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I was so busy and enthused about my visit to Fr. Resty in Porac, Pampanga recently, I almost forgot to tell everyone about it.
Fr. Resty was my classmate at CKMS. As the former parish priest of Sacred Heart Parish in Kamuning, QC, some years back, he became a celebrity of sorts, introducing changes and innovations some of which would have been considered quite controversial at the time. I guess you could say that was all in character. Fr. Resty has always been a dynamic leader, innovative, motivated and strong-willed. After doing various missionary assignments all over the SVD world, Fr. Resty eventually found himself establishing the SVD MISSION CENTER in his own hometown of Porac, Pampanga. The SJMC is located in a humble lahar relocation site very close to where the AETAS (aborigines) migrated after the Pinatubo eruption. This allows him daily access and contact with these poor, marginalized natives - in itself a very Christlike missionology. "He ate with them, slept with them and taught them everything he knew ..."
Since he is not saddled with the daily demands of parish work, Resty has typically found himself in the center of various other socio-economic (political?) goings-on all over Pampanga, hopefully not another Among Ed in the works. He explains though that it is all part of the mission vision he has very clearly outlined for SMCP.
Another rather ambitious plan Fr. Resty has rather inauspiciously begun is a shrine he is building on a 5-hectare mountain site very close to where the aetas live. Dedicated to the Risen Christ, the project includes the Stations of the Cross built along the way leading to the church/shrine. The Shrine of the Risen Christ will feature a 120-foot statue of the Risen Christ standing on top of the church structure designed to look like a tomb from which the statue would appear to have resurrected. A multi-talented resident architect/artist/ sculptor, Ferdie Acuna, has been commissioned to design and create all the artwork.
I couldn't possibly do justice to all of Fr. Resty's plans and projects by simply telling you about it this way. So with the help of our resident-blogger,Bro. EPI SASO, we have designed a temporary blogsite (http://svdporac.multiply.com) for Fr. Resty which contains almost everything you need to know about Fr. Resty and the SVD Mission Center in Porac, Pampanga.
I asked Fr. Resty where and how he intends to get the money for his projects. In typical St. Arnold Janssen fashion, Fr. Resty said he believes the Lord will provide. I still wonder how I get into the act/picture.
Fr. Resty was my classmate at CKMS. As the former parish priest of Sacred Heart Parish in Kamuning, QC, some years back, he became a celebrity of sorts, introducing changes and innovations some of which would have been considered quite controversial at the time. I guess you could say that was all in character. Fr. Resty has always been a dynamic leader, innovative, motivated and strong-willed. After doing various missionary assignments all over the SVD world, Fr. Resty eventually found himself establishing the SVD MISSION CENTER in his own hometown of Porac, Pampanga. The SJMC is located in a humble lahar relocation site very close to where the AETAS (aborigines) migrated after the Pinatubo eruption. This allows him daily access and contact with these poor, marginalized natives - in itself a very Christlike missionology. "He ate with them, slept with them and taught them everything he knew ..."
Since he is not saddled with the daily demands of parish work, Resty has typically found himself in the center of various other socio-economic (political?) goings-on all over Pampanga, hopefully not another Among Ed in the works. He explains though that it is all part of the mission vision he has very clearly outlined for SMCP.
Another rather ambitious plan Fr. Resty has rather inauspiciously begun is a shrine he is building on a 5-hectare mountain site very close to where the aetas live. Dedicated to the Risen Christ, the project includes the Stations of the Cross built along the way leading to the church/shrine. The Shrine of the Risen Christ will feature a 120-foot statue of the Risen Christ standing on top of the church structure designed to look like a tomb from which the statue would appear to have resurrected. A multi-talented resident architect/artist/ sculptor, Ferdie Acuna, has been commissioned to design and create all the artwork.
I couldn't possibly do justice to all of Fr. Resty's plans and projects by simply telling you about it this way. So with the help of our resident-blogger,Bro. EPI SASO, we have designed a temporary blogsite (http://svdporac.multiply.com) for Fr. Resty which contains almost everything you need to know about Fr. Resty and the SVD Mission Center in Porac, Pampanga.
I asked Fr. Resty where and how he intends to get the money for his projects. In typical St. Arnold Janssen fashion, Fr. Resty said he believes the Lord will provide. I still wonder how I get into the act/picture.
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