Story/Photos: ELMER RECUERDO
PALO, Leyte – The Police Regional Office 8 initiated a mass church wedding for uniformed and non-uniformed personnel who have been cohabiting with their partners without the benefit of a formal marriage.
A total of 50 couples exchanged their marital vows in a solemn ceremony officiated by Rev. Fr. PMaj. Rhey Dollesin, the regional pastoral office of PRO 8 at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Sto. Niño Tacloban City on February 23, 2024.
The 50 couples consist 55 police non-commissioned officers, one non-uniformed personnel, one fire officer, and 43 civilians who were live-in partners of uniformed personnel.
A total of 50 couples exchanged their marital vows in a solemn ceremony officiated by Rev. Fr. PMaj. Rhey Dollesin, the regional pastoral office of PRO 8 at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Sto. Niño Tacloban City on February 23, 2024.
The 50 couples consist 55 police non-commissioned officers, one non-uniformed personnel, one fire officer, and 43 civilians who were live-in partners of uniformed personnel.
In his homily, Fr. Dollesin emphasized the importance of friendship, fecundity, fidelity, and forgiveness in a successful marriage. He encouraged the couples to be selfless just as how Jesus has shown his love for us through his sacrifice and to embrace a life of prayer.
"The world today has lost the concept of "forever" in relationships. But for our police officers in PRO 8 who get married every year, this is a statement that they do believe in forever," he said.
PRO 8 Regional Director PBGen. Reynaldo Pawid, for PRO 8 regional director PMGen. Rommel Marbil, Tingog Party List Rep. Yedda Romualdez and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, represented by his son Raymund, served as the principal sponsors.
Pawid said he considers the initiative as a best practice of this PRO and hopes that it continues every year. He also warmly congratulated the couples for finally tying the knot under the eyes of God.
"The world today has lost the concept of "forever" in relationships. But for our police officers in PRO 8 who get married every year, this is a statement that they do believe in forever," he said.
PRO 8 Regional Director PBGen. Reynaldo Pawid, for PRO 8 regional director PMGen. Rommel Marbil, Tingog Party List Rep. Yedda Romualdez and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, represented by his son Raymund, served as the principal sponsors.
Pawid said he considers the initiative as a best practice of this PRO and hopes that it continues every year. He also warmly congratulated the couples for finally tying the knot under the eyes of God.
"As your marriage has been blessed by the Lord, I wish you all the best as one family and remember that the secret to a lasting marriage is "forgive and forget", he said.
The mass wedding initiative is an annual event of this PRO organized by the Regional Community Affairs and Development Division and the Regional Chaplain Service which started on February 28, 2022, with 16 wedded couples and on June 14, 2023, with 48 couples.
This initiative aims to reach out to both Uniformed and Non-Uniformed PNP personnel who cohabit with their partners without the blessing of the sacrament of matrimony, thereby legitimizing their relationships in line with the PNP's call for morality and decency.
One of the couples has been living together for 17 years with 3 children and considers the mass wedding a blessing as they have been wanting to get married in church for a long time.(CJ/ER)
The mass wedding initiative is an annual event of this PRO organized by the Regional Community Affairs and Development Division and the Regional Chaplain Service which started on February 28, 2022, with 16 wedded couples and on June 14, 2023, with 48 couples.
This initiative aims to reach out to both Uniformed and Non-Uniformed PNP personnel who cohabit with their partners without the blessing of the sacrament of matrimony, thereby legitimizing their relationships in line with the PNP's call for morality and decency.
One of the couples has been living together for 17 years with 3 children and considers the mass wedding a blessing as they have been wanting to get married in church for a long time.(CJ/ER)
