Representatives of Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation Inc. and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) formalize their partnership for Proyekto Custodia: (L-R) Fr. Milan Ted Torralba; CBCP President Archbishop Gilbert Garcera; CLFI Division Head for Programs and Development Rhea B. Peñaflor; and Sebastien L. Lhuillier, representing the Lhuillier family.
Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation Inc. (CLFI) through Proyekto Custodia: The National Sacred Art and Church Heritage Initiative, is supporting the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in its efforts to safeguard the country’s religious art. As part of this program, more than 100 antique religious artworks, devotional icons, and ceremonial church objects from the collection of Cebuana Lhuillier Founder and Chairman, Philippine Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, H.E. Philippe J. Lhuillier, will be shared with selected churches across the Philippines.
Proyekto Custodia aims to help the CBCP care for the country’s religious and artistic legacy by bringing these objects to historic churches, missionary parishes, and rural chapels, where they can be appreciated in settings that reflect their religious significance.
Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier, said the project reflects the family’s desire to support the Church’s work. “My father, Ambassador Lhuillier, has long appreciated how religious art serves as an avenue to showcase history. It is meaningful for us to share part of his collection with the Church and support the CBCP’s efforts to look after these pieces. Through Proyekto Custodia, we hope these artworks will find a home in churches where parishioners and visitors can learn about and appreciate their significance.”
Under the partnership, the CBCP will help endorse Proyekto Custodia to more than 100 heritage churches nationwide and guide the identification of suitable recipients.
In his message for the project, CBCP President Archbishop Gilbert Garcera emphasized that safeguarding religious art is a shared responsibility. “The preservation of our sacred heritage is not the responsibility of the clergy alone. It is a shared mission involving the Church, the laity, cultural institutions, private foundations, artists, historians, and local communities,” he said.
For Jo-Ann Tacorda, First Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Cebuana Lhuillier, coordination with recipient churches will be important to the project’s implementation: “We want each piece to go to a church where it can be properly cared for and appreciated. Working with the CBCP helps us understand each church’s needs and ensure that the artworks are placed in settings suited to their purpose and history.”
Through Proyekto Custodia, CLFI is supporting the CBCP’s efforts to care for the country’s religious art and keep these works part of church life across the Philippines.