Subtle grandeur

While waiting for Mark to finish his presentation last Wednesday, I took the time to drop by Greenbelt Chapel.

It's been around 3 years since my last visit inside the chapel. While I've been there and heard mass there the past year or so, I'd always stay outside the chapel. After all, social distancing and avoiding crowds were the norm.

So, imagine my pleasant surprise to see what the chapel looks like now.

They renovated! 

The renovations were very subtle. They added the ceiling treatment, and they changed the altar. And while the changes were subtle, it added a sense of grandeur to Greenbelt Chapel. The gold details were glorious, and the altar, especially the Mother & Child statue, was divine.

Time to hear mass here more often.

Yes way, Jose!

While hearing on-line mass at Santuario de San Antonio last week, I noticed someone familiar behind the lectern. 

Yes! The Lector during that mass was no other than Jose Mari Chan!

I've been fortunate enough to work with him a few times, and he's really a super cool, funny, down-to-earth guy. And of course, his singing voice is the stuff of legends! 

During our last shoot, it was my birthday and he sang for me! That definitely made my day.

Hopefully, we'll get to work with him again soon.

Vigil Mass Memories

This is the 3rd time that i’m attending the Easter Vigil Mass online.

While the feeling is very different compared to attending Easter Vigil Masses face-to-face, there’s still a sense of community even I’m just behind the screen.

And as each of the 7 scripture readings are read, I can’t help but remember our Easter Vigil Masses with Mark at the Franciscan Chapel Center. An activity that’s well-documented and well-talked about on my blog.

One of the highlights of tonight’s Mass was the baptism of an adult. Again, the brings back memories of Japan where adults are baptized during the Vigil Mass. 

When Mark was still in Urasa, we even witnessed the baptism of a 90-year old woman! That was truly heartwarming to watch.

Hopefully, next year, Mark and I will get to relive our tradition and attend Mass in Roppongi again. The thought of the woman singing “Go down Moses” in her strong and well-rounded voice is enough to make us want to witness it again.

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.

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.

Beautiful Song

One of the readings for tonight's anticipated Misa de Gallo is one of my all time favourites!

The reading from Song of Songs 2: 8-14 has been a personal fave since my high school days. As a writer, there's an instant and lasting appreciation for beautifully written readings and verses. And while the bible has a plethora of those, this one is very visual and elegantly written.

"I hear my lover's voice. He comes running over the mountains, racing across the hills to me.

My lover is like a gazelle, like a young stag. There he stands beside the wall.

He looks through the window and glances through the lattice.

My lover speaks to me. Come then, my love; my darling, come with me.

The winter is over; the rains have stopped; in the countryside the flowers are in bloom.

This is the time for singing; the song of doves is heard in the fields.

Figs are beginning to ripen; the air is fragrant and blossoming vines. 

Come then, my love; my darling come with me.

You are like a dove that hides in the crevice of a rock. 

Let me see your lovely face and hear your enchanting voice."

Reading through it, every line brings to live vivid images in my head. It's such a romantic story told with such simple eloquence.

No wonder this is one song I'll listen to again and again.

And so it begins...

Honestly, I miss hearing anticipated Midnight Masses IRL.

Part of the office tradition is for our group to go down to Ortigas Park to hear the mass there. After that, well, we go back to the office and resume working. Harhar!

Just like last year, this year's masses will be heard online. Beginning today.

Praying and hoping that by next year, we'll be back to doing our tradition.

Rejoice!

This will be the 2nd year that we're celebrating Palm Sunday virtually.

The Palm Sunday Mass is one of my favourite masses during the Holy Week. There's such an uplifting feeling each time the congregation lifts up and shakes the palms while the priest walks through the sea of palms, blessing them.

It's such a joyous sight that harks back to the time when Jesus walked through a rejoicing crowd, with Palms in the air. When I read the bible as a kid, I'd play this scene in my head. Then, when films and TV shows came out depicting this scene, it was exactly what I had in my head.

I also miss spending Palm Sunday with Mark in Tokyo, particularly in the Franciscan Chapel. They give away palms there for free, same as they do in HKG. But the Palms there look quite different from the very ornate Palms we have here in the Philippines.

We might be at home again for Palm Sunday this year, but we celebrate and remember with joy the start of the Holy Week.

