The Heart of Baclayon

The mission of Baclayon was established by two Jesuits Juan de Torres and Gabriel Sanchez who arrived in Bohol on 17 November 1596. They came from Cebu. Torres reports that he could not find a decent place to celebrate Mass, there wasn't even a servicable table in the dwelling they stayed in. The Jesuit convinced the inhabitants to build a church, which they accomplished in no time. This was most likely a bamboo and thatch church. Baclayon served at one time as the residentia or center of the Bohol missions, where the superior resided. Baclayon was one of two towns that did not join the Diwata revolt (1621), remaining steadfast in the Christian faith. Despite claims that the present stone church in Baclayon is the oldest in the Philippines, evidence places the construction of the church to 1727. The belief that the church was built in 1595 may have come because of a 19th century report by the Recollects that the mission was founded in 1595; but the same report lists two other dates 1593 and 1594. The date 1595 inscribed on the church façade is a later addition. The adjoining but separate tower may have been started by the Jesuits, but it was completed during the administration of the Recollects, ca. 1777 as a stone inscription on the tower indicates. The inscription was recently defaced. The church complex was fortified with a wall built by the Jesuits. The walls' coral stones were used by the Recollects when they built a new wing of the convento in 1872.


This church is source of local pride and unity among Baclayanons, as the lady tour guide in the parish museum told her visitors, “Baclayon church is our heart”, for them it’s not only the symbol of religious unity among the Catholic residents, it stands for their way of life, traditions passed down through the years.

Writers from past and present wrote about its timeless beauty. I like the church’s simplicity and elegance, its massive bell tower is an imposing structure – I’ve never seen nothing like it before.

The Retablo’s have icons of Recollect devotion, but the Jesuit’s, who erected the church, the convent and the bell tower left their familiar motto, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, in the main altar, proof of their hard pioneering labor establishing Baclayon.

The museo is full of relics! The museo, once the convento is in itself a monument of the town's glorious past. It defies the elements as it continues to serve its visitors and residents.

The painting in the ceiling was a recent addition, sometime 1980’s if I’m not mistaken, some scholars believes that the artwork is out of place.

I appreciate the restoration so much – hardly anything was changed, it’s a great example that old structures with historic value need not be upgraded or beautified or rebuilt, it just needs little care and attention that’s all.

Viva La Parroquia la Purisima Concepcion de Maria!

Carmelites of Cebu

The Gate with the Convento

The beauty of Cebu city is that it’s metropolitan, well developed, but hidden behind its progress are sacred grounds that continues to provide spiritual sanctuary for centuries to its inhabitants.

One of my adored places to visit is the Carmelite convent and chapel, founded in the mid 1900’s by the Carmelites here in Mabolo. It has a quiet small garden, where I would just take a seat and rest my mind, it has several rock benches, mature trees with broad leaves scattered around the convent grounds that supplies ideal shade.

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The Carmilite Chapel with the familiar Carmilite symbols

The place is perfect for finding serenity and God, even Arroyo, stressed out with numerous issues on her presidential campaign against Poe, who many still believes won, that she silently flew and sought asylum inside the Carmilite convent, startling even her closest cabinet members.

Inside the classical gothic chapel are candle stations, I often light candles after dropping coins in the donation boxes. Candles are mysterious things, they have the power to unwind your weary mind, and its light is like a mirror where you could see yourself and reflect on the troubles you face. I’m always looking to lit candles, even when I was a child, I did it for fun then but now that I’ve matured, it feels very different.

Inside the church is a relic, a small piece of rock from Mount Carmel, taken from where the Holy Virgin appeared and delivered her divine message. It’s sheltered inside a transparent container, just beneath a life-sized statue of the Nuestra Sra. Del Carmen.

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The Entrance of the Monastery, a Carmelite sister at the gate

I’m sure that we all wore Scapulars when we were kids, I use to wore them even when I’m playing basketball, I’ll never take them off until it gets worn out - then I’ll just buy another one. My mother told me that it has mystical powers and I believe that it has powers, that anyone who wears the Carmilte Scapular would be kept away from harm, something that I would discover to be the truth later in life.

I have a scapular, placed inside my car; I’ll momentarily stare at it and say my little prayer before heading out. In 2005, I suffered a terrible accident; I collided head on with a jeep somewhere in Tunasan, my car was badly wrecked, windows smashed into pieces. I momentarily lost consciousness upon impact but regained it just in time to drive my car to safety near the shelter of Pepsi Muntinlupa. It was a hit and run, when the police came they were told by the tambays to look for the jeep, they never caught that bastard who crossed his driving lane to overtake causing the collision.

I was rushed to the hospital; fortunately, it was Asian Hospital, one of the finest medical institution in southeast Asia. Aside from stitches and some hours of observation for possible head trauma, I was out of the hospital in less than 6 hours. I attribute this unbelievable survival to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.



Being here in the Carmilite Convent and Chapel is always a special occasion for me, I doubt it if I’ll be able to make a pilgrim to Mt. Carmel, I know seeing that little rock in the Carmelite chapel is the closest I could get to that miraculous mountain.

