By Ernie B. Esconde
SAMAL, Bataan, Aug. 2 (PNA) — The Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), commonly known as Aglipay Church, on Saturday held in advance its 113th proclamation anniversary in a long parade and colorful Holy Mass in this town.
The creation of IFI that called for absolute Filipinization of the Church was proclaimed on August 3, 1902.
The Most Reverend Gregorio Aglipay became its first Obispo Maximo or Supreme Bishop.
More than 1,500 representatives of parishes and parish priests from various towns in Bataan and Bulacan under one diocese joined in the parade and later in the Holy Mass at the Saint Catherine of Sienna Church in this town.
Rev. Fr. Jaime Enriquez, parish priest of Samal, welcomed the guests while Town Mayor Gene dela Fuente, an Aglipayan, attended the affair.
Teenaged girls and boys performed interpretative dances before the Mass started and before Bishop Joel Porlares, bishop of the diocese of Bataan and Bulacan, delivered his Homily.
Porlares called on all the members for unity.
Reverend Father Elmer Azucena of Bulacan said there are more than six million IFI members in the country and abroad.
”Unity where everyone is ready to give oneself and the whole strength in order to uphold the goal,” Porlares said.
The bishop said that IFI will further be strengthened through unity. He said that from 300 parishes, the number grew to 700.
Porlares said IFI faces many challenges and one of these is the creation of separate dioceses each for Bataan and Bulacan by year 2020. (PNA)