Faith to 500!

Yesterday was a special day for Filipino Catholics all over the world. 

At 5:00pm - Philippine Time - Pope Francis officiated a mass at the Vatican in Rome to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the coming of Christianity to the Philippines. And the Faithful attended the mass - at the church, on their TV screens, and online - to celebrate this momentous event for our country and our Catholic Community.

The procession was led by a Santo Nino, commemorating the arrival of the first Catholics in Cebu. They gave an image of the Child Jesus as a gift, and it heralded the beginning of the faith in the Philippines. Whenever I go to Cebu, I make it a point to drop by the Basilica of the Sto. Nino to relive that moment.

Needless to say, the live online broadcast was well attended by Filipinos worldwide. As the mass started, there were already more than 20,000 tuning in, and it climbed as the mass went on.

As expected, the homily of Pope Francis was inspiring and heartwarming. He talked about how God is a very generous God,  highlighting the phrases: "God so Loved," and "God gave."

He also talked about loving and giving. Part of his homily said: 

"The more we love, the more we become capable of giving. That is also the key to understanding our life. It is wonderful to meet people who love one another and share their lives in love. We can say about them what we say about God: they so love each other that they give their lives. It is not only what we can make or earn that matters: in the end, it is the love we are able to give."

Such love-filled and lovely words from a Pope who has showered our country with so much love. A love we feel from across the globe as we celebrate 500 years of the Catholic Faith.

Full house!

Quiapo Church is definitely one of the busiest churches in the country.

Before this whole CQ situation happened, there are thousands of people who hear mass at Quiapo Church everyday. And when the Traslacion comes, that grows to millions of devotees who go to church and attend the procession.

Tonight, I decided to hear online anticipated Simbang Gabi at Quiapo Church. And whoa! The crowd online is just as huge as the crowd that used to go there when it was still allowed.

Imagine, almost 10K people were attending the mass online! I've been attending online masses at different churches and this is the first time I've seen these many people tuned in to one mass.

It's a testament to the popularity of Quiapo Church. Both online and in reality.

Suman to join me

Yesterday, I was just telling Ate and Ray that I miss my usual routine of buying plain suman outside OLPH after hearing the 10am mass. After all, it's been 5 months since I last heard mass there - physically, at least.

So, for breakfast today, Ray got these!

Yup, it's my favourite plain suman. He bought it in Rizal after biking with Kevin this morning.

Ah, this is the stuff Sunday breakfasts are made of!

Faith beyond four walls

Like many - maybe millions - of Catholics, I was saddened by the news that churches in Metro Manila will be closing for the next few weeks, and that we won’t be able to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and receive the Holy Eucharist.

Personally, the Holy Mass has long been a source of solace and strength. Whenever I'm in church, there's a feeling of peace and calm that erases all the worries and uncertainties around us. It's also a source of strength and courage, especially when we receive the Holy Eucharist.

This was a sentiment that a lot of D' Frendz echoed, particularly Rona and Maricar. Like me, they were hoping that the churches won't close and the masses would continue. But like this community quarantine, I know that this is for the good of many - millions even. It's a small sacrifice to ensure that the virus is contained and that we can all go back to our normal lives in the soonest possible time.

Another source of strength during this church closure is the fact that they're still opening their doors - albeit on-line - by having live masses streamed to the faithful. Many churches from different Diocese posted their schedules for daily masses, as well as their Sunday services.

Even though we can't be in church physically, we should continue to be there - praying and reflecting - wherever we are. Because our faith isn't defined just by the four walls of the Church. It's what's in our hearts, minds and spirit.

Lucky Lourdesian

I feel super fortunate to be able to hear mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in SG, on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes!

No matter where in the world I go, I'll always be a Lourdesian.

It never fails!

Last night, I heard Easter Vigil Mass at St. Francis Church in LSM. It felt like continuing a tradition because from the Franciscan Chapel, I'm now in a Franciscan Church. Plus, I graduated from a Franciscan school. If Francis Mark were here, then it would be uber complete.

And just as it did many Easter masses ago, the singing of the Gloria and lighting of the Church took my breath away.

It never fails to do that. And some things never change.

