A Visit to the Immaculate Conception Church of Bulan Sorsogon

Bulan , Sorsogon province -Philippines

The Immaculate Conception Parish Church is said  to be  as the biggest parochial church in Sorsogon province . This is more popularly called Bulan Catholic Church .

watchtower

This used to be a small parish church built during the Spanish period but the church is continuously expanded and a new belfry was erected in 2000. According to our relatives from Bulan, the church used to be open 24 hours a day but due to safety and security concerns . Caretakers had to open the church only on special request or past 4:30am .

marker

There is a belfry that was constructed on March 15, 2000 and finished on May 25, 2000 . It was blessed and dedicated on June 12, 2000.  This was spearheaded by The 3M Squires Foundation.

marble plaque -donated by Mrs. Torribia Viyuda De Vera ( my maternal grandmother) 

The church ground is quite big with major construction happened from 1965 to 1967 with prominent families , politicians , public school teachers, Filipino-Chinese association donating money for the construction of the foundations of the church.

The names of the families and associations which donated to the construction had their family surnames etch on a plaque and installed at the pillars of the church.

Bulan District Teachers

Tomasa viyuda Lim

Lola sa Tuhod -Señora Tomasa viyuda de Lim is my maternal grandmother’s – stepmother .

Queen Mely de Vera – Miss Bulan 1965

 According to the stories of my second cousin Ms. Myrna Uy of Bulan , Sorsogon. There was a beauty pageant organized by the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Bulan chapter way back in 1965 together with the Bulan community. The aim was to help built the church and the proceeds of the pageant was used in the construction of the church.

There were several young women that joined the competition and people would buy ballots in support of the candidates. The contestants were judge not on beauty alone but on bearing . After the tabulation, Miss Milagros Lim de Vera ( maternal aunt) who won the title and all the proceeds were donated to the church .

main altar

There is also a daily mass which starts at around past 5:15 am , The language spoken is Bikol- Sorsogon .

immaculate conception -this is about 15 feet statue

the statute is lighted during the mass

our lady of perpetual help

This is located just a few meters from the house of where i stayed.  A Visit to Sibil Cemetery in Bulan, Sorsogon