APOSTOLIC NUNCIO TO THE PHILIPPINES HOLDS MASS IN SPP-ORMOC. Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, His Excellency Most Rev. Charles John Brown, Doctor of Divinity (D.D.), officiated a solemn Holy Mass at the Saints Peter and Paul Parish (SPP), Ormoc City, on August 5, 2025. Ormocanons, led by City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, together with the priests of said parish, warmly welcomed the archbishop during his visit in this city wherein Ormocanons lined the city streets during his arrival.
During his homily, Rev. Brown commended the beautiful renovation of SPP, especially the dome and the retablo mayor. “The dome draws us up, which is an architectural symbol of what the church does, of what God’s graced us with, of what Jesus does, lifting us up, making our hearts go up; the devil, the powers of the netherworld are pulling us down, but God and Jesus are drawing us up,” he said.
On the other hand, Mayor Lucy thanked His Excellency for the beautiful sermon. “We must all be reminded that the dome is a symbol of us as a people being lifted to God, who is divine, who is all, and who is in all,” she said. “Your visit indeed is a blessing; you bring with you the paternal affection of the holy father, and through you, we feel once more the embrace of the universal church,” the mayor added.
To express gratitude to the Apostolic Nuncio, the city government officials gave him the Key to the City together with an image of the child Jesus Christ. The Papal Nuncio recently attended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Plenary Assembly in Bohol. He also presided over the Thanksgiving Mass for the Society of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) in Albay. Moreover, he visited various parishes and attended events in other parts of the country, including Ormoc City. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail AUGUST 4-10, 2025 issue)