Sweet Devotion

Reading the story behind Ferrero Rocher made me love the brand even more.

The brand's founder - Michele Ferrero - is a devout Catholic and a firm devotee of Our Lady of Lourdes. In fact, the word "Rocher" means "rock," and it refers to the grotto in Lourdes where our Lady appeared.

This makes the story of this chocolate even sweeter.

Good Natured

I've always liked Human Nature.

They have really nice personal care products, and I'm a user of their mint shampoo and cooling body cleanser. 

Found another reason to like them after passing by their Trinoma store:

They're closed on Sundays!

Yup, the day with the most foot traffic is the day their store is closed. Why? Because it's a Holy day of rest, and they choose to honour that.

The people behind this brand are really good humans.

Light and Faith

No visit to Tabaco is complete without dropping by the Tabaco Church and offering a few candles for the family and loved ones.

For some reason, doing this in Bicol hits different.

Rise and Rejoice

Today, we celebrate the most profound and happiest day of the Holy Week celebration.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Happy Easter!

Birthday Blessings

Today is Mama Mary's birthday.

Thank you for being in our lives and always being a source of strength and guidance. Our lives are better, richer and blessed because of you.

Happy Birthday, Mama Mary!

O Come

It's the first day of Simbang Gabi today.

One of the songs that's most sung during the Simbang Gabi mass is a classic song entitled "Emanuel."

Every time they sing this song, it makes me reminisce about the beautiful story of Mama Mary and Jesus. The song captures the narrative so beautifully, both in words and music.

It's 9 days before Christmas comes. And the world is excited for it.

Immaculate!

Yesterday was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. But since it fell on a Sunday, it's celebrated the day after, which is today!

Until now, the Immaculate Mother song is still one of my all-time favourite songs. From grade school to high school to college to the present day, when they play this and we sing it, there's a well of joy and hope in my heart.

Happy Feast Day, Mama Mary!

Sab-baptism

Today, we welcomed Baby Sab to the Catholic faith.

Congratulations, Kevin & Yrish! Knowing how wonderful you are as Catholics, I'm sure Baby Sab will grow up to be an exemplary person of faith.

The perfect channel

As a student of a Franciscan school, one of the prayers we'd always say is the Prayer of St. Francis.

As a member of the school choir, this was also a song we'd memorise by heart.

And since it was the Feast of St. Francis yesterday, it's only but fitting to play this song:

This song still gets to me.

Happy Feast Day St. Francis of Assisi!

FMM: Act of Love

Among the many World Youth Day songs, it’s the 1995 one written by Trina Belamide that’s most memorable and meaningful.

That year, World Youth Day was held in Manila, and we were part of it. Some Adformatix friends and I decided to join WYD as delegates, and we’d go to Don Bosch Church in Makati after work for briefings and practices.

One of the things we’d regularly practice is the song and gestures for “Tell the world of his Love.”

The first time this song was players, it was clear that the song was a perfect hymn for WYD. The message was beautiful, the lyrics and arrangement were divine, and it. A-Tueres the Story of Christ in a way that’s young and relevant.

The intro alone was so real and heartfelt:

“For God so loved the world, He gave us his only Son. Jesus Christ our saviour, His most precious one.”

This song played in my head as the Good Friday procession passed by in front of the compund

As we celebrate Good Friday today, this song is a fitting reminder of how God loved and continues to love us.

It’s a Good Friday Magic Madness song.

Faith Flashback

Can’t believe that it’s been 9 years since this photo was taken

It was in 2015, during Pope Francis’ visit to Manila.

We all hung-out at Manila Yacht Club to wait for the Pope mobile to pass by. When it did, it was so close to us that we got a clear view of the Pope.

That was such a blessing, and it’s something that strengthens my faith until today.

#FeelingBlessed

Once upon a time, that hashtag was THE hashtag that everyone was using. So much so that it became some sort of a joke.

Today, though, that hashtag is not only very apt, it's also very timely.  Because on December 8, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Virgin Mary.

This Feast day is of special significance to me because Mama Mary has been truly kind and merciful to me. 

With her, I truly am #FeelingBlessed.

Rise to the Happy Occasion

These words that are said during Easter Sunday are words that always brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

Alleluia! He is Risen!

Four words that are full of joy and hope. The same joy and hope that we feel on the day of Christ's resurrection.

Happy Easter!

FMM: Love and Sacrifice

It's Good Friday once again.