Mabolo

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="322" caption="The Mabolo church with its classic neo gothic design, recently has been under heavy renovation."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="323" caption="A bell that has been brought down from the tower, dated 1891. A prominent Filipino Chinese, Hilario Sunico, funded the making of this massive bell for Talambanan"][/caption]

Mabolo church, a beautiful white painted iglesia which has been under renovation since I got here in Mabolo is a classical, neo-gothic architecture which reminds me of the Catholic churches that I saw in Singapore. This one have a beautiful bell tower, but it's not as fortunate as the other ancient churches here in Cebu, it has been greatly damaged by a typhoon [1877] and an earthquake [1882], this events has altered the original but much of the old remains.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="329" caption="The Convento"][/caption]

The present convento is remarkable, it was built in 1866, the guys running the church should work on conserving as much as they can of the original. The charming coral stones walls, the beautiful iron grilled windows, solid marble floor and the huge wooden doors are still  intact.

It took some effort to research on the town since there is little information available in the parish so I had to visit the public library near the capitol, I figured that good information about the church posted here could help a future Maboleno understand their history.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="327" caption="The Churchs retablo, there was a modest wedding when I was touring the grounds of the church"][/caption]

The town was originally Talamban [an], the whole area was Augustunian frontier, much of the estates around Ciudad Cebu belong to them, and the Augustinian workers of Banilad formed this town we know now as Mabolo.

In 1600 it officially became a town; it used to served as stable and practice grounds for horses, the Banilad estate's town church then is a visita of San Nicolas and was transferred to the jurisdiction of Opon in 1762.

Fray Julian Bermejo, the great mind who defended the southern towns of Cebu from the Moro raiders, famous for his watch towers suggested that the town be provided hectares of land for a church, convent, school and a casa real.

In 1847, the town relocated to its new site.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="322" caption="Beautiful windows adore the centuries old convento"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="325" caption="The grotto"][/caption]

 

Prof. Restie Ramos' take on the Retraction Controversy

Naturally, those against the Catholic Church would have their cause served had Rizal remained a freemason until his death. These people had a fanatical hatred of Catholicismdating from the Age of Enlightenment and the French Revolution. As in the propagation of anti-Spanish ideas in our history, the cause of freemasonry, anti-Catholicism, etc... is enhanced.

They claim that the retraction document is a forgery, but handwriting experts concluded a long time ago that it is genuine. Rafael Palma's opus on Rizal, titled "Biografia de Rizal" (translated into English as "Pride of the Malay Race" by Roman Ozaeta) is so anti-Catholic that the Church succesfully opposed its publication using government funds. Palma was a ranking freemason and his book is expectedly against the Church, so as the work of Camilo Osias. For those explaining the retraction in a more scholary and objective manner, the works to be consulted are those of Jesus Ma. Cavanna, C.M. (incidentally, one of the first Latin mass celebrants, along with Fr. Manuel Pinon, O.P., after its limited revival back in the early 1990s) titled "Rizal and the Philippines of his Days", Leon Maria Guerrero's "The First Filipino", and by the Dominican historian Fr. Fidel Villaroel, O.P. entitled "Jose Rizal and the University of Santo Tomas". Generally, the Dominican archbishop of Manila at the time of Rizal's execution, Most Rev. Bernardino Nozaleda, O.P. (who served as vice-rector of UST when Rizal was a student there), was so concerned about the salvation of his lost sheep that he sent Jesuit priests from the Ateneo de Manila (Rizal's high school alma mater) to minister to him in prison at Fort Santiago. He knew well that Rizal was still on relatively good terms with his former teachers at the Ateneo even if he condemned the friars in general. The first attempt, by Fr. Pablo Pastells, S.J. (then Jesuit Philippine Mission Superior and a former teacher of Rizal at the Ateneo) was made years before during Rizal's exile in Dapitan when the two men had a religious debate by correspondence lasting eight months, in which Pastells used all the weapons devised by Catholic apologetics to convice Rizal of his religious errors, which the latter countered with all the ideas devised by the anti-religious philosophies of the Age of Enlightenment. A book on this is the one written by Jesuit scholar Fr. Raul Bonoan, S.J. titled: "The Rizal-Pastells Correspondence" (often misquoted by anti-Catholics to prove Rizal's non-retraction) . After eight months, Rizal requested Pastells that the debate be stopped, for it is useless. Apparently, the close association of Catholicism with Spanish colonialism worked against Pastells, for since Legazpi, the Church's evangelical work had been closely tied with the might and majesty of Spain under the so-called "Patronato Real"

(Royal Patronage) in which by agreement with the Pope, the Church in the Spanish empire was partly taken from Rome's jurisdiction in exchange for monetary support from the Crown of Spain. This made the Church less "Catholic" and more "Spanish" for appointments of priests and bishops were controlled by the government. Definitely, the predominantly- Spanish missionaries also had the obligation to turn their charges into loyal Spanish subjects as well as good Catholics. By doing so (a fact often overlooked by rabid "nationalists" and anti-Catholics) , the Spanish missionaries laid the foundations for Filipino nationhood by putting the islands and its people under one government and religion for the first time, or "Bajo de la Campana" (under the bells).

