What now stands as a modest edifice housing the rectory of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish traces its history back to 84 years ago, in 1906 a year after Ipil became a barrio. The Pioneer Community, of which 10 families are still around met and planned to build a chapel in honor of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. The owner of the lot where the chapel was built was Mr. It was a s
mall chapel made of bamboo and nipa. On December 8, 1907, the barrio folk celebrated its first barrio fiesta. The Mass was officiated by Rev. Ismael Cataag, a priest from Sts. Since then every time the people celebrated their Fiesta, a priest from the said parish was requested to officiate the mass. During World War II the chapel was destroyed. A second attempt was made to rebuild the chapel using light materials so the people could continue their devotion to the patron saint. In 1952, the chapel was renovated and became semi-concrete, and expanded to accommodate more worshippers. The barrio folks donated materials needed for the chapel-like religious statues, flower vases, altar mantles, and many others. In 1956, the carved wooden altar was donated by the Rivilla’s, administrators of the Ormoc Sugar Company then a flourishing sugar mill in Ipil. This family also shouldered whatever repairs needed in the chapel from then on. As years passed by, Ipil grew population-wise as the sugar industry boomed. The Chapel continued to serve the growing population for their spiritual needs and enlightenment. Priests from the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish continued to say masses on Sundays until Msgr. Pastor Cotiangco the parish priest of Ormoc aired the plan that Ipil will be turned into a parish. But certain requirements have to meet. First, the lot where the chapel is built must be donated to the new parish. Second, the chapel must have room for expansion and a convent must be constructed. Delighted at the prospect of Ipil turning into a parish, the Asociacion de Capella met to see how they could come up with the requirements. The group feared that the privilege would go to Brgy. Bantigue a barrio near Ormoc City, as one wealthy resident of that barrio, was willing to donate a lot for the site of the parish church. That posed a challenge for the Asosacion de Capella. They solicited funds from abroad in order to finance the project. And so with the help of the people living in Ipil and in nearby barrios the plan was realized. The chapel was renovated, a convent was constructed and the lot was donated by Mrs. Susana Vda. De Castañeda. On March 30, 1989, a grand event, which brought to the fore pride as a community member of Ipil folk was the er****on of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish. Days before the event, a fiesta atmosphere was pervading the air as stone fences were whitewashed, welcome streamers and paper triangles were hung and every house bedecked itself gaily. Every urchin’s face was scrubbed, everybody wore their Sunday’s best and headed for what used to be the chapel of Brgy. On this great day, Brgy. Ipil was especially proud as it welcomed guests, young and old, rich and poor. The event also installed Rev. Victor Pore with Msgr. Pastor Cotiangco and three other priests of the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish. A banquet followed the mass. The areas covered by the parish include Ipil, Boroc, Hugpa, San Antonio, Danhug, Macabug, Mabini Mahayahay, Can-untog, Quezon Jr., Benolho & Sherwood. It was during Fr. Pore’s term that the Parish Pastoral Council was established with Mrs. Carlota T. Savillo as its president, Mrs. Eufracia vda. De Bioc and Mr. Roque P. Quiamco as the vice-presidents, secretaries were Mrs. Luzviminda C. Laurente and Mrs. Elena S. Salapantan, Mr. Silvino P. Codog was elected as the treasurer while Ms. Maria Aurora B. Sacay became the auditor of the council and Mr. Damaso Asuque was chosen to be P.I.O. It was not until later after the first Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly that the Parish Pastoral Council was restricted. The council now consisted of different commissions with different pastoral functions namely: Worship Commission, Education Commission, Social Action Commission, Temporalities Commission, and Youth Commission or WESTY. The Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish houses many organizations. Among these are the parish council, Knight of Columbus, who exerted the most effort for the improvement of the parish church. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement, Lay Ministers, Legion of Mary, Catechetical Program, the different confraternities namely, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Lourdes and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the World Apostolate of Fatima, the Couples for Christ and the Neo-Catechumenal Way. Priests Formerly Assigned
Apr1989-Apr1992 Rev. Victor Pore
May1992-Mar1998 Rev. Pedro Cordeño Jr. Mar1998-Oct1998 Rev. Ramon Gian March
Nov1998-Oct2002 Rev. Pedro Tiguelo November
Oct2002-Aug2005 Rev. Arnold Aurillo
Aug2005-Jan2010 Rev. Loreno Robles
Feb2010-Feb2015 Rev. Ricardo Mendoza
Feb2015-Mar2017 Rev. Stephen Pesado
Mar2017-Jun2021 Rev. Danilo Zamora
Chapels
Brgy. Ipil
Brgy. Boroc
Brgy. Hugpa
Brgy. San Antonio
Brgy. Can-untog
Brgy. Quezon Jr. Brgy. Danhug
Brgy. Macabug
Brgy. Mabini
Brgy. Mahayahay
Brgy. Benolho
Brgy. Sherwood
Source: archdioceseofpalo.org
