Can a 161-year-old San Remigio church still be repaired?

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THE San Juan Nepomuceno Parish in San Remigio, Cebu has stepped back and clarified the future of its 161-year-old church after retracting an announcement that described the structure as “structurally unsafe.”

The shift came amid public reaction and growing calls from parishioners for a more transparent explanation of the church’s condition following the Sept. 30 magnitude 6.9 earthquake in northern Cebu.

The parish posted its clarification on Monday, Nov. 17, stating that it removed the earlier announcement “following the guidance of our Parish Priest and Parochial Vicar, and in obedience to the proper ecclesiastical process.”

Parish officials said they recognized the need to correct the sequence of communications and to align any public advisory with the formal procedures of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

The retracted Sunday statement had outlined significant damage revealed by assessments from engineers, heritage experts, and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Their findings reportedly included extensive cracking, compromised structural elements, and the presence of sinkholes and cavities beneath the church flooring.

The parish said earlier that the findings were so serious that specialists decided the church could no longer be safely repaired and that restoring the old building would not protect churchgoers in the long run.

It also shared how difficult it was for the community to accept these findings, noting that the church had been a spiritual home for more than a century.

The parish added that leaders struggled with the idea of letting go of a religious and cultural landmark connected to generations of baptisms, weddings, processions, and feast celebrations.

However, the Monday clarification signaled a step back from any definitive conclusion.

Parish leaders said they acknowledged the confusion caused by the earlier post and recognized that many faithful were unsettled by the sudden announcement.

The new advisory expressed appreciation for the outpouring of concern from parishioners and highlighted the depth of their attachment to the church.

“The love and concern you have shown for our parish church remind us of how deeply rooted our faith community is,” it said, noting that the reactions reflected the building’s long-held importance in the life of the town.

The parish explained that the Archdiocese of Cebu will now conduct a full review of the technical reports and will guide the final decision on whether the structure can still be preserved or must be replaced.

Parish officials added that they will cooperate fully with the Archdiocese as part of standard ecclesiastical procedure.

They stressed their respect for the Archdiocese’s role in matters concerning heritage properties, pastoral safety, and long-term planning for parish communities.

In the advisory, parish leaders also addressed the uncertainty felt by churchgoers, acknowledging that the lack of a final decision has left many uneasy.

They encouraged the community to remain united while waiting for the Archdiocese’s directive and to hold on to the faith that has sustained the parish for over a century.(MyTVCebu)