|
WHO WAS ST. PHILIP THE APOSTLE? |
|
 Statue of St. Philip the Apostle in front of the church. The inscription at his feet is, "Show us the Father." St. Philip the Apostle Church was established on May 31, 1963, with
Fr. Giunta (1963-1980) as the pastor of the new parish of 385
families. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new church was held
on May 31, 1964, and the formal dedication of the completed church was
celebrated in 1967. |
St. Philip came from a town called Bethsaida in Galilee. One day he saw two of his townsmen, Andrew and Peter, with a stranger who looked at Philip and said, "Follow me." After only a few hours with the stranger he came to know as Jesus, he told his brother Nathanael, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, that is, the Messiah; Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth." As Jesus asked, Philip left his wife and his daughters and his former life to follow him as one of his disciples. Although he witnessed miracles and healings and heard the words of the Beatitudes and the parables of Jesus, he still had moments of doubt. When the 5,000 people needed to be fed, Jesus asked, "Where can we get bread for these people?" Philip said, "A whole year's wages is not enough that every one could have even a little." He had forgotten the power of God he had already seen. Again, after the Last Supper, Jesus was preparing the apostles for his death and what would lie ahead for them. Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus answered, "Philip, have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say then, 'Show us the Father'?" As all people of faith do, Philip was still growing in his understanding of who Jesus was. After the Resurrection and Pentecost, Philip spent the rest of his life carrying Jesus' message to the people of Greece and Asia Minor. Early traditions say that he was martyred, although the exact details of his death are not known. He shares his feast day (May 3) with St. James the Less. |