But these would eventually work against Spanish political domination, when higher education was eventually extended to the Filipinos by the missionaries by the middle of the 19th century, through UST, Letran and Ateneo (something the other colonial powers did not do at that time). Their students (which included Rizal) became aware of the fundamental equality of men, despite racial, class, or other differences, as taight by Catholic doctrine. They began to resent the lingering domination by the Peninsular Spaniards in both Church and State and wanted more say in running their own affairs. This would result in the Propaganda Movement to clamor for reforms against Spain. With its eventual failure, reformist tendencies would led to separatism in Andres Bonifacio's Katipunan, paving the way for the Philippine Revolution of 1896. Unfortunately for the cause of Catholicism, the association of the Faith with Spanish domination would make Filipino intellectuals turn to the anti-religious philosophies of the Age of Enlighthenment and join masonic lodges, especially those who continued their studies in Spain, like Rizal.

Going back to Rizal's alleged retraction, men lacking in faith (such as masons) would surely deny its possibility for obvious reasons. But at the same time Archbishop Nozaleda (contrary to that distorted image shown in the very anti-Catholic "Rizal" movie by Marilou Diaz-Abaya) was very much concerned about Rizal's soul. If he cannot reverse Rizal's conviction by a Spanish military court for complicity against Spanish rule and death sentence, he at least, tried to convince the man to return to the Church before his execution. Besides sending the Jesuits to Rizal's cell, he issued a circular to all the religious communities in the city, that they PRAY FOR THE CONVERSION of the condemned man (similar to Cardinal Sin's order for prayers by the contemplative nuns just after news of Defense Minister Enrile and General Ramos's defection from the Marcos government broke out, paving the way for the EDSA 1 Revolution in 1986). This is one element the masons' and other anti-Catholics' faithless and biased minds cannot understand: "the power of prayer.'

In fact, in the early afternoon of December 29, 1896, just a day before Rizal's execution, the hero was still adamant as in his debate with Fr. Pastells, refusing to retract masonry. Shortly after Nozaleda's prayer request, another of his former Ateneo teachers, Fr. Vicente Balaguer visited him and frankly told him that unless he renouces masonry, he'll surely go to hell the next day. This made the hero reflect deeply. As Balaguer was about to leave, Rizal told him that "I'll pray for the gift of faith". In the evening, Rizal finally announced to the Jesuits his intention to retract masonry and return to Catholicism. Upon being informed, Archbishop Nozaleda ordered the preparation of a retraction formula, which the hero must agree and sign before he is readmitted to the Church and the sacraments (this would also be required of the Aglipayan Church's co-founder Isabelo de los Reyes, when he returned to Catholicism in the mid-1930s, dealing a blow to the Church he founded second only to its loss before the Supreme Court in 1907 when the high tribunal ordered it to return to the Catholic Church the church buildings it usurped due to either the defection of its curate to Aglipayanism or their lack of a resident pastor).

When Rizal was shown the retraction formula, he rejected it but he asked if he could write his own (English text is found in the works of Cavanna, Guerrero, and Villaroel I cited above). After doing so, he was finally allowed to receive the sacraments, such as confession, communion, holy mass and the sacrament of matrimony with his foreign sweetheart. Josephine Bracken, giving her as a weddionmg gift. Thomas A' Kempis "Imitation of Christ." By daybreak, Rizal walked into eternity a Catholic once more.

One factor which made Rizal convert, according to my opinion, is he was never a true, blue anti-clerical. Although he learned about the French style of anti-clericalism (characterized not only by the separation of Church and State but of the persecution of the former by the latter as what happened in revolutionary France) he did not favor it, and probably was more inclined toward the American style of Church-State separation, which simply left the Church and State in its separate spheres of influence and no persecution of the Church by the government. In Mexico in the 1920s, a French-style persecution of the Church occurred under the presidency of Plutarco Ellas Calles. Earlier, a similar wave of persecution happened in Portugal after the overthrow of the monarchy during the 1910 Revolution (which explains the harrasment of the three seers of Fatima by the mayor of their town, even locking them up in jail with common criminals). Violent anti-clericalism seems to be the hallmark of Latin masonry, something lacking in its Anglo-Saxon version in the United States and Britain (although no one can deny that they also subscribe to anti-religious philosophies) . But by analyzing Rizal's ideas on the subject, Rizal may have become anti-clerical, but he did not favor of going into the extent of persecuting religious belief, for he subscribed so much into the idea of freedom of conscience. That is an indication that he never fully accepted the anti-clerical masonic beliefs, and probably abhorred the persecution of believers by masonic-dominated governments in Europe and Latin America. With this, I believe, would pave the way for Rizal's eventual return to the Faith when contronted with the fact of death.

With this , I greet you all "Happy Rizal Day".

Prof. Restie R. Ramos

Holy Spirit College and San Beda College, Manila

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Post 'grabbed' from Fr. Abe's website.

