The reason to celebrate

Marking this week’s fiesta with various fun-filled activities is all under Tinian’s special efforts to honor its patron saint, San Jose the worker.

Counting all other reasons to celebrate, the Tinian Parish Council is urging its people to keep in mind the main reason for the whole festal celebrations.

Father Salvador “Budds” Dumas of the Tinian San Jose Church has asked that people take time to pause and look back in retrospect to the many blessings the Almighty has lavished on his people, out of love and mercy.

“We might have been unfaithful to him in many ways than one, but his love never ceases. This should arouse in us a desire and urge to try to return a little bit of love for all that had been and is being done for our salvation.

“St. John says: “He who says I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected,” said Fr. Dumas.

San Jose Church

The idea for the San Jose Church on Tinian was conceived upon the arrival of the new settlers migrating from Yap in the middle of April 1948.

The new settlers’ arrival date fell on the Feast of San Jose not by choice but rather by destiny.

Most grateful for their deliverance and safe journey, Tinian’s newest residents unanimously agreed to honor San Jose by naming the village after him.

Although the new arrivals were first encamped at the Leprosarium Beach, they did not feel that this was a good environment for making permanent homes in which to raise families.

They were transferred from the Leprosarium to the “Old Village,” where clusters of Quonset huts were available for the choosing.

Despite the safety and modern conveniences provided by Quonset huts, daily subsistence was altogether difficult as commerce as we know it today was nonexistent. Thus, the people depended almost entirely on subsistence farming and fishing.

Fishing was quite difficult as the “Old Village” site was miles from the shore. Farming had proven to be even more difficult not only because of the lack of commerce, but also due to the lack of implements and machinery.

The spiritual needs of the citizenry of Tinian were initially fulfilled in a chapel that was at the Leprosarium Beach.

However, as more and more people began relocating to the San Jose Village proper, another chapel was built where the offices of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources are currently situated. The location of the new chapel was much more convenient as it was much closer than the other chapel at the Tinian’s first encampment.

Chapel expansion

Sooner than expected, realization grew that the new chapel was much too small. Hence the need for a much bigger, more permanent house of worship became, and still is today, a great necessity.

Not long afterwards the construction of the new San Jose Church began at its current site, and that was in the latter part of 1950.

The construction took several years, and involved every available person. Consequently, every man, woman and child took part in various details of the work required which went on every day.

Saturdays were the busiest day of the week as more and more people showed up to volunteer help in one way or another.

Perhaps examples showing a few of the actual occurrences would properly demonstrate the level as well as the intensity of the dedication that people truly felt towards the church project.

To this end, be it known that from the Association of Christian Mothers, each member pledged that every one of them would show up at least one day every week.

In the event that any one of them did not show up, that person would pay a fifty-cent penalty as part of their efforts in contributing toward the church project.

Soon afterwards, the Order of the Holy Name learned of this selfless act of devotion by the Christian Mothers, and so decided to do likewise.

Subsequently, it was not long afterwards that families began pledging donations of not more than three dollars a month. For many, the penalty pledges were made regardless of the fact that within any given week, there were members of each family volunteering on a daily basis, with the men performing the more arduous tasks, and the women cleaning up and preparing the late afternoon “merienda”.

Some of the work, such as the arc welding of the rafter sections, they went on even after the twilight hours were past. Children of all ages helped with the menial tasks such as collecting nails, carrying water buckets, and even the most laborious task of mixing cement with sand and gravel by hand or shovel.

World War II relics

Perhaps one of the more fortunate aspects of the building project of the San Jose Church was that the materials used throughout the entire project were procured primarily through salvaging abandoned World War II materials, such as rebar, lumber, nails, steel beams, paint, tin roof, etc.

Although sand and gravel were mined manually, cement was obtained with the help of the U.S. Navy as far as Charlie Dock on Saipan via barge, and was then towed to Tinian by Tun Segundo Castro’s vessel.

Father Marciano

Father Pellet Marciano O.F.M. Capuchin was on hand from the initial planning throughout the construction period to oversee the project.
Every single detail of the San Jose Church was very simply a labor of love for Father Marciano, a master craftsman and an artist par excellence.

It was his attitude and dedication that inspired the entire community to devote their tireless efforts to the project. Those fortunate enough to have worked alongside Father Marciano still wholeheartedly believe that had better materials been available, the church would still be standing today and would remain so for many generations to come.

Although it was completed late in 1955, the San Jose Church was finally dedicated by his Excellency, the late Bishop Baumgartner, of what was then the Diocese of the Marianas, and is now Agana, in a ceremony in 1956.

A shelter for the community

Over the years, the San Jose Church not only called the faithful to their knees for the Angelus, but sheltered countless Tinian residents during the distress of passing typhoons. It also witnessed the joys of baptisms, matrimonies and many other occasions. Gone are the thick walls that held up the real majesty of the original structure, but timeless memories shall live on.

Today, as one passes by the bell tower, memories of a once proud and magnificent structure gleaming in all its glory and splendor remain. Within the barricade of tin roof, the work crew are today preparing the flooring for a structure of contemporary design, which will soon rise for all to see.

For ever more, the San Jose Church, regardless of its shape or form has substance and shall maintain relevance simply because of the true belief in the spirit it represents to the people of Tinian and San Jose, our Patron Saint. Biba San Jose!