Cubao Cathedral

Cubao Cathedral
Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao
Façade of Cubao Cathedral at dusk Façade of Cubao Cathedral at dusk
Cubao Cathedral Location in Metro Manila
Location	Quezon City
Country	Philippines
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	Immaculate Conception Cathedral
History
Former name(s)	Immaculate Conception Parish
Founded	July 15, 1950 (1950-07-15)
Dedication	Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Dedicated	December 8, 1949
Consecrated	July 15, 1950
Architecture
Status	Cathedral
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Cathedral
Style	Italian-Romanesque
Administration
Parish	Immaculate Conception Parish
Archdiocese	Manila
Diocese	Cubao
Province	Manila
Subdivision	Vicariate of the Holy Family
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Most. Rev. Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D.
Rector	Rev. Ariston L. Sison, Jr., SCSL

Cubao Cathedral (formal title: Immaculate Conception Cathedral), is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is the see of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cubao. It was built in 1950 by the Society of the Divine Word and belonged to the order until 1990 when the Archdiocese of Manila took over its administration. In 2003, it became the cathedral when the Diocese of Cubao was erected. The present rector of the cathedral is Rev. Fr. Ariston L. Sison, Jr., SCSL.

History

Since 1935, the SVD priests of Christ the King Mission Seminary attended to the pastoral and spiritual needs of a limited farming community around Manga Road in Cubao by first celebrating Mass in a small chapel near the present Cubao roundabout. Fr. Henry Demond, SVD then celebrated Mass in the residence of a certain Carbonell family, before to a quonset mess hall on what are now Spencer and Brooklyn streets. The building was abandoned by the combined US-Philippine Commonwealth Armed Forces.

As with other agrarian communities, farmers tilling the surrounding rice paddies invoked San Isidro Labrador, so the chapel built there was dedicated to him and belonged to Sacred Heart Parish in Kamuníng. While teaching as theology professor at Christ the King Mission Seminary (and later as Prefect of Scholastics), Fr. Ambrosio Manaligod and Ronnie Ganancias consistently lent a helping hand to the pastoral work of the parish especially in the direction of lay organisations.

In 1949, the chapel was re-dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. On 15 July 1950, the community chapel was elevated into a parish, with the first curé being the Argentine Fr. Juan Simón (1950–1954); he was succeeded by the German Fr. Alois Vogel (1954-1956) and Fr. Benito Rixner (1956–1958). For years the parish remained under the administration of the Society of the Divine Word, which was easy due to the proximity of the church to the main residence of the SVD missionaries at Christ the King Mission Seminary.

In 1989, the SVD offered the parish to the Archdiocese of Manila in keeping with the missionary spirit marked out in their constitutions. Official handover took place on Easter Sunday, 1990 with Msgr. Reynaldo Celso as the first diocesan parish priest. Due to an increase in the population of Catholics in Metro Manila, the Archdiocese was gradually partitioned, with the Diocese of Cubao created on 28 August 2003. The parish was selected to be the seat of the new diocese and its bishop, and extensive renovations on the church were carried out soon after.

On December 30, 2014, GMA Network, actors Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera were married at Cubao Cathedral, where Dantes was christened. Considered one of the most expensive church weddings ever held in the country, attendees included President Benigno S. Aquino III, as well as other politicians and celebrities from the television and film industry.

Ecclesiastical territory

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral once belonged to the Archdiocese of Manila, but is now the seat of the Diocese of Cubao. It is currently remains a parish in its own right as a part of the Vicariate of the Holy Family.

Parochial bounds

The parish itself is bounded to the north by a creek running Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. and Ermín García Avenues; to the east by EDSA; to the south by Col. Bonny Serrano Avenue (Santolan Road); and to the southwest by a small portion of Ermitaño Creek, parts of Horseshoe Village, N. Domingo Street and Balete Drive.

Surrounding parishes are Sacred Heart to the north; Nativity of Our Lord and Our Lady of Perpetual Help to the east; and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to the west. To the south is San Juan City, which is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Parish Priests

The north side of the Cathedral's nave.

Below is a list of parish priests, and upon the church's elevation to cathedral in 2003, rectors.

Society of the Divine Word administration

Name	Years serving	Present assignment
Fr. Juan Simón, SVD	1950–1954
Fr. Alois Vogel, SVD	1955
Fr. Benito Rixner, SVD	1956–1958
Fr. Anselmo Bustos, SVD	1959–1962
Fr. José Lazo, SVD	1963
Fr. John Sleumer, SVD	1964
Fr. Francis Kutscher, SVD	1965–1970
Fr. George Harwardt, SVD	1971–1979
Fr. Liberato Fernandez, SVD	1980–1990
Fr. Chew Bing Ze, SVD	1980–1990

Diocesan administration

Name	Years serving	Present assignment
Rev. Msgr. Reynaldo Y. Celso, PC	1990–2000	on Sabbatical
Rev. Msgr. Daniel B. Sta. María, PC, MBA	2000–2006	Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Brgy. West Triangle, Quezon City
Rev. Msgr. Alfonso A. Bugaoan, Jr. PC	2006–2009	Most Holy Redeemer Parish, Brgy. Santol, Araneta Ave., Quezon City
Rev. Fr. Moises M. Cabrera	2009–2012	Mary, the Immaculate Conception Parish, Teresa Village, Project 6, Quezon City
Rev. Fr. Ariston L. Sison, Jr., SCSL	2012

Facilities

Schools

The Diocese runs the attached Immaculate Conception Cathedral School along Lantana Street.

Funerary

The Diocese also provides after-death services within the cathedral complex, namely the ICC Grottos mortuary and ICC Columbarium.