Pampanga honors Augustinian legacies

By Tonette Orejas
Inquirer


CITY OF SAN FERNANDO-Kapampangans filled the San Agustin Church and its nearby museum in Intramuros, Manila, on the night of Aug. 24 to pay tribute to Augustinian missionaries who had sailed from there to Pampanga 435 years ago and influenced the natives' character, culture and history.

As they stood on the same grounds where some of those 100 friars lived and trained, they bridged the time, seeing past and present connections between Fray Juan Gallegos, who set foot in Lubao in 1572, and far, far, far down time when Fr. Eddie Panlilio, who finished theology at the St. Augustine Major Seminary, was elected governor in 2007.

"Holy ground," was how Dr. Arlyn Villanueva, president of the Holy Angel University, called the event's venue.

By the way the tribute and the celebration of continuing collaboration turned out, it was apparent the people wanted to remember the Augustinian fathers beyond their white robes and emblems of a flaming heart.

Their "enduring legacies" are the Roman Catholic faith and values, heritage churches and architectural knowledge, schools and education initiatives, publications that chronicled the language and culture, ecclesiastical arts and culinary tradition, said San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto at the Mass he celebrated with Bishop Roberto Mallari and eight priests.

Other legacies are the archival documents, the solidarity of friars with the faithful in times of wars, calamities and epidemics, the opening of roads, and their engineering attempts to provide irrigation to farmers.

The extent of the Augustinians' work and the breadth of their influence spoke of the fervor with which the pioneers lived out the dictum of their founder, St. Augustine, that "our hearts are restless until they rest in (God)," said Fray Francisco Musni, archivist and researcher of the HAU's Center for Kapampangan Studies, which organized the tribute.

Aniceto said the Archdiocese of San Fernando was "most profoundly grateful for the gift of faith" because it steeled the people in adverse times like Mt. Pinatubo's 1991 eruptions and the lahar flows that followed.

That gift, he said, flourished because several Kapampangan, like Rufino Cardinal Santos, the first Filipino cardinal, became church pioneers themselves.

In gratitude, the provincial board presented a copy of Resolution No. 945 to Fr. William Araña, OSA, vicar of the Orient of the Philippines, Augustinian Province, and to Alvaro Trejo, charge d'affaires of the Spanish Embassy.

The resolution gives "due recognition and honor to the friar missionaries of the Calced Order of Saint Augustine for their pioneering efforts in Pampanga and for their role in the preservation of the culture."

That made Pampanga, the first and last Augustinian territory in Luzon until 1960, to be the "first province in the Philippines to officially thank the Spanish missionaries who labored in the country during colonial times," said Robby Tantingco, the center's executive director.

One of the high points was the launch of the English translations of Fray Diego Bergaño's two books, the "Arte de la Lengua Pampanga" (1729 Kapampangan Grammar) and the "Vocabulario de Pampango" (1732 Kapampangan Dictionary).

Bergaño and his collaborator then, Don Juan Zuñiga of Mexico town, managed to reach out to the present through the translations of Fr. Edilberto Santos and Fr. Venancio Samson.

The Trappist Monk, Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="155" caption="Trappist Monk, Rafael Arnaiz"][/caption]

I was delighted to hear that this man, Blessed Rafael, is believed to be nearing sainthood according to some sources. He was beatified by the late Pope John Paul II on 1992 where the Occupier of the Seat of Peter called him, "the model of youth".

My excitement over the news has nothing to do with his last name but because his mother is a Filipina, having been born here.

Chances are good that his Mother, Mercedes Baron, still have living relatives in the islands.

The Burgos native is known as Brother Maria Rafael inside the monastery, As a young boy he attended a school administered by the Jesuits.

For non Catholics, all of these would be strange - the process of Sainthood is often misunderstood but for Catholics, especially those who have a connection to the person, either by roots or faith, it matters a great deal.

For centuries we have been known for being Catholics. We're fortunate that some of our churches, towns and schools had been served by men of clothe that would be saints, the likes of Saint Ezekiel of the Recollects and San Juan Bautista of the Franciscan, founder of many towns and churches, martyred on his mission to Christianize Japan.

The holy man is from the Trappist monastery, known for their dutiful hardworking ways, they are strictly guided by the rule of Benedict. They are a contemplative order; the official name is Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. In our country There's only one known Trappist Monastery its located somewhere in Guimaras.

One of the rule that they live by is, "live by the work of thy hands", which means masterful crafts that they would sell to raise money to support the monastery.

If the Benedictines have their wines, the Trappist have their beers, which is considered to be the best in the world. Unlike other beers, the Trappist creations are known to age well like wines.

One other thing that I find really interesting is that they are actually not forbidden to drink; of course they do in moderation.

Blessed Rafael's family has moved several times due to his fathers different assignments as soldier. Its unclear whether his father  met his mother here or if Mercedes family moved back to Spain, like many Filipino Spanish did during those times.

In Oviedo he was honoured, a street was already named after him.

He's known to be a mystic and a healer. When he was still living his life outside the monastery, he was known for his liveliness and sense of humour.

He authored mystical and spiritual works. He is also a photographer and is a architecture graduate from Madrid.

