By Lizzie Radam Lazo | Special to the BusinessMirror
SANDARI Batulao, an emerging mountainside community in Nasugbu, Batangas, has opened a rest and recreation shelter especially dedicated to elderly priests by the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, founder of Citystate Properties and Management Corp. (CPMC), the company developing Sandari.
Named ALC Ephesus Haven, the rest home for elderly priests is located in the Bamboo Enclave of Nalé, which is Phase 1 of Sandari. Consisting of two adjacent structures, its wide windows offer a sweeping view of the lush vegetation and rolling hills at the foot of Mounts Batulao and Talamitam, and crisp cool air that is good for the health.
The two buildings have a living room and dining room, a total of 20 bedrooms, each with its own toilet and bath and two beds, allowing the Haven to accommodate 40 priests at one time. A chapel, library and leisure rooms will also be built for the priests’ use.
Nine elderly and retired priests concelebrated a Holy Mass that highlighted the blessing and inauguration on September 24 of ALC Ephesus Haven, named after the Ephesus Ministry of the Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation, a church-based organization that cares for elderly and sickly priests.
Following the Mass led by Tarlac Bishop Emeritus Florentino Cinense, Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco, founder and president of the foundation, described the ALC Ephesus Haven as a “legacy from the heart and mind” of the late ambassador.
A friend for many years of the ambassador, Vengco thanked the children of the Ambassador for completing the project began by their father, praising their “fidelity to the generosity and Christian charity of your father.”
The ambassador, he recalled, had many friends in the priesthood, and their friendship persisted “until they became old, like Bishop Cariño, who became very close to him because alam niyang i-karinyo [he was very affectionate to the ambassador].”
Vengco said, originally, the structure was supposed to be for the ambassador’s own use as a rest house.
“But a few months before he left us, he called me and asked how my project for elderly priests was doing. Then he said he was giving what was to have been his rest house to the elderly priests…ang para sa akin ay para sa inyo na.”
Vengco added that “in his heart, Tony [the ambassador] believed he owed elderly priests a great debt of gratitude” for the friendship and close ties he enjoyed with them.
As far as six years ago, Vengco said, the ambassador had visited and been impressed by one of the Ephesus shelters the Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation maintained.
The foundation was set up by Vengco in 1991 as a community of the faithful, lay, religious and ordained, who assist retired and elderly priests in their needs. His advocacy has grown through the Ephesus Ministry of volunteers in parishes nationwide who render service through the ministry’s various programs.
Among these are Dalaw-Pari, where volunteers reach out and visit elderly priests, providing them the warmth, joy, care and support they need in their advanced years; Bahay-Pari, where senior and sick priests from the provinces are offered a transient home; and Kalusugang Pari, where medical assistance is given to senior priests in need of daily medications and supplements.
Because of his friendship with Vengco, the ambassador recognized how priests, like everybody else, inevitably slow down, but do not always have their family to take care of them.
“He had been helping priests for many years, and cared especially for priests who have grown old in service to the church,” Vengco said, explaining the ambassador’s concern to be of assistance to his project.
Vengco ended his remarks by inviting those present to visit elderly priests who would be staying there.
“Sana dadalaw kayo ’pag may nakatira nang pari dito [We hope you will visit when some priests are already here],” he said.
In his own remarks, D. Edgard A. Cabangon, chairman of the ALC Group of Companies, expressed happiness that he and his siblings are continuing a project close to their father’s heart.
“If there is something else we can do to help the church, please let us know,” he said.
With him at the event were D. Rufina Cabangon, CPMC president; D. Michelle Cabangon, executive vice president; D. Michaela Cabangon; and other officers and staff of CPMC.
Image credits: Roy Domingo