Creating new parishes from the mother Parish of San Sebastian, Lipa City, have been considered since the onset of Jubilee Year 2000, during the term of His Excellency, Gaudencio B. Rosales, D.D, then Archbishop of Lipa, now His Eminence, Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila. It crystallized, however, at the onset of the term of His Excellency, Ramón C. Argüelles, as Archbishop of Lipa (installed July 16, 2004).
After due deliberations, the Presbyteral Council approved the creation of a new parish to be constituted of seven (7) adjacent barangays in the southern part of Lipa City: Antipolo del Norte, Antipolo del Sur, Anilao, Anilao-Labac, Pag-olingin East, Pag-olingin West, and Pinagkawitan. Rev. Fr. Joseph Rodem C. Ramos, a Parochial Vicar at the Parish of San Sebastian, was designated Priest-in-Charge of the preparations for the proposed parish, to be called Parish of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace (Parokya ni Maria, Ina, Tagapamagitan ng Lahat ng Biyaya). The Blessed Mother, in her appellation of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace, was chosen by Archbishop Argüelles as Titular Patron, in reverence to her distinctive status at the host barangay, Antipolo del Norte, where the parish church is anticipated to be built. (It is noteworthy that the Blessed Mother allegedly appeared several times in 1948 to a novice at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Monastery, located at Antipolo del Norte, and since then, her image has been ensconced at the Carmel Monastery Chapel).
The creation of the proposed parish was officially launched on November 27, 2004, 1st Sunday of Advent and Feast of the Miraculous Medal, at Brgy. Pinagkawitan Gymnasium. Archbishop Arguelles and Fr. Rodem concelebrated at the Mass attended by the faithful from the seven barangays. |
