, believe you can make a difference and be who you are in the light of God.
Let our journey continue wherever God leads you. You are IMPORTANT and that you MATTER.