Historical Background
A. Parish
Recollect Fathers wanted to expand their apostolate by building a church which later turned into a sprawling parish extending from Visayas Avenue in the east, to Mindanao Avenue in the west, from Carmel II in the south to the proposed Tandang Sora in the north. At present, due to the demand of the faithful two (2) new parishes, Our Father and Our lady of Annunciation were created within the san Nicolas de Tolentino Parish territory.
The Parish was named after San Nicolas de Tolentino, the Patron saint of the poor souls in purgatory, and of the Augustinian Recollect Province. Its feast day is 10th of September.
Rev. Fr. Alejandro Remirez, OAR, was installed as the first parish priest on May 11, 1975, with Fathers Antonio Ausejo, OAR and Clemente Jubera, OAR, as assistants, Rev. Fr. Jose Luis Duenas, OAR replaced him on May 4, 1986. Then on 1989, Rev. Fr. Leonardo Pauligue, OAR, became the third parish priest until June of 1996. On June 2, 1996 Rev. Fr. Hermenigildo Ceniza, OAR, was installed to this office. He was followed by Rev. Fr. Dionisio Q. Selma who assumed the office on July of 1997 up to the year 2000. After Fr. Selma, Fr. Leonardo Pauligue, OAR was again appointed as the parish priest for three years. So that on May 11, 2003, another Recollect priest by the name of Fr. Nicolas G. Salamanca, OAR took the office and was installed by Rev. Msgr. Daniel Sta. Maria.
With the efforts of the preceding parish priests, the atmosphere of the parish of San Nicolas de Tolentino is made fertile for another growth … a year of favor from the Lord. With the assumption of Fr. Nick to the office and in line with the PCP II’s (Second Plenary Council of the Philippines) new evangelization, BEC (Basic Ecclesial Communities) was established as a new way of becoming Church. It started with the three pilot areas, namely, Masagana, Pangilinan and San Beda. These are three depressed areas within the jurisdiction of the parish. More and more members were added to the BEC pioneers. The BEC was so blessed that, about two months later, two chapels were constructed for Mass celebrations and other sacramental functions. It is also in these chapels that regular weekly prayer meeting commonly known as “bukluran” is held.
Another areas of growth in the parish include:
1) the reopening of free medical and dental clinic to help the poor in their basic right to good health;
2) establishment of free legal assistance in the parish to educate the poor of their basic rights;
3) launching of mass for healing (commonly known as healing mass);
4) launching of intercession ministry for the poor souls in purgatory;
5) stained glass window project;
6) re-painting of the images of San Nicolas and the poor souls in purgatory, and way-of-the-cross images.
Subsequently, in the course of its unending struggle for spreading the Gospel, numerous religious organizations and movements were established and several humane projects fruitfully and effectively achieved.
The parish is also blessed by the presence of the Third Order, the Secular Augustinian Recollects, especially in the area of evangelization. The Parish formation Center was built in order to produce well trained pastoral agents in building Basic Ecclesial Communities. A part of this is an adoration chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for people to come and worship the Lord. A new building was constructed to house the Recollect Provincialate and improve Parish offices.
We pay tribute to the renewed courage and determination of the people involved for the fulfillment of every vision and mission and call from God.
DATE OF FOUNDATION: May 11, 1975
PATRON SAINT: Saint Nicolas de Tolentino
DATE OF FIESTA: September 10
TOTAL NO. OF POPULATION: Approximately 10, 000
TOTAL NO. OF CATHOLICS: Approximately 8, 000
Source: OAR Parishes Manual, edited by Samson Silloriquez, OAR (1999).
B. Parish Youth Ministry
Structure
A. PYM Officers
Commission Youth Head: Mark and Claire Guevarra
President: Jason Cristo
Vice President: Sitti Paporo
Secretary: Angel Sergio
Treasurer: Ella Ocenar
B. Regular Activities
FORMATION
- Battle of the Faithful
- Cenakulo
- Film Showing
- Summer-Camp
- Pilgrimage
- Holy Hour
- Joint Rosary
- Prayer Meetings
- Corinthian Weekend
STEWARDSHIP/SOCIAL ACTION
- SNDT Tulay Para sa Kbataan Educational Foundation
- Works of Mercy (outreach program for the blind/aged)
- Corinthian Weekend
- Kariton Project
MEDIA
- PYM FB Gorups
- Core FB Groups
- Ray FB Groups
- Updating
- Sharing of estimonies
- Sharing of Scripture
Fomation Programs
Monthly Themes
January: New Life, New Beginning
February: Love ko ‘to
March: Youth Faith Festival
April: Saved Fest
May: Kapamilya, Kapuso , Kapatid
June: Log-in @ Faithbook
July: Loving God’s Creation ( Me and My Environment)
August: SNS – Saints and Souls
September: Saints and Souls
October: Prayer Fest
November: Christ-must-season
December: Christ-must-season
The Ministry for Youth Affairs 