BRIEF HISTORY OF POR CRISTO
The increasing number of beggars,street children, mentally challenged and abandoned older person roving the streets caught the attention of Fr. Dennis S. Prisco as early as eleven years ago. He approaches the Bishop of the Diocese of Butuan, the Most Rev. Juan de Dios M. Pueblos,D.D., and recommended the creation of Diocesan Special Apostolate to serve the poorest among the poor . In 2001, Bishop Pueblos established this imperative diocesan apostolate and appointed Fr. Dennis Prisco as its director. Fr. Dennis named this apostolate “Por Cristo” which means “for Christ”.
Por Cristo was allowed to occupy set of offices as the Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital annex building. It started by giving food assistance to indigient patient watchers at the hospital. Later, there were beggars, street children and abandoned older persons begging for food and medical assistance. The sad stories of abandoned elderly led to the creation of the Home for Abandoned Elderly.
Por Cristo Foundation, Inc. is registered in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as non-profit, charitable institution dedicated to serve the poorest of the poor. It runs a Home for Abandoned Elderly that sits on a 7,443 sq. meter lot of Brgy. Abilan, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. It thrives mainly through the support and donation of local and foreign benefactors. Por Cristo’s Board of Trustees is under the permanent chairmanship of the Most Rev. Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos.
It has served one hundred fifty-three beneficiaries for past ten years, sixty-five were successfully reintegrated with their families and fifty were accorded decent burial. Thirty-five to forty residents are served in the Home every month.
