On September 29, 2017, faithful of the Sub-Parish in Balongating, Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur, celebrated their patronal feast of St. Michael, the Archangel. The main celebrant and homilist was Fr. Lukas Hadi Siswo Sasmito, SCJ, the parish priest of St. Isidore, the Farmer Parish in Dumalinao, and was accompanied by SCJs from the Zamboanga del Sur area and from Cagayan de Oro. The Eucharist was clebrated in a local Visayan dialect. As usual the celebration was preceeded by nine-day novena, organized and sponsored by different chapels, members of the sub-parish.The celebration was followed by a cultural show, common meal, and raffle draw, where the main prize was a Honda motorcycle. The money gained in this way will be used for the construction of new formation house for the lay leaders, which the community needs very much.
Balongating is a part of the St. Isidore, the Farmer Parish in Dumalinao and was declared as a Sub-Parish in August 1991 by Most Rev. Antonio R. Tobias, DD.
Since February 2003, the parish in Dumalinao is being administered by the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJ). The incumbent parish priest, Fr. Lukas Hadi Siswo Sasmito, SCJ, was preceeded by Fr. Janusz Burzawa, SCJ.
Among SCJ priests in charge of Balongating were the following: Fr. Franciszek Pupkowski, Fr. Delio Ruiz, Fr. Arthur Guevara, Fr. Jigger Ganados, Fr. Marcial Aguirre and presently Fr. Robertus Sutopo.
As of now, the sub-parish is composed of 19 chapels in 4 zones. It has all ministries and mandated organizations accredited in the Diocese of Pagadian. So far, the SCJ pesence in that area inspired Deacon Roger Pausanos, SCJ, to enter the congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart.
On June 28, 2017, five (5) SCJNovices, three (3) Filipino: Rey Rhet E. Maglinte, Ferdinand T. Quintos, Sylvester Martin A. Santos , and two (2) Vietnamese: Long Doan Quang Hoang and Van Nam Nguyen , professed their first vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience in the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the most important patronal feasts that is significantly observed by the entire congregation of which it is dedicated and named after. This year the patronal feast was celebrated on June 23, 2017.
From June 4 – 30, 2017, nine scholastics from the Asian Zone (India -5, Indonesia – 2, Philippines – 2) take part in Final Vows Preparation in Manila. The four week activities encompass the following topics: Dehonian perspective of the Religious Vows by Fr. Yudhistiro Adi Fritri Tyassanto, scj from Indonesia, Apostolic and Social dimension of the Dehonian Religious by Fr. Nino Etulle, scj from the Philippines and Affective maturity and Religious Life by Fr. Michael Agustin Moses from India. As usual the activities will end with five day Spiritual Retreat (June 25 – 29) conducted by Fr. Delio Ruiz,SCJ, who is in charge of the whole preparation. The participants had an opportunity to visit the three parishes run by SCJs in Metro Manila: San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish in Quezon City, San Roque Parish in Bagong Silang and Holy Cross Parish in Tanay.
SCJ Philippines Region 