He died of Diabetes when he was only 27.

Vatican City (CNA).- The Congregation for the Causes of the Saints has approved the miracle of the inexplicable cure of Begona Leon Alonso, a 38 year-old woman from Madrid who suffered from Hellp Syndrome during her pregnancy and went into a coma when doctors performed surgery to save her child.

Miraculously, she recovered through the intercession of Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron, a Trappist monk who died at the age of 27.

According to the newspaper La Nueva España, Bergona Leon fell ill in 2000 during her pregnancy and underwent a cesarean at the Gregorio Maranon Hospital to save the life of the child. Her condition worsened and she fell into a coma, at which point doctors considered her brain dead.

A nun from the Cistercian convent of San Bernardo de Burgos heard about Leon from her family, and the nuns at the convent decided to pray a novena to Blessed Rafael for her healing. From that moment on Leon began to improve until she completely recovered. In order for Blessed Rafael to be declared a saint, the Pope needs to sign a decree prepared by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.

Let's all pray for Our Blessed Rafael.

"...to live in order to love."

Novena Singapore

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="215" caption="The Novena Church"][/caption]

I went to mass in a place popularly known here as Novena, the St. Alphonsus Church, this Iglesia is located in Thomson Rd situated in the central area of Singapore. It's near where we live so I could just ride a cab for a short trip but the train is far cheaper, the North-South line serves the area where the church is, the station to get to is also called Novena, but we were running late so the taxi was the best pick.

Being a devotee of our Lady of Perpetual Help, I feel a certain affinity with the charming little church. It reminds me very much of our Baclaran church, which is also Redemptorist. Even more, when I saw devotees fervently praying in front of the Marian image brought by the Redemptorist friars (called Our Lady of Perpetual Success). The Redemptorist fathers spearheaded the creation of a missionary here, they also introduced Saturday Novenas that started in 1949 and still continues to this day, the Novena, was their way of strengthening the faith among the Catholics in the area of which all are from different ethnological backgrounds with their devotion to the blessed Virgin as the only bond they share with each other. Over time, the simple make shift church became a fortified structure, it was built on contributions, its land was donated by a wealthy Catholic Chinese family.

I was delighted to see that the parokyano's here are very participative (the mass was in English), they dress well, very formal (In fact the only person thats wearing a shirt and a short was me, how embarrassing!) They are very good Catholics here, you would hear people praying and singing songs of praise, reciting the psalms (without the help of any visual projections). I even saw people praying the rosary after the mass has ended, while some flocked the image of our Lady close to the main altar. Seeing all this, takes me back to the very first time I visited to the historic Binondo Church, I was in high school, I was curious then how the Chinese there would pray, how are they as Catholics, I got my answer, they were no different. I was amazed how the religion has really taken root even amongst the Chinese (Filipino - Chinese), the religion has become the identity. Its the same here, Catholicism, regardless of its propagators has maintained its universality. Christian conversion was in deed the sweet fruit of the Missionaries persevering desire to Christianize the Asian continent. The Catholic faithfuls here are the testament to this.

I would have to admit that I have never seen such active participation this back home, we have our own way - we are often passive during mass, silent for the entire duration of the celebration. I mean it could be something cultural but they're really different, they seem to be more aware and appreciative of their Catholic traditions. This could be the result of the Catholic community here being small, hence, knitted tightly, groups like this tend to be closer and active, something that we no longer feel.

It was an excellent experience, going to mass here, one that I would remember forever. For the first time in months, I feel spiritually Rejuvenated. Looking at them practice their faith inspires me. How odd it is that a nation not known to be Catholic could inspire a Catholic from a nation known to be predominantly Catholic. Surprises comes from unexpected places they say, I found my spiritual surprise here in the Lion city.

Although the church was only built in the late 40's, it has already been declared a heritage site by the Government. They successfully restored the original bell towers donated by a rich Chinese lady. This place of worship, like almost all known places of religion here in this island nation is well maintained.

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* Photo courtesy of NeilMark13

A rare visit: Nuestra Señora de Gracia

I was born in Santa Ana, Manila but I have spent most of my childhood in Makati, this wonderful places has become part of who I am - I've always felt priviledged for having them as my home!

Unfamiliar to many, Macati have a incredibly rich historic past. I was reminded to brush up with the local history upon attending a wedding of a friend. The links from the past is in all places, we'll just have to look closer.

Written history of Makati started when Lopez de Legaspi arrived. Macati was tagalog, 'waning tide', there were many accounts of the origin of the town's name, the most accepted among researchers since it was cited that de Legazpi himself gave it. It was once part of the domain of a Lakan, seated in what is now Santa Ana.

The towns of my childhood connected.

This church was once the hub of Spanish management, the quest to put the local inhabitants in order to put up a town of it proved to be difficult. Inhabitants resided close to the river, they were unwilling to be uprooted for obvious reasons. The indigents were tentative to convert to Christianity, a frequent problem faced at that time by the religious and the early pioneers. Reducing the town into submission was a tall order, one could only imagine the difficult plight of the indigents, people who possess no knowledge of the world that exist outside their known environment. In the end, Christianity has won them - so if the end justify the process used, one could accept history as it is.

