Celebrations in Ozamiz City,  Philippines

July 14, 15,16, 2006
By Columban Sister Mercedes Ventenilla


The great event in Ozamiz was the 250th anniversary of Christianity in that city.  All the people of Ozamiz, including  church and the civil leaders  worked together to make the occasion a great success. 

The celebrations lasted a month  but the highlight was during three days - July 14, 15, 16 July, 2006.

The COTTA was the center of the celebrations.  This is a fort where Our Lady is supposed to have miraculously pushed back the Muslims who were going to take over this Spanish fort and the city.  A statue of Our Lady of Triumph, to whom the people of Ozamiz have great devotion,  is enshrined there and it has been a place of pilgrimage for years.

There was a daily Eucharistic celebration at the COTTA, procession, parades, street dancing, dinner/dance, fireworks, alumni re-unions, etc. Alumni of different schools in the city who are now residing abroad came home for the great event, and together with the local alumni, helped in the coordination of activities.

On July 16, the final day of the TRIDUUM, although it was drizzling, people came with umbrellas to witness the blessing of the street named in honor of the Columban Sisters. The sign was already up – ST. COLUMBAN DRIVE. It was their way of showing their deep gratitude to all the Sisters for the great work they have done through the years in Ozamiz. The street begins a little distance from the Columban Sisters' convent and ends at the City Hall. 



Archbishop Jesus Dosado, the Archbishop of Ozamiz, blessed the street and Sister Teresita Bernad cut the ribbon, assisted by Sister Divina Lua, a member of our Congregational Leadership Team. A presentation of a plaque to the Columban Sisters concluded   the street blessing.

After that, we moved to the street encircling the COTTA with the new sign – MSGR. CRONIN CIRCLE. There was another blessing there and cutting of ribbon,  by the Columban Fathers this time. The circular street was named after Archbishop Cronin, the Columban Archbishop of Ozamiz for many years and very much loved by generations of Ozamiznons. The Columban Fathers were also presented with a plaque of appreciation after which the Holy Eucharist was celebrated for the Columban Fathers and Columban Sisters at the COTTA. A dinner in the Columban Fathers’ house in Catadman followed and there was a brief after-dinner program and speeches expressing  grateful recognition of the wonderful contribution the Columban Fathers and Sisters had in the growth of faith in the Ozamiz community. This by no means ended the celebration as there were many much appreciated  invitations to dinners from very loyal alumni.  

 

 

To contact the Columban Sisters in the Philippines
E-mail:  

msscph_alt@yahoo.com.ph


Sister Mercedes Ventenilla