The Beginnings:
Before 1961, the Roman Catholics in Socorro joined the Philippine Independent Church (IFI) because there was no Catholic Church yet in the locality.
The restoration of the Catholic Church in Socorro began only in 1961 when a cooperative movement called "Unitary" was launched. The fore-runners of this movement were mostly Catholics headed by Mr. Mesias Mahomoc. And the restoration of the Catholic Church was one of the agenda of the movement. Then, in the following years a Catholic chapel was constructed right in the poblacion. Fr. Jose van Asperen, MSC, was the one who blessed the chapel since he was the parish priest of Dapa at that time; and Socorro was still under the Dapa Parish.
One November 19, 1964, the Catholic chapel was destroyed by supertyphoon "Louis". So by 1965, a new chapel was constructed right on the spot where the present Catholic Church is erected (1989). During this time Sunday services were handled by a lay-liturgist, since the parish priest of Dapa could visit only once a month.
Sometime in 1979, the present Catholic Church was constructed under the financial sponsorship of Fr. John Rutgers, SVD, the parish priest of Dapa at that time. The financial counterpart of the Catholic community in the locality was very minimal. The construction was supervised by Mr. Dionisio Ruaya and Mr. Warlto Noguerra. And it was Fr. Eduardo Rocha, SVD, who blessed the newly finished Church sometime in 1980. After Fr. Rocha, came Fr. Gil Espuelas, SVD, then Fr. Briggs Angngasing, SVD, who is the present parish priest of Dapa.
Before 1961, the Roman Catholics in Socorro joined the Philippine Independent Church (IFI) because there was no Catholic Church yet in the locality.
The restoration of the Catholic Church in Socorro began only in 1961 when a cooperative movement called "Unitary" was launched. The fore-runners of this movement were mostly Catholics headed by Mr. Mesias Mahomoc. And the restoration of the Catholic Church was one of the agenda of the movement. Then, in the following years a Catholic chapel was constructed right in the poblacion. Fr. Jose van Asperen, MSC, was the one who blessed the chapel since he was the parish priest of Dapa at that time; and Socorro was still under the Dapa Parish.
One November 19, 1964, the Catholic chapel was destroyed by supertyphoon "Louis". So by 1965, a new chapel was constructed right on the spot where the present Catholic Church is erected (1989). During this time Sunday services were handled by a lay-liturgist, since the parish priest of Dapa could visit only once a month.
Sometime in 1979, the present Catholic Church was constructed under the financial sponsorship of Fr. John Rutgers, SVD, the parish priest of Dapa at that time. The financial counterpart of the Catholic community in the locality was very minimal. The construction was supervised by Mr. Dionisio Ruaya and Mr. Warlto Noguerra. And it was Fr. Eduardo Rocha, SVD, who blessed the newly finished Church sometime in 1980. After Fr. Rocha, came Fr. Gil Espuelas, SVD, then Fr. Briggs Angngasing, SVD, who is the present parish priest of Dapa.
The Recent:
In November 1985, the MC Brothers (Missionaries of Charity) of Mother Theresa of Calcutta arrived in Socorro in order to survey the place of a possibility of opeing a mission in the island. Bro. Francis Montalbo, MC and Bro. Jose Maria Sadullosa, MC, started the pioneering works of the MC's in Bucas Grande Island. The main house of the brothers was located in Brgy. Pamosaingan, 7 kilometers from the Poblacion of Socorro.
It was only on February 5, 1986 that Fr. Alejandrino Plaza Jr., SVD arrivedin Socorro to be its first staying priest. By June 19, 1986, on the ocassion of its town fiesta, the parish was offcially established by Msgr. Miguel C. Cinches, SVD, DD, the bishop of Surigao, and he officially confirmed the appointment of Fr. Plaza, SVD, as the parish priest. Together with the MC brothers, Fr. Plaza stayed at the house of Mrs. Concepcion Lagapa while still looking for a lot where they could build a convent. They stayed in the house of Mrs. Lagapa for a year before they were able to purchase a house and lot just right in the vicinity of the town. After several months of repair and remodelling, the house was finally blessed on February 2, 1987 by Msgr. Vicente Uy, SVD, the Episcopal Vicar of Siargao Island, and it became the rectory of the parish priest of the Roman Catholic Church of Socorro.
