Bayambang: A Town of San Vicente Ferrer Devotees

 

 

 

Bayambang: A Town of San Vicente Ferrer Devotees

By Resty S. Odon

 

Bayambang is quite a complex town, in terms of character. It not just an agricultural town known for its rice, corn, onion, freshwater fish, buro, and deremen; not just the place where the binasuan dance originated; not just an historical town (the fifth capital of the First Philippine Republic); nor just a university town. In terms of consanguinity, according to Local Civil Registrar Ismael Malicdem Jr., an estimated 65% of Bayambang's population are part of the Junio clan, so even by conservative estimate, it is veritably Junio country. Moreover, Bayambang is – let’s face it – also known for its many ‘faith healers.’ Lastly, it is also a town of San Vicente Ferrer devotees, and you are readily reminded of this everywhere you go.

There is one barangay called San Vicente. The first local private school is called St. Vincent Catholic School, located in the heart of Poblacion. In Brgy. Bical Norte, there is a village called SVV, after “Saint Vincent Village,” in case you didn’t get it. There is also a medical facility named St. Vincent Dialysis Center, a municipal councilor named Joseph Vincent Ramos and countless other boys with the same name, and a local music band named what else but D'Vicente Band.

This is no surprise, as the town has been under the parish whose patron saint has been San Vicente Ferrer since the Spanish times. In the St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Church is sung a gozos (a kind of religious song – ‘gozos’ means ‘joys’) reserved in honor of the saint on his feast day. 

Gozos nen San Vicente

Bangta matoor kan mangasi

Diad sikay apirengan mi

Pikasi mo kami pa San Vicente

Na singa say pangilalo mi

Say agilan mangaridios

Nen mababa ni andin balot

So inkianak mon matoor

Inpropeta to lan sipor

So penel a kaibigan lanti

Pista’y gayagan masuri

- Pikasi mo…

Niyanak kan oliranay

Grasyan milagron gawam

Elementos igagangan

Naoley mon kinakatakutay

Inpiyerno ed pakayari

Tan belat na lupam a dili

- Pikasi mo…

Another thing of interest: Displayed inside the church's side chapel (now called Prayer Room but was originally reserved for the Adoration Chapel) is an authenticated first-class relic of the saint made of bone.

Of course, the town celebrates a yearly fiesta in honor of the saint, and the day usually falls on April 5. The feast day falls on other dates, depending on the dates of Lent (in the Catholic church, a fiesta date may be moved to a contiguous date as this is considered of secondary importance in relation to other official church celebrations).

It so happens that this date is inextricably tied to the foundation day of the town, for April 5, 1614 was the time Malunguey became an independent visita of the Binalatongan parish or diocese in what is now San Carlos City. (There was no separation of church and state then.)

Today, in the so-called Calle Onse in Brgy. M.H. Del Pilar, there is a spring that is believed to bring healing to anyone who bathes in its waters with the intention to get cured of any malady. It is also attributed to the saint, as it is called Bubon nen San Vicente.

In Brgy. Tanolong, the family of Mrs. Marcelina Malicdem keeps a small, nicely crafted wooden statue of the saint that was found in unusual circumstances: floating in a river there, just like the mysterious provenance of Sto. Niño de Cebu and other Philippine religious artifacts which came to our shores by way of water. It is believed to be miraculous.

Among devotees, a number of other stories circulate about the saint's miraculous works in their lives.

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God’s Love, Grace, and Mercy through St. Vincent Ferrer in the Eyes of Bayambangueños and Other Devotees

by Gerry Ann dela Cruz, Christien Emmanouelle Artacho, Joseph U. Salopagio, Resty S. Odon; edited by Resty S. Odon

 

For Bayambangueños, lifting everything to God through the intercession of their patron saint, St. Vincent Ferrer, has been the bedrock of their everyday living. It is through their unwavering faith and rock-hard devotion that they have surpassed various challenges in life that have come along the way.

