Twenty-eight years after its altar and church were dedicated, the community of St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish and Diocesan Shrine gathered once more around the altar on October 31, 2026, celebrating the anniversary not simply by looking back, but by remembering whose house the church truly is.

The 6:00 AM Anniversary Mass was presided over by The Very Rev. Fr. Paul Martin Ma. Gapuz, OSM, who offered the faithful a simple but profound reflection on humility and gratitude.

“Whenever we celebrate a church’s dedication anniversary, we should have that humility to tell ourselves that we never deserved this church to be built in our midst. Rather, this is Jesus building His house, one that is rightly His and not ours.”

A dedication anniversary may naturally draw attention to the church building, its altar, its history, and the many years that have passed. But the celebration ultimately leads the faithful back to Christ Himself. The church exists because God first desired to dwell among His people and gather them together as one community of faith.

For 28 years, the altar and church have stood as visible signs of that presence. Yet the anniversary also reminds every parishioner that the privilege of having a sacred place to call home is ultimately a gift.

The beautiful church entrusted to the community is His house. The altar around which the faithful gather is His table. And the community that fills the church is continually called to become His living Church beyond its walls.

Thus, the anniversary was both a celebration and an invitation: to remember with gratitude, to receive with humility, and to continue building a community centered on Jesus Christ.

As St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish and Diocesan Shrine enters another year, may every Mass celebrated at its altar and every prayer offered within its walls continue to lead the faithful closer to Christ.

Happy 28th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Altar and Church!

St. Peregrine Laziosi, pray for us.