In 1993, a total of twelve couple-church workers of the St. Andrew the Apostle (SAA) Parish Church located at Norzagaray, Bulacan, were recruited to attend the Marriage Encounter Weekend Seminars (MEWS) of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary (HJM) Prayer Community, then being held at the Siena Spiritual Center in Tungkong Mangga, San Jose del Monte, a neighbor municipality of Norzagaray.  After their MEWS, these couples attended prayer meetings either at Our Lady of Peace (OLP) Prayer Group in Quezon City or at St. Gabriel of the Annunciation (SGA) Prayer Group in Caloocan City.  At every opportunity, Tito Naning Alinea would convince them to organize a prayer group in Norzagaray together with other encountered couples from the Pag-ibig sa Diyos Catholic Community (PDCC).  Heeding the suggestion, they took the step of organizing a Bibliarasal Cell Group with PDCC members and for several months held Bibliarasal Sessions on Friday evenings at the Alvarez Hall of the SAA Parish.

 

In November 1993, Tito Naning Alinea scheduled a visit to Norzagaray to meet the representatives of the HJM-PDCC ME couples together with then parish priest of SAA Parish, Rev. Fr. Lon Balagtas, to discuss the possibility of establishing a prayer group in the parish.  Also present in the meeting were Tito Plecy Tita Cora Hermogenes.  Receiving a favorable response from Fr. Lon, Tito Naning ended the meeting with the advice that the joint HJM-PDCC group discuss the conduct of an ME Outreach Class in Norzagaray as a preparatory step to organizing the prayer group.

 

In the discussion that ensued during one of the HJM-PDCC group Bibliarasal Sessions, several concerns were raised, foremost of which were the fact that the PDCC Central Council was not in favor of outreach seminars and the questions which of the two mother communities would exercise supervision over the prayer group and be entitled to the financial and other reports of the prayer group. Faced with these issues, Tito Naning Alinea still pushed for the establishment of a prayer group, even with only the HJM group taking the lead.

 

By January 1994, the joint HJM-PDCC Bibliarasal group ceased to exist, but the HJM ME couples continued their Bibliarasal sessions every Friday evening in the residences of the group members on rotational basis.  Tito Naning Alinea kept in touch with the group, and at the same time coordinated with the OLP and SGA Prayer Groups to solicit their help in the planned Outreach MEWS at Norzagaray. 

 

Sometime in mid 1994, ME Class # 16 shepherded by then OLP ME Service Head Tito Boy and Tita Edna Dondiego and to which class belonged Norzagaray residents Tito Honest/Tita Auring Famatigan, Tito Joe/Tita Racquel Santiago and Tito Boy/Tita Nely Arceo, agreed to hold their class reunion at the residence of Tito Joe/Tita Racquel Santiago.  The reunion was attended by the other HJM ME couples, who are now recognized as the founding members of SAAPG.  These couples were Tito Boying/Tita Prime Cruz (ME #13), Tito Louie/Tita Luchie de Leon (ME #16), Tito Ren/Tita Eda Reyes (ME #16), Tito Honest/Tita Auring Famatigan (ME #18), Tito Joe/Tita Racquel Santiago (ME#18), Tito Arthur/Tita Edith Opay (ME #21), Tito Manny/Tita Lorna Ramos (ME #18), Tito Santy/Tita Cely Ramos (ME #21), Tito Rolly/Tita Chit Sarminto (ME # 27) and Tito Amado/Tita Zeny Pascual (ME #27).  It is worth mentioning that Tito Amado was a former Mayor of Norzagaray.

 

On that occasion, with all those present expressing their full support for the conduct of an Outreach ME Class, it was decided to hold the ME Class on July 16-17, 1994, to coincide with the first anniversary of ME Class #16.  Tito Honest/Tita Auring Famatigan were chosen as Shepherd Couple of the outreach seminar class.

 

As planned, the first Norzagaray MEWS was conducted on July 16-17, 1994.  Team couples were Tito Art/Tita Lolit Campo, Tito Mando/Tita Lucy Lagman and Tito Boy/Tita Edna Dondiego.  The SGAPG Music Group provided the music and many members of OLP and SGA Prayer Groups came to serve as auxiliaries.

 

Immediately after the seminar, in the vigil room, Tita Naning Alinea designated Tito Honest/Tita Auring Famatigan as Praise and Worship Head to start the holding of the weekly Friday prayer meetings. Thus, the birth of the St. Andrew the Apostle Prayer Group.

