This will be the first fund-raising activity of the Apostolic Catholic Church, which is one of the churches founded by the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit Order based on San Jose, California. This congregation is presently housed in a leased space in Long Beach that is called the Chapel of Saint Maria Virginia on 2412 Santa Fe Avenue, Long Beach, California 90810. The congregation is being run by missionary and parish priset, Fr. John Polycarp Henry Banaga, OMHS, who was ordained in San Jose on June 17, 2007 by the Order of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit.
"This will be my first church," Fr. Banaga told Asian Journal on Monday. "And we are doing our first fundraiser for the purpose of building a permanent church, either here in Carson, Long Beach, or wherever the Lord wills us to build it," he said.
The dinner-dance’s stellar attraction will be a waltz Rigodon dance choreographed by Mylene Chin, and participated by 12 pairs of dancers, including Fr. Banaga, civic leader Frank Ignacio, and other church members who are also called hermanos and hermanas (sponsors).
The dinner-dance tickets cost $40 each and can be had by calling 562-674-8559. The proceeds from this event will go to building the congregation’s first permanent church. "We already have a community here, and we began our ministry by bringing it house to house, and with block rosary," Fr. Banaga said. "This year, we found a small place in Long Beach, and that is where we gather the community. All the community members are pushing this project, "The Dreams of Faith," in order that we could build our own church, which is very important to the community," he added.
Part of the proceeds will also go to the building of the Mother of the Poor Foundation Shelter home. "We are actually constructing two buildings." Fr. Banaga said that they were looking around the Carson and Long Beach area for a suitable lot to build those edifices. Kung ano po ang ipagkaloob ng Diyos (Whatever the Lord grants).
Fr. Banaga announced that the Saturday and Sunday events would draw a large attendance because some congregation members from as far as Seattle, Washington, and San Jose, California are expected to attend. "They want to know what "Dreams of Faith" is all about," Fr. Banaga said.
On Saturday, the organizers are going to unveil the site plans, landscaping, and other features of the proposed church. "Apostolic Catholic Church, being a traditional church, I want to tell everyone out there we are in prayers with everyone; we are all about serving the Lord and the Holy Spirit, which we call "Beloved Ingkong". "We are great in ecumenism; we invite everyone, especially those who believe in the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary; different walks of life are welcome in our church, even those from different beliefs. We need to pray together for the salvation of the world, because the world needs prayers," Fr. Banaga said. "This is the best time to come together.’
http://www.asianjournal.com/community/community-news/3902-the-apostolic-catholic-church-dinner-dance-fundraiser.html
