Volume 20 • No. 8 • April 16 - 30, 2024 Publication Mailing Account #41721512
Marian Rivera
Philippine ambassador visits Manitoba
Discusses recognition of foreign credentials in Canada
Photo credit: Marian’s IG
8 Vote for Paul Ong
Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards of 2024 Paul Ong has been officially nominated for Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards of 2024. Ong, an educator, musician, and philanthropist is the only Filipino from Winnipeg among the top 75 shortlisted candidates. “I am so proud to represent our community as the only Filipino/ Chinese from Winnipeg who is nominated. Thank you in advance See PAUL p11
Paul Ong
L-r: Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague and Consul General Angelica Escalona of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto; Ambassador Maria Andrelita Austria and Deputy Head of Mission, Myca Magnolia Fischer of the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa; Welfare Officer Benny Reyes of the Migrant Workers OfficeToronto; and Mr. Ronaldo Opina, Philippine Honorary Consul in Winnipeg. Story on p4. Photo by Rey-Ar
Parishioners bid farewell to beloved church
Photo by Nonie Manalili It was an emotional day for the hundreds of parishioners who attended the last mass held at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church at 748 Keewatin. The church building, which stood at its Keewatin address for the last 40 years, is being decommissioned, or withdrawn from service as a church. Most Reverend Archbishop Richard Gagnon from the Archdiocese of
Winnipeg was invited to preside over the decommissioning mass and rites on April 2, together with Msgr. Enrique Samson, Jr. and Fr. Honesto Durango. “Decommissioning happens when a ministry or a service, or a mission comes to an end,” Archbishop Gagnon said. “We don’t have a lot of these in our archdiocese and it only happens once in a while, so this is really an
important occasion.” St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church is a church complex whose roots go back to 1949. The War had just ended, and people were looking to rebuild their lives and rekindle their faith. It was then a group of women thought of building a small church, with the help of a priest. As the congregation grew from about 80 See ST. PETER’S p4