This series was developed to highlight in each month of this year, the Jubilee of Hope 2025, the various Jubilee celebrations in the history of the Diocese of Malolos. This is an opportunity to learn about the events that took place in our Diocese in the past years and what are the important details that occurred in these celebrations.
1987 - 1988
The Diocese of Malolos celebrated the Jubilee for the first time through its celebration of the Golden Year or the 25th anniversary of its establishment. Twenty-five years after it was established on March 11, 1962, this Jubilee took place in the years 1987 to 1988 during the 10th year of the tenure of Bishop Cirilo R. Almario Jr. as the Second Bishop of Malolos.
In 1987, Almario led the Diocese’s Jubilee Year in celebration of its 25th anniversary as a local Church. The theme of the celebration was based on the Gospel of St. Luke: “TO PREPARE FOR THE LORD A PERFECT PEOPLE” (“IHANDA PARA SA PANGINGOON ANG ISANG PERPEKTONG BAYAN”, Lc. 1:17). Special jubilees were held that year such as Jubilee Days for Men, Women, Youth, and for Priests, Religious and Seminarians. On March 11, 1987, the Diocese celebrated its anniversary date with great joy and happiness. Donations for the poor were also held the next day and preparations for the first synod of the Diocese were held.
Two important events occurred in this Year that can be considered its highlight in history. First, the opening of the theology department at the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary, the seminary founded by Bishop Almario in Guiguinto, Bulacan, was celebrated. Second, the First Synod of the Diocese of Malolos was also celebrated, which set the pastoral direction and future of the Church of God for the next 25 years.
THE OPENING OF THE SEMINARY'S THEOLOGATE
One of the most notable projects of Bishop Almario's tenure as Bishop of Malolos was the establishment of the diocese's own seminary major, the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary. The Institute of Formation was established in 1983 with Msgr. Fernando G. Gutierrez, H.P. as its first Rector. The college department followed the next year and its theologate in 1987. ICMAS, as it was called, can be considered Bishop Almario's greatest legacy to the diocese. Today, the seminary houses future priests not only from Malolos but also from neighboring dioceses.
In establishing a Theological Seminary, Bishop Almario formed a faculty of experts in Theology to train seminarians from the diocese as well as from neighboring dioceses for the final stage of formation before full ordination to the priesthood. While Msgr. Gutierrez served as Rector of the entire Seminary Major from 1983 to 1985, Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr., H.P., one of the most renowned priest theologians in the country, was appointed as the first Dean of Theology after serving as Dean of the San Carlos Mayor Seminary in Makati, a seminary of the Archdiocese of Manila.
Canon 460 of the Code of Canon Law states that “the diocesan synod is a group of selected priests and other members of the Christian faithful of a particular church who offer assistance to the bishop of the diocese for the good of the entire community of the diocese according to the norms of the following canons.” Although it does not state when the said synod should be held, Bishop Almario deemed it appropriate to call the First Synod of the Diocese of Malolos on the 25th anniversary of its founding.
The First Synod was held from June to July 1987. Bishop Almario informed Pope John Paul II of the convocation of the Synod. The Secretary of State of the Holy See, His Eminence Agostino Casaroli, stated:
“The Holy Father is pleased to announce that the Diocese of Malolos is preparing to hold its First Diocesan Synod as a fitting conclusion to the celebration of its Twenty-Fifth Anniversary. His Holiness highly encourages the pastoral initiative and he prays that it will be an occasion of renewed commitment on the part of all priests, religious, and laity to evangelization, catechesis, holiness of life, and authentic Christian charity.”
The Synod was presided over by Bishop Almario as President of the Synod and was composed of a Council of Principal Officers led by Bishop Deogracias S. Iñiguez Jr., then Associate Bishop of Malolos, Msgr. Jose B. Aguinaldo, P.A., Msgr. Fernando G. Gutierrez, H.P., and Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco, H.P. The Synod was composed of two (2) bishops, 40 priests, 10 religious, four (4) seminarians, and 30 lay servants. It also had seven (7) pre-synodal groups which prepared documents to be discussed in the said work.
The First Synod document is divided into five main parts: (1) The Structural Organization of the Diocese, (2) The People of God in the Diocese, (3) The Areas of Pastoral Care, (4) The Assets of the Diocese, and (5) Authorizations and Processes. Here, the official ministries were first formed from the Areas of Pastoral Care called WESTY - W-orship (Worship/Liturgy), E-ducation (Education/Formation), S-ocial Service (Charity), T-emporalities (Assets), and Y-outh and Mass Media (Youth and “Mass Media”).
In the Pastoral Letter of Bishop Almario on June 29, 1986 at the beginning of the convocation of the Synod in the Golden Jubilee Year, there were seven (7) objectives in conducting the First Synod of the Diocese: (1) The Intensification of the Spiritual Life of the Bishops and Priests, (2) The Deepening of the Faith of the People, (3) The Intensification of the Liturgical Life, (4) The Strengthening of the Ministry of Service, (5) The Use of “Mass Media” for Evangelization, (6) The Spread of the Missionary Spirit, and (7) Further Organization of the Diocese’s Assets.
Written by: Bro. Kendrick Ivan Panganiban, S.Th.L.-M.A., DCSC Research Team
REFERENCES:
Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition. Washington, DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1999.
Diocese of Malolos. The First Diocesan Synod of Malolos (Synodal Documents). Malolos City: Diocese of Malolos, 1987.
________. Christi Fidelium: 60th Anniversary of the Canonical Establishment of the Diocese of Malolos. Malolos City: Diocese of Malolos, 2023. Panganiban, Kendrick Ivan B. and Dela Vega, Robby V. “History: Diocese of Malolos”. Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos - The Sandigan Website, 2024 (accessed January 28, 2024) https://dioceseofmalolos.ph/history/.
Panganiban, Kendrick Ivan B. “+ THE RIGHT REVEREND MONSIGNOR SABINO AZURIN VENGCO, JR., H.P., M.A., S.TH.D.: A BIOGRAPHY”. Rowers: A Journal of the Graduate School of Theology (ICMAS), Vol. XX, No. 1 (A.Y. 2021-2022): 2-8.
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