“Protecting and Fulfilling the Rights of the Child in the Light of Faith”

SPCC CELEBRATES 10TH YEAR


To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the founding the Salvatorian Pastoral Care for Children, child rights advocates of Quezon City celebrated the occasion on on September 8, 2011 with a thanksgiving mass and program honoring individuals and parishes who have journeyed with the project in its advocacy for the fulfillment of the rights and protection of women and children. The well attended affair that was graced with the presence of the Salvatorian Fathers and Sisters as well as other important personalities from various child-caring institutions and non-government organiza-tions, was held at the Palace of the Rock in St. Peter Parish. Although founded on August 15, 2001 the anniversary was celebrated on September 8 for r the religious significance of the date.

 

The celebration started with a concele-brated Thanksgiving Mass officiated by Bishop Broderick Pabillo and concele-brated by Bishop Julio Labayen, OCD with the Salvatorian and Scalabrinian Fa-thers. It was followed by a video presentation of the SPCC experience for the ten-year period establishing child-friendly parishes and communities. The project, or rather the mission, is in the forefront of the advocacy for a pastoral response to issues of abuse against margi-nalized segments of our society, particularly women and children. It started the program in Parokya ng Mabuting Pastol in Barangay Common-wealth, Quezon City in 2002. Then, in 2005, the program was launched in San Jose Ang Tagapagtanggol Parish in Baran-gay Holy Spirit, Quezon City. In 2009, SPCC got the program running in St. Peter Parish in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. The program for the protection of women and children did not confine itself in Metro Manila but went as far as Cebu when the program was established in 2006 at St. Arnold Janssen Parish in Basak, San Nicolas, Cebu City.

 

For the past 10 years, SPCC has influenced and enhanced the lives of countless number of people.
Parish volunteers called Child Rights Advocates have been a strong support to the program. They were given due recognition during the 10th Foundation Day. Plaques of appreciation were given: to the Diocese of Novaliches for being the first diocese in the country to have a 5-year existing program and facilities for the Protection of Women and Children named as Diocesan Pastoral Care for Women and Children, to St. Peter Parish the First Pa-rish in the Philippine which has formu-lated Guidelines and Policies for the Care and Protection of Women and Children in the Local Church, to San Jose Ang Taga-pagtanggol Parish which showed sustaina-ble management of Women and Children' Protection Program. (beyond 5 years), and to SPCC Staff and members of the Board of Directors who have journeyed with the project for the last 10 years, as well as to parish volunteers who gave significant contributions to the program.