Charitable and Social Institutions

• Holy Spirit Social Centre, No. 48 Betty Go Belmonte St., QC
• Little Angels Learning Centre, Dama de Noche St., Cubao, QC
• Mother Ignacia National Centre, No. 214 N. Domingo St., Cubao, QC
• St. Martin de Porres Center, Inc. (Outreach Center and Day Care Center), No. 53 Rosario Drive, QC

Retreat houses

• Betania Retreat House, No. 14 N. Domingo St., Cubao, Q.C.
• CFM Nazareth Home, N. Domingo cor. Hemady St. Horseshoe Village, Q.C.

Schedule of services

File:Cubao Cathedral (schedule).jpg

The Schedule of Services board of Cubao Cathedral.

Mass

• Mondays to Saturdays: 5:30 am, 6:10 am, 7:00 am, 6:00 pm
• Sundays: 6:00 am, 7:15 am, 8:30 am, 9:45 am, 11:00 am, 3:30 pm, 4:45 pm, 6:00 pm, 7:15 pm

Other locations

• • Annunciata Chapel, P. Bernardo Street: 8:00 am
  • Avída Towers Christian Community, Bonny Serrano Avenue: every second and fourth Sunday, 8:00 am
  • BEC Matangtubig, Sitio Matangtubig, Brgy. Horseshoe: every first and third Sunday of the month, 8:00 am
  • BEC Valencia, Santolan Road: 10:00 am
  • Greenhills Garden Square Community, GGS Clubhouse, Boni Serrano Avenue: 10:30 am
  • San Martín de Porres Chapel, Brgy. San Martin: 7:00 am
  • Mary Help of Christians Chapel, Sunrise St., Brgy. Bagong Lipunan: 9:00 am
  • Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, Barangay Pinagkaisahan: Saturday 7:00 am

Other services

Baptism

• Sundays, 12:00 noon (register at least one week before date of Baptism)
  • Special baptism: Tuesday to Saturday, by appointment

Confirmation

• 8:00 am every second Sunday of the month (register at least one week before date of Confirmation)

Weddings

• By appointment at the Parish Office

Confession

• Mondays to Saturdays, 7:30 am, 5:00 pm

Anointing of the Sick

• By appointment at the Parish Office

Devotions

• Morning Prayer: Monday to Saturday after the 6:10 am Mass
• Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Every Wednesday before and after the 6:10 pm Mass
• Vespers: every Thursday before 6:00 pm Mass
• Holy Hour & Sacred Heart Novena: First Friday 5:00 pm

Adoration Chapel hours

• 6:00 am – 10:00 pm

Religious congregations

The New Manila area is home to many religious congregations, probably due to its once remote location as a suburb of Manila. Some of them now fall under the parish jurisdiction, the rest being a part of the present-day Diocese.

Religious Men:

• Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (CSsR), No. 14 Mariposa St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Missionary Society of St. Columban (MSSC), No. 42 A. Rosario Drive, Cubao, Q.C.
• Order of Carmelites (O.CARM), No. 26 Acacia St., New Manila, Q.C.
  • Order of Brothers of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
• Society of African Missions (SMA), No. 7 Bougainvilla St., New Manila, Q.C.
• Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette (MS), No. 41 Betty Go Belmonte St., Cubao, Q.C.

Religious Women:

• Daughters of St. Anne (DSA), No. 50 A. Rosario Drive, Cubao, Q.C.
• Daughters of Wisdom (Monfort Sisters) (DW), No. 10 Rosal St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (FDNSC), No. 3 Sampaguita St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Laura Vicuña) (FMA), No. 55 F. Manalo St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Sisters of Our Lady of La Salette (SNDS), No. 24 Maryland St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Missionary Sisters of St. Columban (SSC), No. 44 A. Rosario Drive, Cubao, Q.C.
• Dominican Sisters of Annunciata (OP), No. 12 P. Bernardo St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Benedictine Sisters of the Eucharistic King (BSEK), No. 30 Ignacio Santos Diaz St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ), No. 10 F. Manalo St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Congregation of the Sisters of St. Ann (SSA), No. 18 Dama de Noche St., New Manila, Q.C.
• Missionary Congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), No. 8 Poinsettia Rd., New Manila, Q.C.
• Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth (CSFN), No. 3 Mangga Road, New Manila, Q.C.
• Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM), No. 214 N. Domingo St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Missionary Catechists of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (MCST), No. 53 A. Rosario Drive, Cubao, Q.C.
• Columban Lay Missionaries, No. 34 A. Rosario Drive, Cubao, Q.C.
• Carmelite Sisters of Our Lady (Carm.O.L.), No.45 A. Rosario Drive, Cubao, Q.C.
• The Little Company of Mary Sisters, No. 66 Ilang-Ilang St., Cubao, Q.C.
• Daughters of the Sacred Heart, No. 12 Campanilla St., Brgy. Mariana, Q.C.
• Religious of Notre Dame of the Missions (RNDM), No. 4 Mabolo St. cor. E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Q.C.

Gallery

• The Immaculate Conception Cathedral & Parish.jpg

  Façade of the Cathedral at dusk prior to renovations

• Nativity Chapel of Cubao Cathedral.jpg

  Chapel of the Nativity of Our Lady, beneath the Main Sanctuary.

• Altar of the Nativity Chapel.jpg

  The Altar of the Chapel Nativity of Our Lady.

• CubaoCathedraljf1110 15.JPG

  Image of the church's titular

• CubaoCathedraljf1165 07.JPG

  Right façade

• CubaoCathedraljf1110 04.JPG

  Nave of the Cathedral, looking east towards the choir.

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao
• Archdiocese of Manila

Resources

• Ecclesiastical Atlas Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao (2010)
• The 2008–2009 Catholic Directory of the Philippines (published by Claretian Publications for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, June 2008)

External links

• Website
• Coordinates