About

 

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish is a first class parish in the Diocese of Gumaca, belonging to the Vicariate of St. Peter.  It is located in the municipality of Lopez in southern Quezon. It was founded on 1861 by Franciscan missionaries led by Rev. Fr. Jose del Valle, its first parish priest. It celebrates its annual feast day every October 7 featuring the Rosario Festival.

It covers an area of             with more or less faithful. Due to its size, the daughter parishes were carved out of the mother parish: St. Isidore Parish in Barangay Hondagua, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Barangay Magsaysay and Good Shepherd Parish in Barangay Magallanes. (See Affiliates)

Presently, the parish covers 5 out of 7 barangays in the poblacion area and 44 Basic Ecclesial Communities known as Munting Sambayanang Kristiyano or MSKs plus outlying barangays in the rural areas.

The parish is also home to numerous growing church-mandated organizations including Daughters of Mary Immaculate International, Knights of Columbus, Couples for Christ, Neo-Cathecumenal Way .

Lopezenos’ faith is manifested externally through their parish church with its modern architectural design. Four parish churches had preceded the present parish plant. It is a collaboration of local  architects and engineers, each contributing to the edification of the said church. The main features include the façade capped by a 150 ft. cross, the belfry, towering above the Lopez skyline and the sanctuary with a waterfalls cascading behind the cross. Plans are on the way to expand the church with a transept and to put up a dome.

It also takes pride in boosting the highest number of priestly and religious vocations in the Diocese of Gumaca and in the whole province as well. In fact, it is the home of the first residential bishop of the Diocese of Gumaca, Most. Rev. Emilio Z. Marquez, D.D.

At present, the parish is administered by the local clergy of the diocese headed by Rev. Fr. Felix M. Zoleta, Parish Priest together with the parochial vicars, Rev. Msgr. Candido Umali and Rev. Fr. Jose Nino de Leon as well as an in-residence retired priest, Rev. Fr. Pio Monterey. Missionary Catechists of St. Therese are also working hand in hand for the spiritual needs of the parish. Meanwhile, the Parish Pastoral Council spearheads the laity in taking part in the care of the parish.

As the parish celebrates its 150^th year of existence, it is but fitting to reflect on the blessing it had received through the years and to look forward to years to come.