THE 157-YEAR-OLD St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camaligan, Camarines Sur JUAN ESCANDOR JR.

The St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camaligan, Camarines Sur, a 157-year-old church built by Franciscan missionaries, has managed to survive through the years to become an enduring cultural and religious legacy of the town.

The church design is still the same as when it was first built in 1857, except for a few interior renovations, while its foundations and walls are still made of the original materials, said parish priest Fr. Balbino B. Gumabao Jr.

Camaligan, whose name was derived from the Bikol root word camalig, which means storehouses for grains that dotted the town during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, was under the ecclesiastical and civil jurisdiction of Nueva Caceres, the old name of Naga City, for almost two centuries, from 1578-1775.

In 1775, Camaligan was declared a separate town from Nueva Caceres but it was only in 1795 when a parish priest, in the person of Fray Rafael Benevente, was appointed here by the Franciscan mission which covered the whole territory of the Bicol region at that time.

Gumabao, parish priest of St. Anthony of Padua for six years now, said the people of Camaligan contributed stones, construction materials and labor for the building of the church.

He said the churchs foundation and walls were plastered by thousands of egg whites mixed with lime while the bricks used were a mix of ashes made from freshwater clams, straw and clay that were baked in the village of San Mateo, one of the 13 villages comprising Camaligan town.

The church is influenced by baroque architecture as shown in its arched doors and windows on the front and sides. Inside the church is the retablo, or altar piece, where a statue of St. Anthony of Padua stands in the middle.

THE INTERIOR of the St. Anthony of Padua Church in Camaligan, Camarines Sur as it looks today. JUAN ESCANDOR JR.

Originally, the church had trusses made of local hardwood trees like hamorawon, yakal, barayong and sambulawan while the roof was fashioned from anahaw leaves clipped with bamboo slits.

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157-yr-old church endures in Camarines Sur

It all began with the bizarre sale of a Church rectory in Paraos, a hamlet in the Galician province of Pontevedra, in northwestern Spain.

The villagers learned that this building, which they all helped preserve with their savings, had been sold behind their backs by the Diocese of Tui in 2008. The official sale price was 60,000 and the buyer was a familiar face at the diocese: Carlos Gmez-Gil Aizpura, then a restoration technician with the Galician department of culture who had power over the granting of subsidies to restore Church-owned assets.

The new owner of the rectory, a typical village construction, made extensive renovations to the property, adding a porch and a swimming pool.

The parish priest of Paraos, Juan Sobrino, who was a personal friend of Gmez-Gil and now also a target of a corruption investigation, repeatedly denied local accusations that he had wrongfully disposed of the house. This, despite the fact that the title deed shows he was present at the notarys office where the sale was officially closed.

The people of Paraos were shocked to see the property up for sale for 680,000

The bishop of Tui, Jos Diguez Reboredo (who is also under scrutiny and has since stepped down from the diocese) said the home had been transferred to Gmez-Gil for a period of 23 years in exchange for the restoration work.

But in March 2009, the people of Paraos were shocked to see the property up for sale on a real estate website. Gmez-Gil, who had yet to pay a single penny to the Church, was asking for 680,000.

The villagers filed a complaint with the attorneys office, and investigators found a link with another case underway in a Santiago courthouse in connection with Galician government subsidies to several Catholic dioceses to restore ecclesiastical heritage, and the contracts signed between the Church and restoration companies. Both cases shared a name: Carlos Gmez-Gil Aizpura.

The police eventually found what it believed was a grants-for-contracts corruption ring. Thus, Operation Altarpiece was launched.

Investigators argue that Gmez-Gil awarded subsidies to Church officials who promised to hire the restoration companies he suggested. These companies returned the favor in cash or gifts, or sometimes in the form of free restoration work for Gmez-Gil. A second regional official, Jos Manuel Pichel Pichel, the architect at the public corporation that promotes tourism along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, awarded subsidies to restore pilgrim shelters following similar criteria. Both are being investigated for fraud, bribery of public officials, influence peddling and other crimes between 2003 and 2009. A total of 12 people are under investigation.

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Operation Altarpiece ensnares Galician Church in corruption case

Steve Marcus

A view of the Peace Palace, a Unification Church convention and training center, under construction at 6590 Bermuda Road, on Monday, April 7,2014.

By Eli Segall (contact)

Wednesday, April 16, 2014 | 2 a.m.

Theyre running behind schedule, but a South Korean religious group is still bringing a Peace Palace to Americas gambling mecca.

The Unification Church, known for its mass weddings, extensive business holdings and cult-like founder, plans to finish construction of its three-story, 93,000-square-foot convention and training center on Bermuda Road at Sunset Road by years end, according to general contractor Steven Kwon.

A few years ago, church leaders were slated to finish the project, dubbed the Peace Palace, by early 2013. They wound up starting construction only last April, though.

Kwon, president of GKG Builders, attributed the delay to a project redesign, saying the church scrapped its plans and hired new architects, engineers, interior designers and others.

After church founder the Rev. Sun Myung Moon died in September 2012, there was a need for a refocusing of the vision God had given to him for the Peace Palace, said Michael Jenkins, director of the churchs Office of Business Investment and Asset Development.

