A Shrine's Dream Come True After a Leap of Faith

Would you believe that a church’s fundraising campaign can raise four million pesos in two months time? This was the leap of faith of Fr. Ronald M. Macale, rector and parish priest of St. Joseph Shrine under the Diocese of Cubao.

- Gracious B. Romero

St. Joseph Shrine in Aurora Boulevard, Project 3, Quezon City is a two-storey edifice, elevated above street-level. “One of our major concerns is the twenty-two-step staircase leading to the church interior. We have quite a number of elderly and PWDs who hear Mass regularly, at times on a daily basis, and this is something we need to address. One has to climb the stairs, and the PWDs, pregnant women, and the elderly find it difficult since they do not have easy access to the main church,” Father Ronald said.

With the Shrine’s continuing thrust to provide the right facilities that will make the church accessible and convenient to Mass goers, and in consultation with professional technical volunteers, they were advised that an elevator is the most appropriate solution for their concern. Immediately, proper canvassing among reputable service providers was conducted to arrive at a most acceptable design that is practical and economically feasible for the church. It was then dubbed as the “Elevator 2.7 Project,” as the estimated total cost was P2.7 million.

The Power of Prayer

St. Joseph Shrine believes in the power of prayer for the success of the Elevator 2.7. “During the planning stage of the project, I learned something from Msgr. Arsenio Bautista, our former parish priest, who initiated the construction of the current church structure, that every time he has a major church project, he always starts with a prayer offering. I saw it in his notes that looked like a