Between 1578 to 1670, Macati was a visita under the district of Santa Ana de Sapa under the jurisdiction of the Franciscan De Alfaro. San Pedro de Makati, as it was known to honor the patron saint.

Makati was a marshland then, it was auctioned for P1400 in 1589, a retired Spanish army who made his fortune in the galleon trade once owned this modern city. This man, Capitan de Brito a known royalist and a devout Catholic directly took steps to expedite the catholization of the locals. Providing the religious a fine hand in evangelizing the inhabitants, de Brito now an unknown name, without even a esquinita name after him, once owner of what we now call our nation's financial center.

The Augustinian's are credited for bringing Macati 'under the bells'. The iglesia of Nuestra Señora de Gracia was originally made of bamboo and palm, the only accessible construction materials at the early days of colonization. In 1601a convent was built. The earnings of the land provided the resource to build stronger foundations with more solid materials, construction was officially finished in 1629.

The Church also served as a refuge for the orphans of the 1882 cholera epedemic.

Fortunately, the church was spared during WWII but it had been damaged by earthquakes of 1645, 1658, 1754 and 1863. the convent and the church was damaged during the American wars in 1898 but was repaired again the years that followed.

Upon entering the church, I could smell the old stone and the burning candles. It was fair in dimension, much of its aged interior was left as it was built. The Pasig river was close by so one can observe the murky and polluted waters of what was once the source of living of the original inhabitants of Macati.

The nearby neighbourhood is a typical suburb, overpopulated and polluted. The bridge is also visible, the huge Ads along the EDSA providing an unlikable background.

Being in this place, is like being in a time capsule. You could see the old and get lost in the world of beauty and madness, times that shaped our nation, the beauty of our people and our religion, culture and heritage, while on the outside you could visibly view the modernity of the times and the unpleasant spectacle it produced.

It was in St. Peregrine

Today I decided to write about my Catholic Iglesia, St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish located in Tunasan. I have long been coming to its steps striving to be the good Catholic my Nanay wanted me to be. Though I still visit the churches I frequent when I was a child together with my mother I now consider St. Peregrine as my regular spiritual home it is here that I often contemplate on my troubles, pray and offer my devotion.

I was introduced to this parish by my significant other and since then I have tried to attend regular mass without fail, its has almost been 4 years now. Not much has changed since that year to now, somehow Catholic churches are like this specially the really old ones – they stay constant with the passing of time.

The traditional catholic in me brought me close to St. Peregrine, its being administered by missionaries, friars from the Order of the Servant of Mary OSM. Today, the term fray have a negative standing – thanks to our history lessons who highlighted only the mistakes of this foreign men of cloth. This same men of God and of the Spanish crown (Dominican, Franciscan, Augustinian, Recollects etc…) founded some of the most critical institutions in our old society, from agriculture to academics, institutions that would be critical in our nation then and even now.

It would not be fair if we would look at history only at one side, we should, as a nation study our history with the true desire of distinguishing the facts and attempt to benefit from it on an educational stand point. We could not erase certain events simply because we are unwilling to acknowledge its importance, or were taught not to, we should embrace the past wether we disapprove of it.

The parish is close to where I reside, I feel comfortable with the priest here, they have been outstanding in their lectures that I always go home pondering about the sermon. The parish has a sizeable parking lot which extends to the back (bahay pari). The parish is almost hidden, blocked by a one storey structure that used to be a bank. Its grounds has small parches of gardens, tall trees that provides good shade during the summer days and aviaries that houses colorful parrot like birds.

Currently St. Peregrine is lead by Father Ador as cura paroko and Father Luigi an Italian priest, its spiritual leader being the most senior among all present servite priest - I always see him walk amongst the crowd, always with his watchful eyes and modest smiles, on occasions that I would meet him I would always kiss his hands, similar to that of a grandchild to his lolo.

Brief History of The St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish in Tunasan, Muntinlupa

The St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish is one of the eleven parishes of the Vicariate of Our Lady of the Abandoned, Muntinlupa City. Before it became a formal parish on February 10,1985, it was part of the Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish ( Nuestra Señora delos Desamparados). Upon the arrival of the Order of the Servants of Mary in the Philippines, His Eminence the late Jaime Cardinal Sin created St. Peregrine a new parish. Fr. Tarcisio Roffi, OSM was installed as the Parish Priest then, although there was no parish church yet to gather the parishioners for the Eucharistic celebration.
Since 1985, until now, St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish is under the pastoral care of the Order of the Servants of Mary, wherein Fr. Greg M. Obejas is the newly installed Parish Priest. He is assisted by the community of the Servants of Mary: Fr. Nelson Lato, Fr. Ador Javier, Fr. Rudy Wong , Fr.Luigi Ilari and seminarians.