Current plans call for a convention and training hall that holds 700 to 800 people, marble flooring and two grand staircases in the main lobby, a cafeteria, a bookstore and roughly 50 rooms for lodging, according to Kwon.

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After refocusing of the vision of God, Peace Palace on track to be finished by years end

WILDWOOD When Olive Watson joined Wildwood United Methodist Church, Franklin D. Roosevelt was in the early stages of his first term as president, America was in the throes of the Great Depression and the Lone Ranger was a major hit on the radio.

The year was 1934 and in the 80 years since Watson has been a devoted member of the rural Sumter County church, dedicating her life to serving the congregation wherever and whenever she was needed, including stints as president of the local and state chapters of the United Methodist Women.

At 102, Watson is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active serving members of the 700 churches in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.

"Eighty years is a rather long time to be serving," said John Bendall, business administrator of the denomination's North Central Florida District in Ocala, which includes the 323-member Wildwood church.

Recently, Watson received a commendation from the U.S. Senate recognizing the spry centenarian's long service to her beloved church. The congregation celebrated the occasion by having a special salute to Watson during worship services.

A modest Watson said she doesn't know why she was singled out for the recognition she is only doing the Lord's work in serving her church, she said.

"I've only done what was needed," said Watson, a widow who will turn 103 in August. "I never did anything spectacular."

Her fellow church members, including Annie Otto, wife of former church pastor the Rev. Thomas Otto, disagree wholeheartedly.

In her long tenure at the church, founded in 1892, Otto said, Watson has also served as a Sunday school teacher and in other lay positions as well as serving numerous times on the Pastor's Parish Relations Committee.

"She's the most spiritual lady I've ever known she never misses church services," said Otto, who wrote to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Miami., asking him to acknowledge Watson's storied history with the church. "She's been a faithful servant to the Lord."

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Spiritual woman, 102, has attended same Wildwood church for 80 years

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A half-million dollar renovation to the "weekend" home of the Archbishop of Newark has sparked a major controversy, raising questions about how money donated by church members is being used.

An online petition created by a D.C.-based website, Faithful America, has received more than 23,000 signatures to stop the renovation process, claiming that Archbishop John J. Myers does not need a 7,500-square-foot home for when he retires.

The house will become the retirement residence when he retires in two year, Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark, told ABC News. There is an additional suite being added for guests and office space, as well as a whirlpool and an exercise pool being added for therapeutic use, because he has some health issues. This would be beneficial for him in retirement.

Mel Evans/AP Photo

Archbishop John J. Myers stands outside Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, in Newark, N.J, Sept. 22, 2012.

Protesters say the additions are unnecessary and lavish, and have contrasted Myers' lifestyle to that of Pope Francis, who lives in a small apartment in Rome with other priests.

Faithful America could not be reached by ABC News for additional comment. But the Rev. John Bambrick, pastor of a parish in Jackson Township, part of the Diocese of Trenton, said the lavish spending reflected poorly on the church and highlights the contrast between Myers and Pope Francis.

I think it makes people question where their donations are going," Bambrick told ABC News today. It's embarrassing to the church and the clergy and its an insult to the people and God."

Most of the congregation when they hear about it they just think it is outrageous. They think they should sell it," Bambrick said.

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Protesters Say $500K Construction on Newark Archbishop's Home Is Unnecessary

A half-million dollar renovation to the "weekend" home of the Archbishop of Newark has sparked a major controversy, raising questions about how money donated by church members is being used.

An online petition created by a D.C.-based website, Faithful America, has received more than 23,000 signatures to stop the renovation process, claiming that Archbishop John J. Myers does not need a 7,500-square-foot home for when he retires.

The house will become the retirement residence when he retires in two year, Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark, told ABC News. There is an additional suite being added for guests and office space, as well as a whirlpool and an exercise pool being added for therapeutic use, because he has some health issues. This would be beneficial for him in retirement.

There will also be an elevator and three gas fireplaces added, Goodness said.

Protesters say the additions are unnecessary and lavish, and have contrasted Myers' lifestyle to that of Pope Francis, who lives in a small apartment in Rome with other priests.

Faithful America could not be reached by ABC News for additional comment. But the Rev. John Bambrick, pastor of a parish in Jackson Township, part of the Diocese of Trenton, said the lavish spending reflected poorly on the church and highlights the contrast between Myers and Pope Francis.

I think it makes people question where their donations are going," Bambrick told ABC News today. It's embarrassing to the church and the clergy and its an insult to the people and God."

Most of the congregation when they hear about it they just think it is outrageous. They think they should sell it," Bambrick said.

Its really astounding given the fact that the pope teaches the bishops to live simply, Bambrick added, noting that Pope Francis has admonished priests "dont buy fancy cars and live simply.

Pope Francis Suspends 'Bishop of Bling

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Newark Archbishop's Pricey Pad Causes Controversy

EDWARDSVILLE A proposed land deal between District 7 schools and First Presbyterian Church has some neighborhood residents and church members upset and asking questions before a school board vote planned for Monday night.

