Jessie S. Cristobal RN, MBA, PHN

March 17, 2010

~ 1992 - Monsignor Peter Luque was the Vicar of Ethnic affairs.

Fr. Pons Aranda pursued the initial steps towards the Filipino Ministry work under the direction of Msgr. Luque, by organizing the various devotions organized by groups of Filipinos.

Santi & Virgie Gorospe became actively involved as leaders of the Filipino Ministry.

January, 1993 - Bishop Straling requested Auxiliary Bishop Gerald Barnes to assume the role of Vicar of Ethnic Affairs for the DSB.

The arrival of Fr. Art Balagat and the anticipated arrival of the La Salette Fathers Maurice Cardinal and Romeo Sellecion, Bishop Barnes felt that this time was ready to push for further development of the Filipino Ministry (Fil Min).

April 7, 1993 – Bishop Barnes called for a meeting of leaders of the Fil Min at Sacred Heart Church Hall

What are the issues or needs facing the Filipino Community in the Diocese?

What gifts or talents do the Filipino Catholic community have to address these needs?

What are the obstacles present within the Filipino catholic community that interfere with addressing these needs?

What are your hopes or expectations from the SB Diocese?

After a long list of answers to these questions, Bishop Barnes proposed a meeting of the priests present together with the Diocesan Lay Coordinator, Santi Gorospe to formulate the vision statement and to establish a strategy and timetable for specific accomplishments.

Proposed a steering committee be formed to evaluate progress and that a Board be formed when all the preliminaries are in place.

April 15, 1993 - 3 priests and the lay coordinator met with Bishop Barnes and agreed the following:An ad hoc committee be formed consisting of

the 3 priests, lay coordinator and a lay leader from each vicariate to further discuss the April 7th meeting.

The same format of questions be utilized at each vicariate using the members of the ad hoc committee as facilitators.

Institute an information drive to communicate news about the Fil Min in the diocese soliciting Filipinos to participate

Bishop Barnes designated Fr. Art Balagat as the convener of the ad hoc committee with Santi Gorospe as the lay contact person.

Meeting was held at St. Joseph’s parish in Fontana to establish the ad hoc committee.

Members who attended were designated as members of the ad hoc comm.

Bishop Barnes will send a letter to all parish priests informing them the formation of the Fil Min. Also a request to give him a list of all Filipino parishioners in their parishes.

Riverside Vicariate was designated as the pilot Vicariate to conduct the first dialogue.

May 16, 1993 – Riverside Vicariate, St. Christopher Church

July 25, 1993 – Victorville Vicariate

November 5, 1993 – San Bernardino Vicariate.

Other vicariates met informally and their suggestions were used in the formation of the constitution and bylaws.

Fr. Romy categorized all suggestion gathered from the dialogues and presented to Bishop Barnes and the steering committee.

First draft was done January 15, 1994 – draft presented to the

General Assembly to gather more comments.

After more rework based on suggestions, the document was presented to Bishop Barnes, made more suggestions and was sent to the Diocesan Legal Staff for review.

Bishop Straling put his seal of approval on the final draft.

August 13, 1994 at St. Anne’s Church, the constitution and by-laws was signed by the Bishop and the members of the ad hoc committee.

First meeting was done and based on the new by-laws, officers were elected from the ad hoc committee members.

Secret balloting was done for the first chair of the Filipino Ministry, and the person elected was Jessie Cristobal.

Fr. Art Balagat – First Director of the Filipino Ministry for the DSB

Raffle for a car was initiated

Raised $39,000.00 with the help of all members and parishes in the Diocese. 10% of amount of sold tickets went to the parish who sold them,

February 2, 1995 – Newly elected officers and vicariate representatives were commissioned by Bishop Gerald Barnes at the Holy Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino.

Fr. Art Balagat was appointed by Bishop Barnes as the first Director, with Jessie Cristobal elected as the first Chairperson until 1997.

From 1997 – 1998, the position of Chairperson was vacant.

In 1998, Willie Bugaoan was elected as the second Chairperson until 2003.

In 2003, Msgr. Cesar “Ching” Encinares replaced Fr. Balagat.

On March 4, 2004, Msgr. Encinares called for an Ad Hoc Committee (aka Caretaker Committee) to oversee the Filipino Ministry – DSB. The committee members were: Fr. Antonio G. Abuan, MS; Fr. Benjamin E. Alforque, MSC; Fr. Arturo Balagat; Romy Enriquez; Merci Littaua; and Naida C. Castro.

From 2004 through 2006, the Caretaker Committee (CTC), reviewed and amended the Constitution and By-laws and continued existing programs and diocesan liturgies.

On May 20, 2006, a General Assembly was held at St. George – Ontario, where the proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws were presented and ratified.

2006 – 2009, Fr. Antonio G. Abuan, MS became the third Director and Fr. Dennis Legaspi as the Spiritual Director; other officers of the Executive Committee were respectively elected with Naida C. Castro and Nini Dyogi as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson; Merci Littaua as Secretary; and Vicki dela Cruz as Treasurer; and the appointed Members-at-Large being Fr. Benjamin E. Alforque, MSC and Romy Enriquez.

Immediately thereafter, the Executive Committee worked on defining the Filipino Ministry – DSB’s Pastoral PrioritIes and Activities of the ministry.

2009 – 2012, Fr. Dennis Legaspi became the 4th Director and Fr. Gerald Vidad as the Spiritual Director; other officers of the Executive Committee were respectively elected with Naida C. Castro and Owett Cabildo as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson; Merci Littaua as Secretary; and Vicki dela Cruz as Treasurer; with appointed Members-at-Large Lynde Peralta and Nel Rabe.