CHURCHES IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PALO: BURAUEN VICARIATE

 Burauen Vicariate

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish

Burauen, Leyte 6516

Founded:1600

Feastday: December 8

The Church of Burauen had its altar first changed to a simple retablo. When Yolanda came, it damaged the roofing. Plans were made to rebuild a bigger and taller church. The roof has been finished including two rows of Milanequese-like spires on both sides of the church. The facade is still being constructed and the old ceiling inside has not yet been demolished to reveal the new higher roof. 

St. Joseph Parish

Dagami, Leyte 6515

Founded: 1710

Feastday: May 27

By 2011 Dagami had a new facade. It did not suffer structural damage during Yolanda except for some blown roof panels. A new choirloft was constructed after and a repainting job of the facade including some gold leafing at the altar was made.

St. Pascual Baylon Parish

Guinarona, Dagami, Leyte 6515

Founded: 1971

Feastday: May 17

The noticeable change from 2004 to 2008 was  not only the change of color of the church facade but also the change of the altar from  a concrete white concrete column niche with the tabernacle at the center to a wooden retablo with the statue of the miraculous patron saint, St. Pascual Baylon encased in glass  on top of the tabernacle. When Yolanda struck the half part of the roof was damaged. The other half of the roof in the main nave  still made of Quonset hut did not suffer any damage. When reconstruction was done, a new belfry was put up to pair it with the right side. A new concrete retablo, altar table and lecterns with gold leafing including new church pews were put in place.

St. Roch Parish

Patoc, Dagami, Leyte 6515

Founded: 1996

Feastday: last Saturday of August

When Patoc was created a Mission Station, reconstruction of the chapel started right away that by 2004 there was already an enlarged church. By 2008, the roofing was demolished to give way to a taller one which by 2012 was already finished. A new wooden altar retablo was created to match the new high ceiling. Then, a new construction of the facade right away took place in 2013 with a rose window  near the pediment.  When Patoc was finally created a parish in 2019 there was already a new belfry on the right side and the retablo was likewise embellished with gold leaf.

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish

La Paz, Leyte 6508

Founded: 1918

Feastday: April 28

By 2011 the Church of La Paz was enlarged with the construction of the side wings. Construction of a concrete retablo was soon started replacing the crucifix mounted on  dark tiles as the background.

Last April 27, 2025, I celebrated the vigil mass for the parish fiesta of La Paz. The church altar had more improvements and embellishments.  Small retablos of both sides of the main retablo were added to give a fuller look at the altar. Side altars were also added. 

Side altars were added. 

St. Anne Parish

Sta. Ana, La Paz, Leyte 6508

Founded: 1997

Feastday: July 26

By 2015 a big church was  already being constructed around the old chapel. Services continued inside the small chapel while the construction was going on. By 2017, the old chapel was already demolished to give way to the bigger church.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish

Tabontabon, Leyte 6504

Founded: 1956

Feastday: June 13

When typhoon Yolanda came, the fast deteriorating church of Tabontabon was totally demolished with only its belfry left standing.  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) decided that for the twenty churches they helped build in the archdiocese, one totally destroyed church will be chosen to be built by a nationally known construction firm. Tabontabon was the one chosen. A church more than twice its original size was constructed by the DMCI. Since the funds passed through the office, I had to constantly monitor the development of the construction, inspecting it even on bike from Palo. After the church was blessed and consecrated by the CBCP President, then Abp. Villegas, Abp. Du proclaimed the church as the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anthony  in 2016 in order to attract more devotees and pilgrims.

St. Roch Parish,

Julita, Leyte 6506

Founded: 1967

Feastday: August 12

There has been no structural change in the church except that of the altar. 

San Isidro Labrador Mission Station,

Maghubas, Burauen, Leyte 6516

Founded: 2004

Feastday: May 15

When Maghubas was created a Mission Station in 2004 there was only a small barangay chapel. Soon a bigger lot was found near the highway and construction of a new church right away began. 