St. Peregrine is the chosen name and patron saint for 2 reasons:
1. His Eminence recommended it to be the name of the Parish,
2. That St. Peregrine is a famous saint as the protector of Cancer patients and this can be a great benefit and blessing to all the parishioners and to all the Filipinos suffering from the dreaded disease.
The Parish, which occupies a greater land area of Tunasan, is the end boundary of the City of Muntinlupa in going to the South. It has 7 subdivisions and 9 poor urban areas and 1 barrio proper.
The Parish is bounded by Laguna de bay in the East, South Expressway in the west, Planas Compound and JPA Subdivision in the north and Municipality of San Pedro in the south.

For several years, the Parish had no church to gather its parishioners for the celebration of the mass. After 12 long years, mass had been celebrated in 7 subdivisions and in different puroks of the Parish every Sunday.
Through solicitations, donations and several fund-raising drives, the most cherished dream of the Order of the Servants of Mary and the parishioners was realized when on October 31, 1998, a beautiful shrine was inaugurated by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin.

I find St. Peregrine story really interesting not many people know that the guy is not even a priest but was a servite of true dedication to the faith and his people.

St. Peregrine was born in 1265, in Forli, Italy which was a papal-state town governed by the pope. Forli was a stronghold of anti-papal sentiments, and Peregrine's family was very active in the political party which strongly opposed the pope. The Vatican took the strong measure of placing Forli under interdict, forbidding the celebration of the Mass and sacraments in the tow.

The prior of a local Servite order of monks was sent to Forli to try and create peace within the church. The prior, now known as St. Philip Benizi, was not received well. Peregrine was among the hecklers, and at one point, struck the monk.

Perhaps this was Peregrines turning point, for he soon showed evidence of charity and good works, and at the age of 30, became a Servite himself! During his lifetime service to the sick and poor and forgotten, Brother Peregrine practiced a penance of standing instead of sitting whenever possible. Years of this extreme wear resulted in varicose veins which eventually broke down into open, running sores which were diagnosed as cancer. The leg was putrid and so painful amputation was scheduled.

As the story goes, the eve before the operation, Peregrine prayed before a crucifix, and entered a trance-like state during which he envisioned the crucified Christ coming down from His cross to touch Peregrine's cancerous leg. When Peregrine awoke, his leg was healed. The cancer was cured. The leg was saved. In fact, he lived on to the age of 80, dying on May 1, 1345.
Peregrine was canonized on December 27th, 1726 and named the patron saint of those who suffer from cancer. St. Peregrine's feast day is celebrated on May 4th.

This humble parish houses a unique relic, a rib from the incorruptible body of St.Peregrine donated by the order to further Peregrinian devotion here in our country. The relic rest in a small chapel were it is often visited by cancer patients and other faithfuls just wanting to feel what is like to get close to it. There were countless miracles attributed to the miraculous saint. Below is the dedication marker for the historic donation from Forli, Italy it reads…

In line with the desire to spread the devotion of Saint Peregrine, patron of cancer patients, the community of the Order of the Servants Mary in Forli, Italy donated to the Filipino people a relic in the form of a rib taken from the incorruptible body of St. Peregrine. The actual body of the Saint is enshrined in the Basilica of Saint Peregrine in Forli, Italy.

This rib is now in custody of the Fathers of the Order of the Servants of Mary in Tunasan, Muntinlupa. It is preserved in a precious silver reliquary. On October 31 1998 was solemn consecration of Saint Peregrine Parish and it was during this special occasion that the relic of St. Peregrine was enshrined to the relic chapel of the saint. It is only outstanding relic in all the world, excluding his body in Forli, Italy. For this reason, we Filipinos are priviledged and loved by the Lord.

It is my hope that people would come and visit the parish, the true objective of this post is to provide some helpful information for those seeking to locate this place of healing. My faith is my individual belief, none of what I wrote here about myself and how I practice my religion matters actually – I don’t see myself even worthy of being called a religious but I’m quite sure that there are people that would want to see St. Peregrine (a piece of him actually) so I wish everybody well and good luck on your future plans to drop by.

San Juan Bautista Church in Calamba

A brief history of this historic Iglesia we recently had the chance to visit last month.

Considered by our local church official as one of the 'jubilee churches'(old pre Spanish churches in Laguna) alongside with the shrine of Sto. Sepulcro in Landayan, SanPedro and the other old century old churches in Laguna (Nagcarlan, Pila, San Pablo, Mabitac, Paete, Pangil, Pakil, Pagsanjan, Majayjay...)

In 1759 the Jesuit Missionaries purchased a big portion of land called Hacienda de San Juan, but the parish was established only in 1779 by the Franciscan Friars.

In this church, Fray Rufino Collantes baptized our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, on June 22, 1861. the original altar was burned in 1862 but immediately rebuilt by Fray Leoncio Lopez. the first Filipino priest, Fr. Angel Villaruz, served this church for 43 years since 1901. the incumbent Parish Priest is Fr. Menorca.

This church was literally just a stone throw away from the Rizal residence, I was told by a friend that its original location was in the front of the Rizal shrine before -I was not able to verify this but there was what looks like old pre-Spanish foundations where the current vidokes, sari sari stores and carinderia is located, all this establishments fronting the shrine, what an eyesore.

