The Church of Saint Alphonsus Mary de Ligouri:
The Facade of Saint Alphonsus Mary de Ligouri Church
About the Church: In the early 1960s, the residents of Magallanes Village belonged to the Parish of San Pedro, Makati, Rizal. However, the spiritual needs of the people of the large territory of San Pedro could not be properly attended to because of the small size of the parochial church.
In 1965, that the idea of putting up a parish for Magallanes Village was first conceptualized by a group of ladies from the village, led by Mrs. Corazon Arcenas. Sunday masses were first held inside the village at the house of Mrs. Nene Diokno, then at Magdalena Park, and even at the unfinished warehouse of the would-be South Supermarket, where Paseo de Magallanes Commercial Center now stands.
Monsignor Ferdinand Mempin, together with the ladies to whom he served as spiritual adviser, spearheaded the construction and establishment of our church. On June 7, 1967, the then Archbishop of Manila, His Eminence Rufino Cardinal Santos approved the naming of Saint Alphonsus Maria di Liguori as titular or patron saint, to honor Don Alfonso Zobel, who donated the 3,890 square meters of land for the church. Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint James the Apostle were also approved as secondary patrons, in honor of Don Alfonso’s grandmother Carmen Ayala-Roxas and son, Jaime Zobel.
Two months later, His Eminence, Rufino Cardinal Santos laid and blessed the cornerstone of the church. A committee was formed to lay out the plans and gather the resources to begin construction. They contracted a National Artist, Architect Leandro Locsin, to design the church. On July 11, 1968, after a little over ten months of brainstorming and fundraising, the church construction commenced. About one year and three weeks later, the church was completed in time for St. Alphonsus’s feast day (August 1). It was on a Saturday, August 2, 1969, that the first mass was held at the newly-built parish. (Church History sourced from the Official Website: Saint Alphonsus Mary de Ligouri Parish Church – Visit the Official Website for a more detailed Church History)
My Visit to the Church: Everytime we would take the SLEX or go to the Airport we would always pass by Saint Alphonsus. The number of times was too numerous to count. I was intrigued with the unique design of the church and always made plans to visit the Church. Last January 12,2013 i was finally able to visit the Church. The Church was modern but the design was timeless, it boasted of a glass roof wherein light passed thru the church and gave it a heavenly aura. The Stations of the Cross at the side and back was impressive, with works by noted Sculptors like Napoleon Abueva, Eduardo Castrillo, Hadrian Mendoza, Ramon Orlina, Impy Pilapil, and Jun Vicaldo, it was an Art Lovers dream place.
The Official Website of the Church: Saint Alphonsus Mary de Ligouri Parish Church
How to Contact the Church: Telephone No 8528228, 8527284 (Telefax) Email – info@saintalphonsus.ph.
Where is the Church Located: Humabon Street, Magallanes Village, Makati City (The Church is located outside the Village, there is no need to pass thru the Guard House of the Village)
Map Showing the Location of the Church:
Map Showing the Location of the Church (A) in Magallanes Village, Makati
Other Pictures of the Church:
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- The Church Bell Tower
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- The Last Supper by Napoleon Abueva
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- 7th Station of the Cross – Glass Sculpture by Ramon Orlina
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- The Church Baptistry
Pinoy Churches 