During the celebration of the 400th founding anniversary of St. Vincent Parish Church and the 600th death anniversary of Saint Vincent Ferrer in 2019, sample testimonies of some Bayambangueños were gathered showing how their faith have played a key role in their lives.

From these testimonies, we can glean how God’s love, mercy and grace are indeed undeniable, and the intercession of our patron saint is a proof of God's living miracles and impact on the personal lives of those who believe in Him.

***

A Spiritual Guide

Marites Lutas, catechist, Brgy. Telbang

“Torn by every trial, difficulties, and pain that I experience every day, I find profound joy and comfort by going to church and praying for divine guidance. Whenever I feel weak, I always seek for guidance and strength from Saint Vincent Ferrer, and there he is, making me realize that it is not good to break down and surrender.

I always experience great enlightenment despite the innumerable obstacles in my life. Praying to Saint Vincent makes me realize that giving up on problems is not a characteristic of a child of God, and therefore, I should be strong.”

***

Companion in Life’s Difficulties

Jeanette Dimalanta, teacher

I remember how it was during the onslaught of Typhoon Pepeng on October 8, 2009 when most parts of Luzon were affected and most of the barangays in our town were heavily flooded except in our purok. Yes, except our purok! Our neighboring houses were already flooded, 5 to 6 houses away from our area.

I prayed the rosary that time for more than 15 times, paulit-ulit talaga, and I asked our patron saint (St. Vincent Ferrer) to intercede for us. He heard it. To cut the story short, I was then called "The Prayer Warrior" by our parish priest, Fr. John Palinar.

Every time Pangasinan is under Typhoon Signal No.3, I always ask St. Vincent Ferrer to intercede for us, to spare us from the typhoon and other calamities. It's great to share that He really answers the prayer of a sincere heart especially if it is for the good. He delivers us from any disaster and it was proven many times that he really delivers miracles. His love and mercy endures forever.

St. Vincent Ferrer has always been good to me and my family, in particular. He is always our companion in facing life's difficulties. Yes, we experience and feel his love and mercy on us every day of our lives. Without him, we won't be able to surpass all trials and challenges in our journey. Yes, he performs miracles, but only those who believe in him will experience and feel it."

***

Divine Enlightenment

Imelda Cayabyab, teacher, M.H. Del Pilar

"In my six decades of existence, my whole life revolved around Bayambang. I am a living witness to how man-made and natural tragedies tried to ruin our living. I have experienced extreme floods brought about by devastating typhoons. Earthquakes also shook our house and we even came to the point of losing all our properties. But every time, I and my family pray to our Almighty through the intercession of Saint Vincent, and we always feel that we get enlightened about what these catastrophes meant.

A faithless person would readily lose faith and surrender, but our constant prayer and devotion made our faith stronger. We understand that all of these challenges are a wake-up call to stronger faith.

With this, we understand that our faith and devotion is our great refuge against whatever challenge that comes our way, no matter what it is. And we thank our patron saint for his divine enlightenment."

***

The Angel’s Guiding Hand

Mrs. Fe Macaraeg, 86, retired professor, Quezon Blvd.

It was during the Liberation time (Japanese period) when Mrs. Fe Macaraeg experienced the miracle of San Vicente Ferrer. It was the time when most of the Japanese military men who tried to invade the Philippines moved to Pangasinan. The United States instructed to destroy all the churches and bridges in the Philippines because they knew that the Japanese hid in those places.

Mrs. Fe was six years old at the time, and their parents always reminded them to keep an eye on their surroundings and to be alert on the possibility that bombs could be thrown anytime in their residential area. Since they lived near the church, they were very scared of the possibility.

Every day, she observed something flying in the sky. It was like a big bird with big wings flying around their area. She took it as a warning that something would happen to the church.