We were taught the relevance of this day at a very early age. My grandparents were very religious, and they would explain to us kids the meaning of Good Friday. Whilst they forbade us from playing, laughing, swimming, running around - basically having fun, they told us that it's a small sacrifice considering the huge sacrifice that Jesus did for us.

Because we were taught early, it was something that I personally carried with me until my adulthood. That's why Holy Week is usually a time of reflection, and a time that we really thank the Lord for what he did for us. 

Sacrificing His life was the ultimate and most selfless act of love for humanity.

And that love inspired this Friday Magic Madness song on Good Friday. 

"I Love you, Lord," is a song that we'd sing a lot during our choir days - not just on Good Friday - but even on Sunday masses. It's a song that professes our love for the Lord, and thanking Him for everything he did. Something that we should take to heart, not just on Good Friday, but everyday.

Here's to a meaningful and Blessed Good Friday to everyone.

Missed you, Mass

It's been almost 2 years since I started hearing Masses online. 

Due to the pandemic, most of the face-to-face Masses were limited. And with the changing guidelines, it was more convenient and consistent to hear online Masses.

But yesterday, almost 2 years since I started hearing Masses online, this happened:

Finally! I attended the Mass at Greenbelt Chapel!

Honestly, it was such a heartwarming homecoming that I was teary-eyed while the Mass was ongoing. Greenbelt Chapel is where Mark and I would usually hear Mass whenever we're in Makati on a weekday or weekend.

I missed this so, so much.

Ash you like it

It's been 2 years since I last heard physical mass in honour of Ash Wednesday.

As much as I hoped that this year would be the year I would, unfortunately that didn't push through. We were hoping that the Townhouse association would organize a mass and ash-laying within the compound, but they said that the church was busy, too.

Good thing ASC had a virtual Ash Wednesday mass today, so I was able to keep the tradition, albeit online.

Hoping that for Palm Sunday and the rest of the Holy Week, we'll all finally be able to attend masses IRL.

Love-ly

Today’s Scripture reading is definitely one of my favorites.

Corinthians 13 is one of the most beautifully written, most heartwarming, most smile inducing, and most heartfelt readings in the Bible.

When I was organizing a lot of weddings, this was one of the favourite readings of couples and would request that it be read as the Gospel. They would often request this, and when the priest would oblige, the homily would be equally beautiful. No matter where the wedding was or who the priest was, each homily would be a joy to listen to.

This scripture reading never fails to uplift me. Which makes the last line even more relevant:

“Love never fails.”

Childhood memories of the Child Jesus

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Sto. Nino.

My grandparents on both sides were very religious. That's why it was customary to see the Sto. Nino in their houses.

One of my fondest memories of the Sto. Nino is how Lola Dita had an image of the Sto. Ninn de Dormido - or the sleeping Sto. Nino. She had it in the altar of their room and it always caught my eye because it's so different from the image we're used to. 

While the traditional Sto. Nino is smiling, wearing a crown and an elegant robe, carrying a staff and a globe, the Sto. Nino de Dormido is peacefully sleeping. I'd always stare at his serene and smiling face, which would also make me smile.

In the Regalado's ancestral home in Malinao, the room that we'd usually sleep in also had a Sto. Nino which was perched on an altar, up on the wall. It's memorable because it had red, candle-like bulbs that would flicker. And when we'd close the lights to go to sleep, the altar would remain lit. That would be the light that would illuminate the room and would watch over us as we slept.

Two other notable Sto. Nino stories are right here at home, right now.

We have 2 images of the Sto. Nino in our altar, and both are heirlooms of sorts. The 1st one, a Sto. Nino made of either plaster or concrete - is a lot older than me. I think it's been there even before Kuya Marv was born, which makes it at least 60 years old. The 2nd one is at least 40 years old, because I remember it's been there since I was a kid.

It's such a blessing to look back at my childhood, especially when it's in honour of the Child Jesus.

Sunday Feasts

This Sunday is doubly special for us Catholics because of 2 Feasts we are celebrating today.

First, the Feast of Christ's Baptism.

I'll never tire of the Gospel reading for this Sunday. It highlights Christ's humility and John the Baptist's acceptance of his responsibility.

Second, the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

Although the way it's celebrated has greatly changed since 2020, Faith goes beyond physical processions and the traditional Traslacion.

Happy Feast Day x 2!

I say yeah!

Aside from the Songs of Songs verse that I wrote about a few days ago, another one of my favourite Christmas readings is the one that was read during today's Christmas Day Mass.

This is Isaiah 9:1-6.

The part that really gets me is the verse's description of our Lord Jesus:

"For to us, a child is born,

to uus, a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Beautiful. Just beautiful.