PRESS RELEASE
SFPCG-PR-64-2021
PH CONSULATE ATTENDS SAN FRANCISCO ARCHDIOCESE’S CELEBRATION OF THE QUINCENTENNIAL OF CHRISTIANITY’S INTRODUCTION IN THE PHILIPPINES
31 July 2021, SAN FRANCISCO – Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer, Mrs. Miriam M. Ferrer and Consul Vanessa G. Bago-Llona attended the celebration of the Holy Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral to commemorate the historical milestone of the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines.
The Mass was concelebrated by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Filipino American homilist Bishop Oscar A. Solis from Salt Lake City and Filipino priests from various parishes in the San Francisco Archdiocese.
The event was organized and sponsored by the Filipino Ministry Consultative Board (FMCB) of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and was open to both virtual and in-person attendees. FMCB also organized a conference titled, “Gifted to Give: Celebrating 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines.”
In this homily, Bishop Solis highlighted the Filipino people’s faith in the Almighty and other admirable traits such as their inner joy and resilience in face of adversities. He recalled Pope Francis’ calling of Filipinos as “smugglers of faith” as they sow the Christian faith wherever they go. Solis was named auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles by Pope John Paul II in 2003 and became the first Filipino American to be ordained Bishop in the U.S. END.
In December 2003, Solis was named auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles by Pope John Paul II, becoming the first Filipino-born Catholic bishop in the U.S. END