Indeed, soon enough, a bomb unexpectedly exploded at the back of the church. The people felt devastated. Another bomb was thrown inside the church, and that bomb hit the hand of the statue of San Vicente Ferrer. That’s why, today, if one looks at the original statue of San Vicente Ferrer hidden in the convent, the saint has a missing hand. But that bomb did not explode. After that, another two bombs were thrown inside the church, and fortunately the bombs again did not explode. The bombing continued, and one of the bombs fell in front of the church, and that one exploded. Bombs were also thrown at the Calvo Bridge, and all the bombs exploded, destroying the bridge. How does one explain the unlikely scenario of bombs being thrown inside the church and not exploding?

Mrs. Macaraeg believes, to this day, that the creature flying in the sky before the bombing was San Vicente Ferrer himself. She believes that the patron saint had saved the church from the bombing. Even though the hand of the original statue of San Vicente Ferrer was hit and got destroyed, she firmly holds that the missing hand is no less than the winged saint’s guiding hand.

***

Rescued from Hopelessness

Dr. Henry J. Fernandez, physician, Brgy. Bical Sur

Perhaps more painful than any injury or illness is the feeling of utter hopelessness and despair of the soul. Dr. Henry J. Fernandez knew this pain as he was going through deep misery for his first-born son. His son was born with congenital heart disease, specifically ventricular septal defect. It meant the child had a big hole in the heart.

The child was having a hard time breathing. All doctors all over the country were already visited by Dr. Henry and his child, so the doctor got tired of even trying and felt hopeless, especially with the ironic thought that even though he was a doctor himself, he could not do anything for his own son.

But one afternoon of stormy darkness, Dr. Henry was given renewed hope: “Inawit kod simbaan may anako, tan nandasal ak ed San Vicente Ferrer. Agaylay simuon man ya panagdasal. Kunin mo na if it’s your will; kung mabubuhay siya, I promise that he will serve his fellowmen.”

After that, they went home and decided to go to Manila to visit his siblings. At 6 p.m., Dr. Henry together with his wife Julie brought the child to Manila Children’s Hospital, which was owned by Dr. Del Mundo, to see Dr. Bienvenido Abesamis, a pediatric cardiologist trained by Dr. Denton Pulley, a cardiovascular surgeon from Houston, Texas.

The doctor checked the child and was given some medications. After three days, they went back to the hospital and the doctor said that the child’s heart suddenly was doing well. Dr. Henry and Ms. Julie believed that this was the start of the miracle.

The child did fine even up until it was time for his surgery in Houston, Texas. After the surgery, everything was history. He grew up normal just like any other children.

At present, that child is one of the best doctors and a world-renowned neurologist in America. He is an international lecturer on Parkinson’s disease and the head of the Abnormal Movement Department in one of the best hospitals in the world. He has published 290 articles in North America Neurological Society magazines and has authored nine books, the first of which is being used by medical students in America to this day.

The strong faith and devotion of Dr. Henry and Mrs. Julie Fernandez to San Vicente Ferrer saved their child from sickness. This is a big miracle that happened to their family, giving a second lease on life to Dr. Hubert Henry Fernandez, who is now serving the world.

***

Saved by the Miraculous Wings

Dr. Henry J. Fernandez, physician, 2019 Pista’y Baley Hermano Mayor, Brgy. Bical Sur

Paralyzed with grief, Dr. Henry and Mrs. Julie Fernandez somehow managed to give praises and thanks to San Vicente Ferrer after receiving a call that their second son, together with his secretary, were fired with 11 gunshots by unidentified men in Pasay.

Earlier, the son had gone to Metrobank and withdrew P500,000 to buy stocks and to pay for the salary of his people who were working under him. While driving, he noticed that a motorbike and a car were following them. He decided to go to Pasay City Hall to ask his friends to escort him along the way going back to their house.

But before he could reach City Hall, another car blocked their way and the motorbike and the other car began to fire gunshots at them. Screams and shouts were heard in the area, but fortunately no one got hurt. The son and his secretary did not sustain even a single wound.

The son explained later on that when he saw the gunmen firing shots towards their direction, he mentioned the name of San Vicente Ferrer and prayed, “Ilaban mo kami, San Vicente Ferrer.” He believed that the miraculous saint had saved him from that tragic incident. He thought that he was saved by the patron’s wings.