Vigil-ance

For more than 5 years, Mark and I had this Holy Week tradition of hearing Easter Vigil mass at the Franciscan Chapel Center in Roppongi. And while it's been 2 years since we last went there, I still remember the vigil mass as if it were yesterday.

When we arrive, the entire chapel would be dark. The parish goers are then asked to wait by the corridor for the official start of the vigil. They would hand us candles, then we're led to the garden for the first part of the ceremony. Since it's Springtime, the cold air mingles nicely with the warmth from the flames.

Then, the congregation would head back into the building and into the main chapel. Oftentimes, people would go inside in a rush since the seats are limited and the mass is long. Mark and I would usually take the same spot, which is on the left side of the altar. (Although we sat on the right side during our last mass in 2016.)

The chapel is still pitch dark by the time we arrive. It gives the chapel a feeling of serenity and calm. They would have the traditional 7 readings, and somewhere in between is my all-time favorite "Go down, Moses." (Which I've written about several times already.)

Here's my super duper favorite part. For the first time in 40 days, the congregation once again sings the "Gloria", and all the lights in the chapel come on. This is always a breathtaking and emotional moment for me.

After the readings and the gospel, the Litany of the Saints is sang. This signals the procession to the basement where the Easter baptism occurs. Again, this is another emotional highlight for me.

Everyone then takes a short break to let the new Catholics change clothes, and everyone heads back up to the main chapel for the resumption of the mass. Once it begins again, the new Catholics walk around the chapel, hand-in-hand, amidst songs and applause from the mass goers. This is the part when my heart really swells with joy, seeing new Catholics - young and old - proudly joining our family.

Then, the mass concludes, and we all greet each other a Happy Easter. And usually, the priests will also be in front of the Chapel to greet everyone as well.

After that, we have dinner in Roppongi, or go back to Nakano.

That's how we usually spend the Easter Vigil, and I look forward to doing it again soon.

Sunday Specials

Mass today was very special.

It's been around 6 months since we the 5 of us got to hear mass together. And now we're together, in St. Bridget's Church in Atlanta!

This is a special mass indeed.

A new man

Yes, I attended and finished the mass. Despite the jostling crowds, the occasional unruly folk, and standing under the rain for more than 8 hours, I did what I set out to do. As the song goes: "No wind, no rain, no winters cold can stop me baby." (cue Whoopi)



And I emerged from the experience a new man. Literally.

I had to buy an entire new outfit because I was soaked from head to foot.

But I echo the sentiments of millions.

It was SO worth it.

Shining Sunday

When I was a member of our school's church choir as a kid, one of my favorite songs to sing was "Shine Jesus Shine."




The song was so celebratory. From its lyrics to the melody, and the clapping we'd do when we reach the refrain, it was all so happy. That's why we'd always sing it with gusto during the recessional.

It's been a while since I've heard them sing this song in church. I guess it's because it's an "old school" song.

Imagine my surprise when they sang it for the recessional in today's mass. Needless to say, I stayed behind and sang it like I was a grade school kid in the choir.

This definitely made my Sunday.

More of Fr. Dave's wisdom

It's been more than a month since I last heard mass at EDSA Shrine. The past masses I heard were at OLPH Parish which is nearer the house.

Today, I decided to go back to EDSA Shrine and was lucky because Fr. Dave was officiating the mass. It's been a while since I heard his homilies, and miss his combination of scripture, relevance and humor.

Being the first Sunday mass of 2013, the theme of his homily was about turning a new leaf this new year. His homily was so rich with insight and facts, including the 4 types of people: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and digital.

But what struck me most was his final word for the parish goers, which also served as his wish for everyone who attended the mass. He said:

"This 2013, strive for growth, not just change." 

Fr. Dave continued on to say: "The truth is, you can change but not grow. But if you grow, you will always change."

Wonderful and wise words to start the new year with.

Joy in the Anticipated

For two weeks, Mark and I have been hearing the anticipated mass at Greenbelt Chapel. Since I don't work in Makati anymore, it's rare that I get to visit or hear mass in this chapel. At least not as often as when we both worked in Makati.

There's something nice and different about hearing the 6pm Saturday mass. There's a rhythm and a flow to it that I like, starting with the rosary, followed by the angelus and the actual mass.

The entire process is both joyous and rejuvenating.