On the Centenary, Ulloa calls on Panama to take on 513 years of history and be responsible for the future of its Church

The Panamanian Church commemorated this Wednesday, September 9, the Solemnity of Santa María la Antigua, on a day marked by the celebration of 513 years of ecclesial history and the Centenary of the Archdiocese of Panama. The Eucharist was presided over by Monsignor José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, president of the Panamanian Episcopal Conference.

During his homily, the Archbishop of Panama emphasized that the memory of these hundred years must translate into responsibility. “We are not spectators of these hundred years. We are responsible for the next ones”, he stated, calling on the Panamanian Church to take the received history as a mission.

Ulloa reviewed the origins of the Panamanian Church and recalled that in 1513 Santa María la Antigua del Darién was established, the first diocese on the mainland. Its seat later moved from Panama Viejo to the current Casco Antiguo, and the diocese was elevated to Metropolitan Archdiocese.

The prelate emphasized that the Centennial of the Archdiocese does not imply a new beginning, but the continuity of a story that began 513 years ago. “They are two different dates but the same story,” he pointed out.

The memory of these 513 years, Ulloa explained, “is not to fill us with empty pride,” but to assume a historical responsibility. Therefore, he posed a question about the present: whether the Church is still capable of “sending, going out, and missioning.”

Likewise, he said that this story has been written in the lives of priests, religious, catechists, families, and communities that have transmitted the faith over generations. “This Church has not come this far because we have always been extraordinary, but because God has been faithful”, he stated.

The archbishop remembered the bishops and priests who have served the archdiocese and emphasized that each generation receives a Church that must be cared for and handed over to those who will come. “Bishops come and go. Priests come and go. Generations come and go. Jesus Christ remains,” he mentioned.

Beyond the historical celebration, Ulloa called to take advantage of the Centennial to heal wounds, overcome divisions, and renew the life of the Church. “The Centennial must also be an opportunity for conversion”, he affirmed, to hand over to the new generations “a more reconciled, more fraternal, and more Christ-like Church.”

The Centennial, Ulloa stated, must pave the way for a “close and missionary” Church, committed to the poor, the young, and families. “We are not spectators of these hundred years. We are responsible for the next ones.”, he reiterated.

With an eye on the future, Ulloa entrusted Santa María la Antigua with the path of the Panamanian Church and called to respond with a renewed “Yes to Christ. Yes to the brother. Yes to reconciliation. Yes to the mission.” As a closing, he recalled: “Jesus Christ remains.”

Subscribe for free to our Whatsapp channel https://bit.ly/4hbWWN0 

Discover the new 2026 offer of courses, diplomas, and degrees at Cebitepal https://bit.ly/4aHAue1 

Because we must care for those who protect creation, the podcast La Vida pende de un Hilo arrives https://bit.ly/46cGUiB