“If you are in the midst of tragedy or turmoil, remember that as a die-hard devotee and a child of God, you can look to the ultimate miracle whenever you need a dose of hope,” Dr. Henry said.

***

Silver Lining Amid Ashes of House Fire

Wenchie Artacho, photographer/barangay councilor, M.H. del Pilar St.

Watching a family’s home going up in flames is heartbreaking, but miracles do happen anytime, anywhere, if we have strong faith.

On January 26, 1966, an unexpected fire burned the house of the Artacho family to ashes. The fire started from a candle that was left burning, causing the entire house made of wood to blaze intensely.

Since there were no fire stations yet in the municipality, people had a hard time preventing the angry blaze from spreading. The house was near other houses and located just beside the church, so the fire started to spread out to the neighboring houses and the church walls as well. The birds’ nests on the church eaves started to flare up and caused more tension and fear among the people working in the church.

To make matters worse, the roof of the church was so high, so the people found it hard to douse pails of water to the burning birds’ nests. Two sacristans got an idea and bravely carried the statue of San Vicente Ferrer and brought it down from the altar to face the burning house.

Surprisingly, a strong gust of wind suddenly blew the fire out of the burning house and the church’s roof. Everyone was shocked with what happened. They believed that San Vicente used his wings to blow the wind and stop the fire.

After the fire was put out, the two sacristans were surprised to find that they could no longer carry the statue back to its place in the altar. They had to call some help to bring back the statue. It took seven people to carry the statue back to its place.

***

Miracles Never Cease to Exist

Rev. Fr. Allen O. Romero, parish priest, Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish Church

The world that we live in is packed full of God’s miracles that we might easily take for granted. If we really take a pause to ponder how magnificent His creation is, we will find ourselves in awe and amazement.

Rev. Fr. Allen Romero believes that miracles of our patron saint, San Vicente Ferrer, have brought the church to the limelight. The significant changes that happened to our church – its massive roof, its beautiful retablo, the giant chandeliers, the refurbished church façade, and its newly opened Jubilee door – can be considered as astonishing miracles if we take into account the odds faced by the priest and parishioners at the time these changes were made.

Moreover, we have seen the splendid launching of the Saint Vincent Ferrer Prayer Park last April 5 in celebration of the 400 years of the SVF Parish Church and the 600th year death anniversary of Saint Vincent Ferrer. We have set another record for Bayambang as the Guinness World Record holder for the newly created official category of “Tallest and Highest Bamboo Sculpture (Supported).” This alone is another miracle for Bayambang!

With the collaborative efforts of the Local Government Unit of Bayambang and the Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish, we are carrying the name of our town to the world stage. Also, with the help and support of the townspeople of Bayambang, especially the parishioners, donors, and major sponsors, miracles are continuously happening in our town.

For Fr. Romero, these are considered miracles of our patron saint for our town, Bayambang. He said that miracles don’t just come from ancient stories and myths but everyday miracles that are all around us, if only we keep our spiritual eyes open.

***

An Unusual Panata

Paul Datuin, Brgy. M.H. Del Pilar

According to yet another informant, Paul Datuin of Brgy. M.H. Del Pilar, a Philippine Air Force pilot from Bayambang named Mack AR. Ferrer, who was a former Philippine Military Academy scholar, had this panata (vow) of circling the church twice whenever his helicopter passes by the town. The outlandish gesture was apparently a gesture of thanksgiving after his mother, who used to be a managdasal (prayer-for-hire) and rolling store vendor, and his father, who used to be a lineman, were able to send him and his siblings to college.

***

Healing Testimony

Q-P D. Velasco, Camiling, Tarlac

A St. Vincent Ferrer statue was entrusted to us by Mrs. Romulo which was owned by her mother. We do not know the exact age of the statue, but her mother died at 101 years of age, and Mrs. Romulo died at age 94.

