Mary Star Of The Sea - Sipaway Island

A Write Up On Our Church Profile for Sipaway Island

It has been more than four (4) years now when a dream of making Sipaway Island a parish started to sprout into becoming a reality when Bishop Jose Advincula together with Rev. Juan Lagdamen during his pastoral visit celebrated a mass in Barangay Ermita and announced his vision of making the island into a mission station which in turn to become

parish “Mary Star of the Sea Parish”. He had envisioned this because of the very notable growing up of the faithfuls in the two barangays of the entire sland. With his motivating warmth of his pronouncement, he called all the parishioners present during the mass to be actively awake and vigilant in search of donors of a lot where the church and its other structures are constructed so as to realize this dream of becoming a parish. From that time on, the parishioners continued faithfully attending religious activities and looked upon for prospective donors of a lot. With the Couples for Christ presence in the island since its first opening of a Christian Life Program Seminar in year 1996, the said Renewal movement grew in a number annually in line with our Roman Catholic faith and practices. It is really a blessing for us all, the parishioners of Sipaway Island that upon our search for a donor, one from the Couples For Christ in the person of Bro. Elerma Mosquera wholeheartedly offered and donated a lot. With an area of 3,000 square meters which is now the place where our Church and all its other component structures be erected. Sipaway Island has two (2) barangays with (2) Roman Catholic Center Chapels and fourteen (14) Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban (GKK) satellite chapels strategically situated in the different sitios / puroks. Regular masses every Sunday has been religiously celebrated as scheduled as follows:
First Sunday of the month – San Juan Center Chapel
2nd Sunday of the month – So.Pitogo, San Juan (Birhen dela Paz Chapel / Birhen sa Antipolo Chapel)
3rd Sunday of the month – So.Bogó, Brgy. Ermita San Juan de Sagun Chapel
4th Sunday of the month – Brgy. Ermita Center Chapel

Since time immemorial, Sipaway Island is a place where most of the populace are Roman Catholic. Inspite of the fact that the people are in the average level of economic status, the parishioners had their satelite chapels and a center chapel. Had organized GKKs and its officials including WESTOYS. The faithfuls continuously are giving tithes attending mass, celebrating patron saint feast, Dawn Rosary for the whole month of October, Aguinaldo Mass on December, Holy Week activities, Flores de’ Mayo – May and many others. As to our statistical Data Profile by category, these are the following:

* Barangay San Juan *
Population -2,835
Center Chapel -1
Satelite Chapels (GKK) -7
Lay Ministers -6
Lectors -12
Altar Boys -4
Westoy -6 / Satelite Chapel

* Barangay Ermita *
Population -2,229
Center Chapel -1
Satelite Chapels (GKK) -7
Lay Ministers -3
Lectors -4
Altar Boys -1
Westoy -6 /Satelite Chapel