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.

That's great!

Especially if it's St. Gregory the Great!

Yup, my visits to Bicol won't be complete without dropping by St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in Legazpi. 

Yes, I was just here last January, but I'm going to keep coming back to this place whenever possible.

Feeling great!

It's always great to go back to Bicol, even if it's for a very short, weekend trip.

It's also great to be able to hear mass at the church that holds a lot of history and memories for me.

St. Gregory the Great Cathedral is where we used to hear mass when we'd go to Legazpi as kids. This is also where my uncles and aunties got married. 

Another great thing? The officiant of today's mass was my classmate in UP! Fr. Raleigh was my classmate in MA, and our class was BC201 under the late Prof. David. Those were fun times.

Needless to say, it was a great weekend.

Retablo Revisited

One place that I've always visited in Cebu is the Sto. Nino Shrine.

From my younger years until today, this place is a must-visit. No matter how short the trip is, I'd always try to visit this place.

This is one of the reasons why:

Their retablo at the altar is truly a masterpiece! Everything about it is just so beautiful and solemn. From the actual retablo, to the uniform look of the saints inside, to the lighting that beautifully illuminates each one - they all come together to create this breathtaking sight.

Wish they had more retablos like this in MNL.

Gather round...

It's been many decades since my last visit to Claret Church. Until today, that is:

During my grade school days, I'd be an acolyte during the masses here. 

The altar still looks the same. It's still as majestic and as beautiful just like it was during my childhood. The wooden seats at the altar remains the same - it's the same spot where we acolytes would sit during the mass.

Being there was like going back to my childhood. And at this moment, the song of Claret School suddenly rang in my head:

"Gather round o sons of great Claret, fill the air with joy and love."

Cubao-rcelona

The Sagrada Familia Chapel at Gateway 2 is finally open.

This chapel is the opposite of its namesake in BCN.

While the BCN Sagrada Familia is ornate and heavily adorned, this one in Cubao is very modern and minimalist. From the interior to the exterior, it's all-white and has a lot of geometric lines and patterns, giving it an airy and elegant look.

Nice to know that we have another option where to hear mass at Araneta Center.

Never too Leyte: to take me to Church

Visiting Churches is one of my top priorities when visiting a new place.

Luckily, Ormoc's most famous Church, Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church was very near our hotel. That way, it was easy to make a quick stop and say a prayer of thanks for this trip and our work.

The design is very reminiscent of old Churches and Cathedrals in the Philippines. From it's stone walls to the ornate chandeliers. And of course, the exquisite altar with antique looking Saints.

One thing that caught my attention at this Church is this tableau that captures the moment when St. Joseph passed away. This is my first time to see this, and it was such a moving piece.

Too bad we weren't able to hear mass here. 

But that's a good reason for me to go back.

FMM: Thankfully yours

Yesterday, our family in the US celebrated Thanksgiving Day.

Seeing photos of the families in TX and GA, and how they've gathered to celebrate this day put a smile, both on my face and in my heart. 

Just like Christmas, I think Thanksgiving should be celebrated everyday. This is a cliche, but there's really so much to be thankful for in life. From waking up, to being with family and friends, to doing things you love to do, to making a difference in other people's lives - all these things happen everyday. 

Whenever I hear online mass at Santurario de San Antonio, one of the songs they sing most often is a church song classic which was written in 1978. And given the theme and lyrics of the song, it's a fitting Friday Magic Madness song for today.

"Give Thanks" is such an uplifting song. While many singers have their own rendition of this song, choir versions are always my favourite because it reminds me of singing it in church. Both as a kid, a teen, and now as an adult.

That's something to be thankful for.

Childhood Churches

Albay has a lot of beautiful churches. That’s a fact.

What makes them even more beautiful is the fact that they hold cherished memories from my childhood. From hearing masses to watching processions, from spending Holy Week to participating in Flores de Mayo. Each church has a distinct memory.

Memories that came back after setting foot on 2 of those churches again.

First, the St. Rose de Lima Parish in Bacacay.

Second, the Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr in Tiwi.

The churches - and memories - are as wonderful now as they were then.

Lightness of being

Church Architecture is something that I've always been a fan of, even as a kid.

That's why our trip to Mexico was such a blessing because they have so many - like hundreds - of beautiful churches. From the big cities to the small towns, the place was teeming with beautiful churches - both quaint and grandiose.

Recently, I saw this post about a Church in Osaka, Japan which was designed by famed Japanese architect, Tadao Ando. It's called "Church of the Light."

This is a church that's breathtaking in its simplicity. This is so true to the Japanese aesthetic of minimalism, yet it's very meaningful. I love the play of the glass and how it forms the main crucifix in a very quiet and elegant way.

When Mark and I are able to go back to Japan, this is one place that we'll definitely be visiting.

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.

FMM: For He is worthy to be praised

This is one of my favourite church songs to sing. We used to perform this a lot when I was in the school choir both in Grade School and High School, and its message and meaning is something that has always and continues to fill my heart.



So, for this Friday, I want to say the lines most repeated in this hymn:

"I want to Praise You Lord, much more than I do."

Altared States

It's been almost 3 weeks since I've last seen this altar at OLPH in 13th Avenue, Cubao.

Since churches are closed during this Community Quarantine period, I'll have to contend with looking at it in photos first.

Here's praying that I'll get to see you again soon.

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.

Following a calling

One of the things that we first researched on was the mass schedules in JKT.

Apparently, their anticipated masses are on Saturday at 3:30pm, way earlier than the usual 6:00pm mass that we're used to.

Luckily, that church was near our hotel, so we decided to hear Mass at Gereja Santa Theresia on Saturday.

The church was a very quaint, very peaceful place of worship, which made it a joy to visit.

Definitely one of the high points of this trip.

Heart to Heart

Whenever I visit Cebu, I usually hear mass at the Cebu Capitol Church, or Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

That was my plan last Saturday, so I hopped on a cab and told the driver "Sacred Heart."

As the trip went along, I noticed he was taking some unfamiliar roads, and was actually going farther than he should. So, I began to wonder what was happening.

After a few minutes, I found myself in the Shrine of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, also in Cebu!

It's such a beautiful, modern church with some Art Deco elements. It was both massive and cozy, and the presider had such an awesome homily.

So now, I have another church to frequent when I'm in Cebu.

Good for the Seoul

Every time I visit Seoul, there’s one place I make sure to visit.

No matter how short the trip is or how busy the schedule, I’ll always find time to go to Myeondong and stay for a while here.

Hello Myeongdong Cathedral. Always great to be back.

I see the (Carme)lite!

Whenever I travel out of town, one of the things I ask the Front Desk if the hotel is: "Where's the nearest Catholic Church?"

On our recent Davao trip, I was lucky to have been booked in a hotel with a church just 5 minutes away. And not only is it a church, it's a Carmelite Shrine and Monastery.

Passing this place makes me smile.

Every. Single. Time.

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.

A different point of view

It's fun to discover how things differ if you look at them from a different point of view.

Snowflake? Or Chandelier?

It's all in the way you view things.