THE MAKING OF A PARISH

Toward the later part of November, 1982, His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, paid a visit to the Pius XII Catholic Center, In­corporated. At the driveway leading into the Administration Building, the Cardinal expressed his fondest desire to establish a parish right at the heart of the Catholic Center. He made a revelation to Msgr. Justino C. Ortiz, the Chaplain of the Catholic Center. His Eminence envisioned that the Patron Saint of the new parish would be Maria Goretti. He wanted especially the young people within the community to understand and to emulate the life and example of the youthful Saint, Virgin and Martyr of Purity. He suggested to Msgr. Ortiz to confer with the Parish Priest of St. Vincent de Paul, San Marcelino, Paco, Manila.

The following day, Msgr. Ortiz went to St. Vincent de Paul Parish. He consulted Rev. Fr. Francisco Vargas, who was then the parish priest concerning the creation of a new parish in the surrounding area of Pius XII Catholic Center. Msgr. Ortiz and Fr. Vargas scanned the vicinity map of the parish of St. Vincent de Paul. There were seven (7) areas which the parish encompass. The surrounding area into which the Pius XII Catholic Center peri­perates fell into Area No. 7. Fr. Vargas had no objection what­soever in relinquishing Area No. 7 to the would-be parish St. Maria Goretti.

Msgr. Ortiz reported the good news to Cardinal Sin what has had transpired during the consultation with Fr. Vargas. The Cardinal immediately acted on the establishment of the parish of St. Maria Goretti. Thereupon, His Eminence issued the following DECREE OF ERECTION with its corresponding limits and delimitations of the parish. Msgr. Justino C. Ortiz, P.A., was appointed as the first Parish Priest. The Decree was given on the 11 th day of December 1982.

The parish of Sta. Maria Goretti has the following boundaries:

NORTH - Estero de Provisor (from Romualdez St.) and Estero de Paco.

WEST - Romualdez Street (from Estero de Provisor down to Apacible Street)

SOUTH - Apacible Street (from Romualdez to Looban) Loo­ban street straight

to Belen) Belen street (from Lo­oban straight thru Belen up to Estero de Paco).

EAST - Estero de Paco (from Belen Street u p to Provisor)

Henceforth, the Church has the privileged to keep habitually the Blessed Sacrament under the usual conditions, to possess a baptismal low, to administer all sacraments, and to enjoy all the rights that belong to a Parochial Church. In like manner, the endowment of the new church and the benefits of the Parish con­sist of the voluntary offerings of the faithful and the stole fees, according to dioc esan regulations and lawful custom.