I became a devotee of St. Vincent Ferrer when I learned that my prostate was enlarged, I had fatty liver and gallstones. Together with my medicines, prayers and devotion to St. Vincent Ferrer, right now my enlarged prostate became smaller, my liver is now normal, and my gallstones are gone.

***

Literal Rising from Death

Danny Sagun, Poblacion

This is a true story that I myself witnessed when I was still a child around 6 years old.

May isang kapitbahay kami doon sa aming lumang bahay na si Tiyo Carling Junio, isang karpentero. Asawa niya si Tiya Felissa, isang mananahi, at anak nila si Ricky, na minsan ay nakakalaro ko. Meron siyang homemade scooter na yari sa kahoy at ang gulong niya ay used ball bearings. Mabilis tumakbo ang scooter kahit sinisipa-sipa lang para umandar.

Isang araw nabalitaan namin na namatay na si Tiyo Carling. Out of love for his father, labis itong ikinabigla at ikinalungkot ni Ricky. Ipinahiga na ng pamilya ang bangkay sa lamesa at tinirikan na ng kandila bago siya i-embalsamo. Sa oras ding yun, umalis si Ricky gamit ang kanyang wooden scooter papunta sa simbahan. Pagdating ni Ricky sa simbahan, siya ay umakyat sa altar ni San Vicente na mismong kinatatayuan ng imahe. Doon siya labis na umiyak at hiniling na buhayin muli ang kanyang ama.

Pagkatapos ng kanyang masidhing panalangin kay San Vicente, si Ricky ay umuwi sa kanilang bahay.

Pagdating ni Ricky sa bahay, naratnan niyang bumangon ang kanyang ama at humingi na tubig.

Matagal pang nabuhay ang ama ni Ricky. Malaki na rin kami noong siya ay namatay.

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Today, the sprawling St. Vincent Ferrer Prayer Park in Brgy. Bani features the world's biggest statue of the saint. Officially, the structure is the Guinness World Records' tallest steel-supported bamboo sculpture at 50.1 meters.

What not a lot of people know is that, in Brgy Alinggan, a family keeps what is most probably the world's smallest St. Vincent Ferrer statue, which is carved from a single rice grain. According to Municipal Councilor Benjamin Francisco 'Benjie' de Vera, the story goes that this sculpted grain grew its own wings. And before this grain came to become a miniature statue, the owners heard mysterious knocking from the garong (giant wooden rice chest) it came from.

"Why all that hullabaloo?" the uninitiated may ask. Who is this curiously winged saint anyway?

In Bayambang's first coffee-table book, Subol na Pananisia, which recounts the history of the St. Vincent Ferrer Parish including the physical church structure, we learn from the author, Dr. Clarita DG. Jimenez, that he was a Dominican priest from Valencia, Spain, in the 1360s. He is often depicted winged, like an angel, "because people have witnessed that in the middle of preaching, he would suddenly fly off, assuming that he had wings, to help someone who is suffering and then he would return in the same manner and continue his evangelical work."

Marvelous stories like this abound in this saint's earthly life, that is why he is considered a "miracle worker." He is now considered as the "patron saint of builders," among other things.

Now, how does a town of San Vicente Ferrer devotees square in with its history of rebellion against Hispanic conquistador oppression? (Consider that the barrio of Manambong in this town was the first site of Andres Malong's revolt against the Spaniards and the town was also the first site of Juan dela Cruz Palaris' revolt of the same nature.) The answer to the seeming contradiction lies in another historical account, which notes that while Malong and company were against the abuses of the foreign rules, they were also fervent Catholics, meaning they recognized that they had encountered what they believed to be the one true faith and it was the height of folly to discard it and confound it with the un-Christian actions of those who brought the cross using the sword.

***

Bayambang, of course, has other Catholic churches and many chapels. There are the three sister churches of the mother parish: the churches in Brgys. Wawa, Sapang, and Carungay. There is also an interesting underground chapel in Brgy. Tanolong in the unusual Chapel of Adam and Eve. Of course, all these places of worship serve as moral and spiritual anchor to the people of Bayambang residing away from the center of town.