Since then, the number of churchgoers increased from ten to thirty, sixty, and a hundred. Those Catholic faithfuls who were dormant for the past years suddenly became alive and renewed their spirit thru active involvement in the community. To prove this observation, the inhabitants of Barangay Helen, who were once under the Philippine Independent Church, expressed their desire to return to the Catholic Church. And in their sincerity, they constructed the chapel made of local materials so that they could have a place of worship every Sunday.
Inspite of these graces, the Catholics are still a minority in Socorro, but it is growing. At present, there are only five barrios where Catholic communities exist. Pamosaingan is the barrio where one can find the bigest Catholic population in the whole Bucas Grande Island, formerly under Numancia (now Del Carmen). And in each of the barrios the lay-liturgists are ably taking turns in taking care of the Sunday celebrations. Aside from the lay-liturgists, other organizations are also actively involved in the parish, such as the CWL, Catechists, Charismatis, Catholic Faith Defenders (CFD), Apostolado, and Youth.
The thrust of the parish is in line with the Diocesan thrust, that is to build a Christian community openly and explicitly proclaiming and witnessing to the presence, reign and victory of Jesus in Bucas Grande Island.
1939-1989: The Golden Years - Diocese of Surigao, Souvenir Program
In November 1985, the MC Brothers (Missionaries of Charity) of Mother Theresa of Calcutta arrived in Socorro in order to survey the place of a possibility of opeing a mission in the island. Bro. Francis Montalbo, MC and Bro. Jose Maria Sadullosa, MC, started the pioneering works of the MC's in Bucas Grande Island. The main house of the brothers was located in Brgy. Pamosaingan, 7 kilometers from the Poblacion of Socorro.
It was only on February 5, 1986 that Fr. Alejandrino Plaza Jr., SVD arrivedin Socorro to be its first staying priest. By June 19, 1986, on the ocassion of its town fiesta, the parish was offcially established by Msgr. Miguel C. Cinches, SVD, DD, the bishop of Surigao, and he officially confirmed the appointment of Fr. Plaza, SVD, as the parish priest. Together with the MC brothers, Fr. Plaza stayed at the house of Mrs. Concepcion Lagapa while still looking for a lot where they could build a convent. They stayed in the house of Mrs. Lagapa for a year before they were able to purchase a house and lot just right in the vicinity of the town. After several months of repair and remodelling, the house was finally blessed on February 2, 1987 by Msgr. Vicente Uy, SVD, the Episcopal Vicar of Siargao Island, and it became the rectory of the parish priest of the Roman Catholic Church of Socorro.
Since then, the number of churchgoers increased from ten to thirty, sixty, and a hundred. Those Catholic faithfuls who were dormant for the past years suddenly became alive and renewed their spirit thru active involvement in the community. To prove this observation, the inhabitants of Barangay Helen, who were once under the Philippine Independent Church, expressed their desire to return to the Catholic Church. And in their sincerity, they constructed the chapel made of local materials so that they could have a place of worship every Sunday.
Inspite of these graces, the Catholics are still a minority in Socorro, but it is growing. At present, there are only five barrios where Catholic communities exist. Pamosaingan is the barrio where one can find the bigest Catholic population in the whole Bucas Grande Island, formerly under Numancia (now Del Carmen). And in each of the barrios the lay-liturgists are ably taking turns in taking care of the Sunday celebrations. Aside from the lay-liturgists, other organizations are also actively involved in the parish, such as the CWL, Catechists, Charismatis, Catholic Faith Defenders (CFD), Apostolado, and Youth.
The thrust of the parish is in line with the Diocesan thrust, that is to build a Christian community openly and explicitly proclaiming and witnessing to the presence, reign and victory of Jesus in Bucas Grande Island.
1939-1989: The Golden Years - Diocese of Surigao, Souvenir Program