First Presbyterian Church has stood in a historic neighborhood of Edwardsville since 1923, and its next-door neighbor is Columbus School, which has been in use since 1886. A product of its times, Columbus has only 19 parking spaces for 45 employees, and so for many years the church has allowed the school to use its parking lot for parking and dropoff and pickup of students.

To improve the safety of students, the school district looked at acquiring the church property.

The school district has offered First Presbyterian Church $800,000 for the church property, and another $500,000 to pay for the building demolition and asbestos abatement, for a total of $1.3 million paid over 10 years. The church would handle the demolition and remediation of the site, at which point the school district would construct playground and parking space with a new dropoff and pickup system that also would require some rerouting of streets and/or traffic changes to be authorized by the city.

The sale contract still has to be approved by the District 7 school board, which will consider it on Monday night. The street changes also will have to be approved by the Edwardsville City Council in the future.

The money would be paid from the district's impact fees, which are funds paid by developers when they construct residential developments. Impact fees may only be used for acquisition of new property, new construction or renovations to address crowding, not for district operations.

Superintendent Ed Hightower said that it's getting crowded at Columbus, which is at 315 N. Kansas St., and he is worried about students' safety, particularly during the morning and afternoon rushes with 359 students exiting the building.

"We are very fortunate that we have not had an accident of major proportions," Hightower said. "It's a very unsafe condition, and with the number of kids that are transported and the number of parents picking up their children, it needs to be a better situation."

Meanwhile, First Presbyterian is going forward with plans to move its congregation to a new building on Ridgeview Road, out on the growing east side of town. Pastor John Hembruch said the old church has "many deficiencies" in terms of handicapped accessibility, asbestos and maintenance issues. In 2009, the congregation voted to proceed with the concept of a new building.

Hembruch said their plan was three-fold: a capital campaign to raise funds, selling their old property, and sale of some of the 29-acre Ridgeview property, as their new building will only require about 10 acres.

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Proposed land deal between Edwardsville District 7 and church has some upset

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MADAM, I write with reference to the caption below Tommy Woodward's photograph of Dilhorne Church in The Way We Were on March 29.

Although octagonal church towers are rare, others do exist including those at Hodnet in Shropshire and Hornby in Lancashire.

The parish churches of both Stafford and Nantwich also contain octagonal towers, although these are placed above the central crossing, rather than at the west end of the nave. The tower at Dilhorne may have existed before the church, being originally built as a defensive structure.

The abundance of round towers found in East Anglia, built for this purpose, were often incorporated into later churches. The fact that the tower has no doorway and only the smallest of windows at lower levels makes this theory more plausible.

It is unlikely, although not impossible, that this may be a Saxon construction. However, if the tower was built as a defensive structure, it is more probable this was erected by one of the first Normans who took the name of 'de Dulverne' after the Conquest.

In all likelihood, the first church at Dilhorne would have been a wooden construction.

St Chad first brought Christianity to Britain during the 7th century, although it is impossible to say precisely when Dilhorne's spiritual needs were strong enough to warrant the building of a church. If the first church did predate the tower, then this may have been attached to it or at least stood nearby.

The first mention of a church at Dilhorne in documentary sources is 1166 when Ruald de Dulverne presented the advowson, the right to appoint the priest, to the Priory of Stone with the agreement of his overlord Robert de Stafford.

This would have been a newly-constructed building of stone, occupying the area of the current nave and incorporating the tower.

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Way We Were: Kevin Salt talks about Dilhorne Church and octagonal...

CHURCH of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allotted $1.4 million for basic needs right after Supertyphoon Yolanda.

After Super Typhoon Yolanda hit the Visayas, the country received an enormous amount of support from different parts of the world. Filipinos were moved by this generosity and thanked those who helped in any way they can.

For their part, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS, or also known as Mormons) immediately sent food and hygiene kits to church members in affected areas. They worked closely with the local government and other organizations in the assessment of the situation and distribution of relief goods.

The church also extended help to non-members through LDS Charities.

The LDS Charities manages the humanitarian aspect of the church and all of the members around the world are involved, one-way or the other.

Sister Linda Burton, president of Relief Society General Presidency of the LDS says, The church is trying to do what it did in Haiti years ago (and until now) by teaching people self-reliance. To achieve that, we try to help people find education that will lead to a job.

She, however, notes that Filipinos are quick to recover from the tragedy compared to other disaster-stricken areas the church has visited and helped.

But before setting up the livelihood programs, they first need to build shelters. At present, the group has built more than 1,000 shelters. Their aim is 3,000 by the end of May.

Right after the typhoon hit, we allotted $1.4 million for basic needs such as food, water and hygiene kits, says Brent Nielson, of LDS Philippines Area Presidency. Once everything calmed down a little bit, we assessed the needs of our members and found out that 3,000 families were homeless. Thats when we decided to help begin building shelters.

The group already started teaching the idea of self-reliance by involving them in shelter building. The church provided construction materials and tools while families helped in building them.

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What the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS did for the Visayas

Crossroads Baptist Church Construction Progression
I created this video with the YouTube Slideshow Creator (http://www.youtube.com/upload)

By: Scott Wiley

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Crossroads Baptist Church Construction Progression - Video