A Celebration of Holiness: OLLP Brings the Saints to Life through its First Festival of Saints

In a joyful celebration of faith, creativity, and community spirit, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (OLLP) – Bangkal marked a new chapter in its evangelizing mission through the successful launching of its first-ever OLLP Festival of Saints 2026, a two-day celebration held from October 31 to November 1, 2026, with the inspiring theme, “Called to Be Saints: Celebrating Faith, Family and Community.”

More than just a festive gathering, the Festival of Saints was a meaningful expression of the Catholic Church’s call to holiness, reminding everyone that sainthood is not an extraordinary privilege reserved for a select few, but a calling extended to every baptized Christian. As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1, the faithful are invited to look beyond the familiar images of saints on church altars and discover that holiness is a journey that begins in ordinary life – through love, faithfulness, compassion, service, and wholehearted devotion to God.

Inspired by the desire to make the celebration of All Saints’ Day more meaningful and engaging for the younger generation, the parish envisioned an alternative that would bring the beauty of the Catholic faith closer to children, youth, young adults, and families. While Halloween activities such as trick-or-treating have become increasingly popular, OLLP saw an opportunity to transform the season into a joyful occasion of learning, prayer, and deeper appreciation of the saints.

Through the Festival of Saints, the parish redirected the attention of the faithful from merely enjoying costumes and festivities toward discovering the lives of men and women who courageously lived out their faith and followed Jesus Christ. Their stories, filled with remarkable virtues, personal struggles, sacrifices, and unwavering trust in God, served as powerful reminders that holiness is possible in every generation and in every circumstance.

The two-day celebration brought together the different sectors of the parish through activities designed to combine faith formation, creativity, and fellowship. Among its highlights were the Saints Cosplay and Parade of Saints, where participants brought the stories of holy men and women to life through creative portrayals. More than simply wearing costumes, these activities encouraged participants to learn about the identities, virtues, and spiritual journeys of the saints they portrayed.

Adding a catechetical dimension to the presentations, the OLLP School Catechists prepared trivia questions that challenged the cosplayers to demonstrate their knowledge of the saints they represented. This interactive approach made the activity not only entertaining but also educational, allowing participants and spectators alike to discover interesting facts and meaningful lessons from the lives of the saints.

Another significant highlight was the GKK Patron Saints Presentation, including the Parish’s Patron Saint, Our Lady of Lourdes with Saint Bernadette Soubirous. This allowed the different Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban (GKKs) to introduce and creatively present their respective patron saints. Through this activity, each community was encouraged to rediscover the spiritual significance of its patron saint and appreciate the virtues and examples these holy men and women offer to the Christian community.

Equally captivating was the Saints’ Corner, where all 25 GKKs of the parish showcased their respective patron saints through beautifully designed and decorated exhibits around the church. Running throughout the two-day celebration, from October 31 to November 1, the exhibits featured the stories and significant contributions of each saint, welcoming churchgoers and parishioners to visit, explore, and learn about the holy men and women who serve as spiritual patrons of their respective communities.

Each corner became a small space of faith and discovery, transforming the church surroundings into a gallery of inspiring stories. Through these creative presentations, parishioners were given the opportunity to become more familiar with the saints, their lives, their virtues, and their enduring influence on the Christian faith. More importantly, the activity strengthened the identity of the GKKs and highlighted the rich spiritual heritage shared by the parish community.

In her welcome message, Ms. Ma. Iris A. Melliza, Festival of Saints Coordinator, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to all the GKKs and participants whose cooperation and enthusiasm made the celebration possible. She reminded everyone that doing good and finding genuine happiness in Christ are ways of living out the call to holiness. She further challenged the participants to take home a meaningful commitment: to emulate at least one virtue or quality of the saints they encountered during the celebration. Her message emphasized that the true measure of the festival would not simply be the success of its activities but the goodness and Christ-like values that participants would carry into their everyday lives.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ruben B. Sumagang, Parish Pastoral Coordinator Assistant Coordinator, delivered an inspirational message that captured the deeper purpose of the occasion. He emphasized that the faithful do not celebrate the saints merely to admire them but to learn from their lives, follow their examples, and strive to become holy in their own simple ways. His message served as a reminder that the saints are not meant to be distant figures of admiration but models of Christian living whose virtues can be practiced in our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

The celebration culminated on November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, with a Holy Mass at 3:00 PM, scheduled during the Children’s Mass and presided over by Rev. Fr. Roger D. Duhaylungsod, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.

In his homily, he highlighted that holiness is a gift from God. He reminded the faithful that while human beings are called to strive for holiness, their personal efforts alone are never enough without God’s grace. Holiness, therefore, is not something that people can achieve solely through their own strength or accomplishments; it is first and foremost a gift from God that must be humbly received, nurtured, and lived out through faith and cooperation with His grace.

His reflection brought the entire celebration back to its spiritual foundation: that becoming saints is not simply about imitating admirable people but about allowing God’s grace to transform our lives and lead us closer to Jesus Christ.

As Our Lady of Lourdes Parish celebrates this historic first edition of the Festival of Saints, it hopes to establish a meaningful tradition that will continue to inspire future generations. May this celebration become more than an annual parish event; may it be a renewed commitment to raise families rooted in faith, build communities united in love, and form disciples who joyfully live out the Gospel.

After all, the call to holiness is not just for the saints we remember and celebrate – it is a call addressed to each one of us.

We are all called to be saints. (Rowena Baldoza Villaflor – OLLP SoCCom)