Diocesan Shrine and Parish of the Immaculate Conception - Sogod

27/08/2026

𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗛𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗢
(Bishop and Doctor)
28 August

Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, was born in Tagaste, North Africa, in 354 AD. Despite the prayers of his mother, Saint Monica, he grew up in the paganism of his father Patricius. At 17, he went to Carthage, where he joined the Manichaean cult. He led a dissolute life and fathered a child named Adeodatus. At 29, he left for Italy.

At Italy, Augustine was impressed by the sermons of Saint Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan. One day, he heard the voice or a child singing from the neighboring house: "Tolle, Lege," meaning "take up and read." He opened a copy of the Bible nearby and read a passage of Saint Paul: "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the desires of the flesh" (Romans 14:14). This marked his final conversion to Jesus Christ.

Saint Ambrose baptized Saint Augustine on the Paschal Vigil in 387 AD, being 32 years old, and thereafter resolved to consecrate his life to the Lord. The newly-convert Augustine wrote in his "Confessions": "O beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!" Appointed Bishop of Hippo in 395 AD, he proved himself an excellent shepherd and a brilliant writer. He organized the clergy in a common life, and wrote a famous rule for religious women. To the people, he said: "For you I am a Bishop. With you I am a Christian."

One day, as Saint Augustine was meditating on the Trinity, he met a mysterious boy who wanted to scoop the ocean into a hole he had made in the sand. When he remarked that it was an impossible task, the boy replied: "It is easier to scoop all the water of the ocean into this hole than to grasp the nature of God in your mind."

After the sack of Rome in 410 AD, Saint Augustine wrote "The City of God," in which he said that the fall of Rome was not the fault of the Christians but the just punishment of God for her vices and sins. The great Bishop died in 439 AD while his town was under siege by the Vandals.

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PRAYER
Renew in your Church, we pray, O Lord,
the spirit with which you endowed
your Bishop Saint Augustine
that, filled with the same spirit,
we may thirst for you,
the sole fount of true wisdom,
and seek you, the author of heavenly love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
AMEN.

SAN AGUSTIN, ig-ampo mo kami!

27/08/2026

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔, 𝗕𝗘𝗖 𝗦𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡!
Brgy. Pacho Villa, Sogod, Southern Leyte
28 August

Today, we joyfully join the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) of Brgy. Pacho Villa, Sogod, Southern Leyte in celebrating the feast day of their beloved patron, SAN AGUSTIN!

May his powerful intercession bring deeper faith, unity, and abundant blessings to all the families and devotion-filled people of Brgy. Pacho Villa.

VIVA SAN AGUSTIN!

27/08/2026

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔, 𝗕𝗘𝗖 𝗦𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡!
Sitio Dampoy, Brgy. Pacho Villa, Sogod, Southern Leyte
28 August

Today, we joyfully join the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) of Sitio Dampoy, Brgy. Pacho Villa, Sogod, Southern Leyte in celebrating the feast day of their beloved patron, SAN AGUSTIN!

May his powerful intercession bring deeper faith, unity, and abundant blessings to all the families and devotion-filled people of Sitio Dampoy.

VIVA SAN AGUSTIN!

27/08/2026

𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗣𝗧𝗦 | Here is the excerpts of the homily of Rev. Fr. Ernesto B. Sabandal IV during the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time.

26/08/2026

𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔
(Holy Woman and Patroness of Mothers)
27 August

The mother of the great theologian Saint Augustine of Hippo, Saint Monica was born in 331 AD in Tagaste, which is present-day Algeria. When she was very young, she was married off to the Roman pagan Patricius, who shared his mother's violent temper. Patricius' mother lived with the couple and the duo's temper flares proved to be a constant challenge to young Monica.

While Monica's prayers and Christian deeds bothered Patricius, he is said to have respected her beliefs. Three children were born to the couple: Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua. Unfortunately, Monica was unable to baptize her children and when Augustine fell ill, Monica pleaded with Patricius to allow their son to be baptized. Her husband allowed it, but when Augustine was healthy again, he withdrew his permission. For years Monica prayed for her husband and mother-in-law, until finally, one year before Patricius' death, she successfully converted them.

As time passed, Perpetua and Navigius entered the religious life, but unfortunately Augustine became lazy and uncouth. This greatly worried Monica, so when Patricius died, she sent the 17-year-old Augustine to Carthage for schooling.

While in Carthage, Augustine became a Manichaean, which was a major religion that saw the world as light and darkness, and when one died, they were removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of light, which is where life comes from. After Augustine got his education and returned home, he shared his views with Monica, who drove him from her table. Though it is not recorded how much time passed, Monica had a vision that convinced her to reconcile with her wayward son.

Monica went to a bishop, who told her, "the child of those tears shall never perish." Inspired,she followed Augustine to Rome, where she learned he had left for Milan. She continued her perusal and eventually came upon Saint Ambrose, who helped her convert Augustine to Christianity following his seventeen-year resistance.

Saint Augustine later wrote a book called Confessions, in which he wrote of Monica's habit of bringing "to certain oratories, erected in the memory of the saints, offerings of porridge, bread, water and wine." When his mother moved to Milan, Saint Ambrose told her wine "might be an occasion of gluttony for those who were already given to drink," so she stopped preparing wine as offerings for the saints.

Saint Augustine wrote: "In place of a basket filled with fruits of the earth, she had learned to bring to the oratories of the martyrs a heart full of purer petitions, and to give all that she could to the poor - so that the communion of the Lord's body might be rightly celebrated in those places where, after the example of his passion, the martyrs had been sacrificed and crowned."

