Palma thanks Gullases for help in church repair

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma on Thursday thanked The FREEMAN Chairman Dr. Jose “Dodong” Gullas and wife Nena for helping repair the San Miguel Parish in Barangay Tapilon, Daanbantayan town.

The church lost most of its roof and its glass walls fell off when super typhoon Yolanda hit Eastern Visayas  and northern Cebu last November 8, 2013.

“Naguba ang atong simbahan apan karon nindot na. Busa karon nagsaulog kita sa gasa sa pagtuo ug pagpasalamat sa tana’ng instrument sa Ginoo nga dili kita mawad-an og paglaum kay dagha’ng mga tawo nga andam motabang kanato. Salamat sa mga benefactors sama nila ni Dodong Gullas ug Nena Gullas,” Palma said in his homily during the Holy Mass celebrated for the parish.

“Bisa’g unsa pa kakusog nga bagyo, di matum-pag ang atong pagtuo,” Palma added.

He reminded the parishioners that the church, while just a physical structure, is where the word of God is being heard, thus, it needs to be cared for.   The Gullas couple visited the church about a week after the typhoon. At that point, Palma described the church as having the heavens as its roof.

Less than five months after that visit, the couple returned to Tapilon for the blessing of the newly-renovated structure.

“Nagpasalamat mi sa Ginoo nga naay mga tawo nga ni-sponsor sa among simbahan. Salamat gyud kang Sir Gullas nga iya mi’ng gitabangan. Di na gyud mi mauwanan ug mainitan,” said Pacita Formentera, 54.

Formentera said she could only be thankful for the renovation because when they attended Mass the days following the typhoon, they were exposed to both sun and rain. Now, she said, they don’t only have a new roof, the church is even adorned with a stylish ceiling.

Parish priest Rev. Fr. Teotimo Pepito Jr. said it was difficult for the parish because the storm compounded the church’s financial burden. Days before Yolanda arrived, the church had an outstanding credit of P475,000 when the convent at the back of the church was built.

“Naa mi standing balance nga P475,000 before sa Yolanda. Sa diha’ng niabot ang Yolanda, wap-a mi na-kabayad sa among utang, naa na pu’y laing problema. Pero ang nakanindot naay gipadala ang Ginoo nga instrument sama kang Sir Dodong. Karon naayo na among simbahan, impas pa ang utang,” Pepito said.

The Gullas couple was distributing relief goods to residents of Daanbantayan affected by the typhoon when they chanced upon the church. Gullas said it was like being “guided by the Holy Spirit.”

“Akong saad kang Archbishop Palma nga makapa-repair ko’s simbahan. Ang akoa lang, makatabang sa mga tawo. Now I can sleep at night,” Gullas said.

After the mass, Nena distributed at least 100 G.I. sheets to residents of the barangay who are yet to fully fix their houses. —/JMO (FREEMAN)