Reminiscing back into the fifties, one would recall San Roque Village to be the farthest, most northern village on Saipan. The distance from San Roque Village (formerly known as Matansa) to Chalan Kanoa, or even Garapan, was a whole-day’s trip that for a family of several young children to travel southside for Sunday Mass would be quite unbearable. Roads were all of coral and very narrow. Cars were scarce. Most families made do with bull/cow carts and carpooled into town with other families to shop or to take care of other businesses.

After World War II, the US Military constructed a few units at Matansa, now San Roque, for the stevedoring employees called the Quonset Huts. An Elephant Quonset was the biggest of all Quonsets, which was used as Galley for dining of all personnel. The US Military and the stevedoring employees vacated the area by 1949, leaving the Quoset Huts unattended.

Mr. Gregorio T. Camacho and the Capuchin in charge appealed to the Naval Administration to establish Matansa as a village. Through a lot of convincing and dedication, the request was granted. From then Matansa was now called San Roque Village and Mr. Camacho was appointed as the First Commissioner of the village.

He immediately designated the abandoned Elephant Quonset house, which happened to be the largest building in the village, as the San Roque Chapel. The Quonset house was destroyed in 1968 by Typhoon Jean, as were most other Churches on Saipan that were also Quonset houses. Soon after the destruction of Typhoon Jean, the government issued lumber materials to families to build their homes. A small wooden house structure was also erected on the once-church-site, thereby providing for a temporary House of God for worship

In the late sixties, discussion began on the need to build a bigger, more permanent church for the San Roque community. Commissioner Fermin Sakisat sought the support of the people to help in any and every way to make the dream of a permanent church come true. Construction materials were purchased; some were solicited and /or in-kind donations. Carpenters and other skilled workers were paid for their labor; others employed elsewhere in the weekdays rendered a free labor on weekends. Leocardio Mafnas was the foreman of the project. His great work was recognized by the Late Archbishop Felixberto Flores in a letter of appreciation. The Church was completed and dedicated on August 26, 1972, the day of the annual San Roque Fiesta.

In the early nineties, Father Eric Forbes, O.F.M. Cap., from Guam was assigned to San Roque Parish. On April 26, 1991, Father Eric submitted a request to His Excellency Bishop Tomas A. Camacho to remodel/renovate San Roque Church. The request was approved by the Bishop. San Roque Healing Masses were responded massively by the sick near and far. Father Eric was recalled back to Guam 1994.

The Church continued to improve through the initiative of the assigned priests after Fr. Erik. For example, a Perpetual Adoration Chapel was built led by Fr. Recaido Jr. This chapel (presently used as the Crying room and Sacristy) was inaugurated by the late Most. Rev. Tomas A. Camacho, D.D. on August 21,2005. Fr. Lopez directed the renovation of  the sanctuary. The floor of the sanctuary was changed into marble including the Altar and the Ambo. More changes and renovations were accomplished through the joint effort of the priests and the parishioners.

2016 marks the return of the three religious from the Order of Augustinian Recollects in Saipan. The Recollect Fathers has served the Marianas islands (Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan) from 1769-1908, a total of 139 years of evangelization. On August 11, 2016, Fray Allan Rubett A. Cabatian, OAR and Fray Leo Neil C. Bullos, OAR arrived in the island to re-open the mission. Fray Felipe U. Rollon, Jr., OAR followed on August 25, 2018 to complete the community. They all reside at San Roque Church Rectory. On August 21 2016, the day of the annual San Roque Fiesta, Fray Allan was installed as the Parish Priest and Parish Administrator of San Roque Church. He serves as the pastor of San Roque Parish up to the present date. From here the great history of San Roque Church continues.

CLERGY ASSIGNED IN SAN ROQUE PARISH

PARTICULAR NOTE:

The First official celebration of San Roque Fiesta was held on August 16, 1951 (the feast day of San Roque).