After a period of six months, Saint Augustine was baptized in the church of Saint John the Baptist at Milan. The pair were led to believe they should spread the Word of God to Africa, but it the Roman city of Civitavecchia, Saint Monica passed away. Augustine recorded the words she imparted upon him when she realized death was near. "Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled." Saint Monica was buried at Ostia, and her body was removed during the 6th century to a hidden crypt in the church of Santa Aurea in Osta, near the tomb of Saint Aurea of Ostia.

In 1430, Pope Martin V ordered her relics to be brought to Rome and many miracles were reported to have occurred along the way. Later, Cardinal d'Estouteville built a church to honor Saint Augustine called the Basilica di Sant'Agostino, where his mother's relics were placed in a chapel to the left of the high altar.

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PRAYER TO SAINT MONICA FOR WAYWARD CHILDREN
Exemplary Mother of the Great Augustine,
you perseveringly pursued your wayward son,
not with wild threats but with prayerful cries to heaven.
Intercede for all mothers in our day
so that they may learn to draw their children to God.
Teach them how to remain close to their children,
even the prodigal sons and daughters
who have sadly gone astray.
AMEN.

SANTA MONICA, ig-ampo mo kami!

26/08/2026

𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦' 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿

The Ministry Altar Servers’ cordially invites current servers and prospective candidates to the Annual Altar Servers’ Formation: Renewal and Recruitment Seminar. This gathering will take place on August 31, 2026, at the Parish Gymnasium, with a registration fee of ₱50.00 per participant.

Designed to foster spiritual growth and community, the seminar offers a dedicated space for returning servers to renew their dedication and for new candidates to begin their journey in liturgical service. Attendees will participate in formation sessions focused on deepening their understanding of the Holy Mass, refining their knowledge of altar service, and strengthening fellowship within the ministry.

Interested individuals are encouraged to join and answer the call to serve at the Lord's table. For registration and further details, please reach out to Mr. Albert Flores or Sr. Christine Oclarit.

BE ON OF US, BE AN ALTAR SERVER!

23/08/2026

𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧 𝗕𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗪
(Apostle)
24 August

All that is known of Saint Bartholomew (around the 1st century) with certainty is that he is mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts of the Apostles as one of the twelve apostles. His name, a patronymic, means "Son of Tolomai," and scholars believe he is the same as Nathanael mentioned in the Gospel of Saint John (1:47), who says he is from Cana and that our Lord Jesus Christ called him an "Israelite... incapable of deceit."

Born at Cana in Galilee, Saint Bartholomew was brought to our Lord by the Apostle Saint Philip, as accounted by Saint John the Evangelist. When Saint Philip told him that he had found the Messiah, Jesus from Nazareth, he replied: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" The town was a small community with no glorious past, a historical antagonist of Cana. Because of his frankness, Jesus remarked that the saint was a true Israelite (John 1:47).

The Roman Martyrology says Saint Bartholomew, after our Lord's Ascension to heaven, preached in India and Greater Armenia, where he was flayed and beheaded by King Astyages. Tradition has the place as Abanopolis on the west coast of the Caspian Sea, and that he also preached in Mesopotamia, Persia, and Egypt. The Gospel of Bartholomew is apocryphal and was condemned in the decree of Pseudo-Gelasius.

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A PRAYER FOR TO SAINT BARTHOLOMEW FOR GRACE

O Glorious Saint Bartholomew,
Jesus called you a person without guile
and you saw in this word a sign
that He was the Son of God and King of Israel.
Obtain for us the grace to be ever guileless
and innocent as doves.
At the same time,
help us to have your gift of faith
to see the Divine hand
in the events of daily life.
May we discern the signs of the times
that lead to Jesus on earth
and will eventually unite us to Him
forever in heaven.
AMEN.

SAN BARTOLOME, ig-ampo mo kami!

22/08/2026

"𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿,
𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵,
𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘁."
Matthew 16:13-20
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 23, 2026

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.

21/08/2026

𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬
22 August

Instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1954 with the publication of Ad Caeli Reginam, this day commemorates the Blessed Virgin Mary's participation in the glorious and universal kingdom of Christ through her special role in His Redemption. Though not the source of grace, she is the channel through which all graces are received.

This feast is closely related to the Assumption, which we the Church celebrates last August 15, because the Virgin Mary, after being assumed into Paradise was crowned "Queen of Heaven and Earth." The Queenship of Mary is based on the vision of Saint John the Evangelist: "A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Revelation 12:1). Such a privilege was granted to her for being the Mother of God, but much more for believing His Word. When a woman called out: "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!" Jesus replied, "Rather, blessed are they who hear the Word I'd God and keep it" (Like 11:27-28).

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PRAYER TO THE QUEENSHIP OF MARY
O Mary Immaculate Queen,
look down upon
this distressed and suffering world.
You know our misery and our weakness.
O thou who art our Mother,
saving us in the hour of peril,
have compassion on us
in these days of great and heavy trial.

Jesus has confided to you the treasure of His grace,
and through you He wills to grant us
pardon and mercy.
In these hours of anguish,
therefore, your children come to you as their hope.

We recognize your Queenship
and ardently desire your triumph.
We need a Mother and a Mother's Heart.
You are for us the luminous dawn
which dissipates our darkness
and points out the way to life.
In your clemency obtain for us the courage
and the confidence of which we have such need.

Most Holy and Adorable Trinity,
You Who did crown with glory in Heaven
the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior,
grant that all her children on earth
may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen,
that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize
her rights as Mother and as Queen.
Mary Immaculate Queen, triumph and reign!
AMEN.

MARIA, REINA INMACULADA, ig-ampo mo kami!

21/08/2026