 

After a few weeks of successful prayer meetings conducted by the newly-formed prayer group under the leadership of Tito Honest/Tita Auring Famatigan, Tito Naning Alinea met with the ten couple founders and the members of ME Outreach Class #1 to elect among themselves the Pastoral Team of the prayer group.  Elected were:

 

Tito Honest/Tita Auring Famatigan - Pastoral Head

Tito Joe/Tita Racquel Santiago - Deputy Pastoral Head

Tito Boying/Tita Prime Cruz - Deputy Pastoral Head

Tito Roland/Tita Merlie Santiago - Secretariat

Tito Obet/Tita Lea Castillo - Finance

Tito Mark/Tita Myre Castillo - Praise and Worship

Tito Mark/Tita Marlene Eustaquio - Music

Tito Eddie/Tita Rosie Torres - General Service

Tita Jess/Tita Jo Nicolas - Marriage Encounter

Tito Amang/Tita Luz Villarca - Social Action & Social Events

Tito Louie/Tita Luchie de Leon - Special Charisms

Tito Ren/Tita Eda Reyes - Bibliarasal

 

The first Pastoral Team functioned under Spiritual Adviser Rev. Fr. Lon Balagtas and Shepherd Couple Tito Plecy/Tita Cora Hermogenes.

 

SAAPG was officially recognized as a regular prayer group of HJMPC on July 16, 1996. Considered as a provincial prayer group, SAAPG was, for many years, assigned a Resident Shepherd Couple, in order to provide the members constant guidance and so as not to unduly burden the regular Shepherd Couple who resided in Metro Manila with weekly evening visits to SAAPG.  The servant leaders given by God to lead and guide SAAPG are:

 

 

 

It is not an exaggeration to say that among the HJMPC prayer groups, none can parallel the dedication and invaluable service rendered by the SAAPG to its parish.  

 

1. When Rev. Fr. Flormonico A. Cadiz assumed stewardship of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish as its new parish priest on November 15, 2013, he wasted no time in undertaking a major renovation of the Church and its facilities.   Notable works included the new Retablo Mayor and Retablo Menor, new Baroque-style church facade, major interior painting employing the Trompe-l'oeil method for ceiling and walls and all new flooring tiles.  A new Adoration Chapel and new offices were built, and renovation of the multi-purpose Alvarez Hall building, priests office, conference hall, living quarters,  receiving room, and other appurtenances were undertaken.

 

These labor of love funded mostly from Fr. Monic’s personal solicitations from friends and relatives as well as the proceeds of the Town Fiestas Fund-Raising activities, culminated in the Church Dedication held on June 10, 2018.  The Hermano de Honor during the Church Dedication was an HJM-SAAPG member, Tito Benjamin/Tita Teresita Santos.  The PPC executive committee then was composed mostly of HJM-SAAPG members.  The Adhoc Committee on Church construction was headed by Tito Noli Palad, who has remained as head of the Construction Committee.

2. At present, half of the Parish Pastoral Council Executive Committee members and Committee heads are HJM-SAAPG members.  PPC co-chairman is Tito Archie Cruz and Parish Administrator, a newly-created position,  is Tito Corne del Rosario.  The Commissions headed by HJM-SAAPG members are (a) Liturgy (b) Family and Life, which spearheads the monthly Pre Cana Seminars with HJM speakers assigned every quarter; and (c) Social Action.  The Committees led by HJM-SAAPG members are: a) Construction  headed by Tito Noli Palad, and (b) Health and Sanitation.

From 2012 to July 2021, Tito Rene Villones held the post of Co-Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council Executive Committee.  It was during his incumbency that the construction of the Church was undertaken, culminating in its Dedication on June 10, 2018.

3. When the Parish Renewal Experience (Prex) was established  in the parish in the year 2000, the first Prex Chaircouple was an HJM couple, and since then, four other HJM couples had been selected by the parish priests to head the Prex.  At present, Prex is headed by an HJM couple.

4. About half of the number of lay ministers are HJM-SAAPG members and their present head is an HJM-SAAPG member.

5. Many HJM-SAAPG members are Lecom members, and several HJM members had been elected to head the Lecom group for the past 20 years. The previous Lecom head was an HJM member.

6. HJM-SAAPG music group is one of the church choirs that is assigned during Saturday or Sunday masses.

7. Since 1996, four HJM couples had been assigned as Fiesta Committee Presidents. The latest (2020) Fiesta Com head was Tito Corne/Tita Cecile del Rosario. The funds raised by the Fiesta Committees formed part of the funds utilized for church construction.