CHURCHES IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PALO: ABUYOG VICARIATE

 

Abuyog Vicariate

St. Francis Xavier Parish

Abuyog, Leyte 6510

Founded: 1716

Feastday: August 29

Photo taken: May 18, 2024

The church has undergone several repainting jobs throughout the years but the altar started to change in 2008 when a new altar table carved with images of saints all around was made complete with gold leaf. Just a few years ago, a new altar retablo was built to replace the simple niche with the crucifix in it.

Alliance of Two Hearts Parish

Balocawehay, Abuyog, Leyte 6510

Founded: 2003

Feastday: Sept 16

When Balocawehay was created a Mission Station in 2003 they had a small chapel situated at the main barangay. An extension of the chapel was built in front to accommodate the increasing churchgoers. Then a bigger church was constructed on a hilly portion just outside of the barangay by 2006.

St. Pedro Calungsod Parish

Sta. Fe, Abuyog, Leyte 6510

Founded: 2004

Feastday: October 23

The parish church of Sta. Fe, Abuyog was also destroyed by typhoon Yolanda. A better church emerged in spite of the narrow space it is occupying.

Our Lady of Refuge Parish

Dulag, Leyte 6505

Founded: 1661

Feastday: September 8

Super typhoon Yolanda destroyed the roofing of the church of Dulag. When they started to rebuild it, a new gold-leafed retablo was made replacing the simple crucifix on a marble wall. The walls inside and outside the church were also replaced with stone slabs which would keep it from being constantly repainted.

St. Joseph Parish

San Jose, Dulag, Leyte 6505

Founded: 1969

Feastday: May 1

The front canopy was just constructed and a retablo made of concrete and a twin belfries were being built when Yolanda came. The crosses at the top of the steeple  and parts of the roof were destroyed. 

St. Isidore Parish

MacArthur, Leyte 6509

Founded: 1949

Feastday: May 15

Photo taken: May 18, 2024

The new fan-shaped church of MacArthur was built in front of the delapidated old church. There was a simple altar with the Risen Christ painted in white at the center. Then a retablo was built with the Risen Christ still at the center. When the ceiling was put in place, two circular stained glass windows were installed on top of the side retablos to cast more natural light into the altar. Later on the retablo was plastered with gold leaf and the Risen Christ replaced with a Crucifix. The latest addition of the church of MacArthur is the tall cross replacing the small cross that was at the top of the fan-shaped church.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish

Mayorga, Leyte 6507

Founded: 1967

Feastday: June 13

 

St. Michael the Archangel Parish

Javier, Leyte 6511

Founded: 1967

Feastday: May 28

 

There has been no structural change in the church for the past sixteen years. However, by 2011 all the church pews were replaced for new ones and an altar table and lecterns clad in gold leaf were installed. By 2015 the altar crucifix which was encased in a cross-form niche was embellished with the addition of  a canopy resting on two columns on each side completed in gold leaf.

St. Michael the Archangel Parish

Mahaplag, Leyte 6512

Founded: 1967

Feastday: September 29

There has been a number of repaintings done on the church  of Mahaplag and the altar with  the Risen Christ was beautified with gold leaf trimmings including the altar table. 

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Mission Station

Cabacungan, Dulag, Leyte 6505

Founded: 2001

Feastday: July 16 

The pictures above were taken last March 31, 2026. The round fountain in front of the church has already been removed; the floors have been tiled, the ceiling has been installed, and the altar is nearly complete.

Taken: May 26, 2021

Taken: Nov. 11, 2017

When Cabacungan was created as a Mission Station, the chapel was right away enlarged by having its roof raised. When Yolanda struck only the walls and the belfry remained. They started using the newly constructed Social hall as their church. It is still in the process of being renovated. New posts have been constructed outside in the process of incorporating the present structure inside the new church.  

San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila Mission Station

Hampipila, Abuyog, Leyte