On the eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Archdiocese of Cebu celebrates the recognition of our beloved Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma, who was conferred the prestigious Order of Rajah Humabon.
The Order of Rajah Humabon, established in 1994, is the highest honor bestowed upon individuals by the Cebu City Government whose exceptional service has made a profound impact on the city’s citizens.
The celebration began with a Holy Mass presided over by the good Archbishop at the St. Charles Borromeo Chapel of Seminario Mayor de San Carlos (SMSC), with Msgr. Rogelio Fuentes, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cebu, as the homilist.
They were joined by the SMSC priest-formators led by Fr. Mhar Vincent Balili (Rector), and other visiting monsignori and priests.
In Msgr. Roger’s homily, he reflected on Archbishop Palma’s episcopal motto, Non Nobis Domine, a prayer from Psalm 115:1 — “Not to us, o Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory.”
“It is in this spirit that we have this awarding tonight. Archbishop, you will be awarded with the highest honor from the Cebu City government, but in so doing, we also praise God who has brought to fulfillment the good works he has begun in you. For as always, when we express contentment and gratitude for the abundance of fruits the tree gives, we praise the gardener,” Msgr. Roger said.
After the Mass, a dinner and a short program followed. Present were Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Antonio Rañola, the officials from the Cebu City government led by the outgoing City Mayor, Hon. Alvin Garcia, priests, seminarians, and guests.
In Archbishop Palma’s message, he emphasized, “Sometimes people honor me, but I say, no — all of us are there. That’s the qualification I would like to make… It’s not only me, it’s we, the whole community that are part of all of this we call successful celebrations in Cebu…in this award, they are all here,” the Archbishop exhorted.
Alongside this momentous event was another historic event for SMSC. Before the Holy Mass, the good Archbishop blessed the newly renovated seminary offices. Then, the St. Charles Borromeo Chapel of SMSC and its cross, crafted by National Artist Napoleon Abueva, were declared important heritage structures and cultural properties of Cebu, respectively.