I'm quite intrigue by the piece of a scanned document that hangs in the wall inside the Rizal shrine which declares Father Lopez as the signatoree of Rizal's birth certificate when it was in fact a different friar who conducted the baptism, Fray Collantes. I also heard that Rizalista's makes a connection of Rizal being baptized here in the church of San Juan Bautista, comparing it to Jesus undergoing the same rites under his cousin San Juan Bautista, they took it for its divine meaning -as if Rizal was baptize by St. John himself. I really can't blame this people, Rizal is a fascinating man, aside from his intellectual feats it seems that this renaissance of a man is a clairvoyant - based on what I've read about him this man is a believer in the supernatural, very pinoy - very superstitious.

This church has been the center of the activity of the town - like fiestas and other town functions. This is the genius of the Spanish city planning, every town built around an Iglesia or convento, it seems that all roads will lead you back to the church, a poblacion is never without a great Iglesia. Calamba's town and this church has been conceived the same way - bringing the people closer to God and the town's government.

Pearl of the Curacy

Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje, originally uploaded by Arnaldos' shutter.

My recent visit to the Antipolo church has brought back one of my fondness memory of mahal na araw rituals - the lenghty hike from our residence in Makati to its hilly footway. A spiritual cleansing through physical distress. I've only done it once but who could've forget such an exhausting tread at very a young age.

Its one of the most critical iglesia's during the Spanish era, friars and secular's contested to secure its ground. Nick Joaquin cited on one of his book how it was bitterly fought for, the Recollects protesting the appointment of a creole clergy in the 1860's, this only goes to show how strategic and rich the church was then.

During the WWII it was heavily bombed by the Americans forces. It was levelled to the ground, the resilient Antipoleños and the committed friars would have to raise it from the ground on the following years.

The church now have a hall at the back of the altar that acts as a semi museum. In display are colognes, dresses, crowns and other memorabilia's in its collection. It also have a fascinating life-size panoramic pictures and informative information that labels it.

Rizal was taught by his mother to patronize the Lady. He has written beautiful works dedicated to the patron of peace and good voyage. A known devotee in his early years and through out his adult life, he is known to call upon our Lady for unharmed and sound tours. He has even etched the image in one of his leather cases.

Anitpolo now has become an overly urbanized province, it has been city for years but I still consider it a countryside. It has been trying to cope with the rapid urbanization -- commerce, vehicles and beggars abound but one just need to go around and observe to notice the town's history.

Though the M commercial logo tower of Mcdonalds tries to compete with the M symbol of the church's tower (A Marian emblem) Anitpoleños lives has still cycled around the famed iglesia of Marian devotion - from commerce to devotion. All leads to the prominent symbol of the faith's 'pearl curate'.

Tayo na sa Antipolo!

Historic Pagsanjan

The Historic Pagsanjan Church, originally uploaded by Arnaldos' shutter.

I went to this place under the cover of wanting to take the boat ride to the falls but the history nerd that I am-of course was more interested in finding sites that would be of interest and it was not hard to find one for Pagsanjan is such a historic place. This was last year and I was reminded of this place today while driving and seeing one of the buses with its ad showing Pagsanjan (and its current Mayor) as a tourist destination.

It was Despujol who said that to ‘decatholicize’ is to ‘denationalize’ us - a remark he made to defend his action of sending Rizal to Dapitan. He must’ve been referring to towns like Pagsanjan and the other great domains founded or was made into a community by the religious orders. The main road leads to the town’s great church and true to its name (Pinagsangahan) the ways that would lead you to the other neighbouring town is through this small town’s crossroads.

Though the barrio was believed to have been established by Chinese traders and some enterprising folks who made a living from betelnuts and other agricultural activities, the then barrio was elevated to township on the mid 17th century by Governador General Bonifaz and due to its strategic location was made La Laguna’s capital. The capitolship lasted for more than a century.

The church was no longer the original one founded by Fray Magdalena with the help of the piuos locals, like in many other places it was destroyed by American bomb attacks(like the many other historic sites during the WWII). The then image of our Lady of Guadalupe was destroyed, it would be years later that the Mexican people would be once again be generous enough to give the old town its new life size image as a gift, making the same gesture that their catholic nation as brothers to us, has made when they brought to shore together with the missionaries the first image through the galleon trades.

Reading Dr. Zaide’s PAGSANJAN: In History and Legend I was moved by its historic contibutions not only to the province of Laguna then but on a wider scope, for a diminutive size in comaprison to other towns it was a giant. It has provided the nation wih great sons and places of significance to the revolution. You wouldn’t really know unless you travel to this far flung places and whenever I do I often imagine how long it must’ve took then to travel from what we know now as metro Manila to this places. Rizal in his diary told us that Calamba to Manila is a 10 hour journey. We don’t have an excuse not to tour around for we have faster means.

Aside form the rich historical role it is also blessed with natural wonders, I had great time shooting the rapids - make no mistake about it. I was strolling at dawn the next morning we arrived and was surprised that people attends dawn masses, they have this all year round unlike us here in the metropolitan. The town is still very traditional although one can see imposing traces of urbanization.

I’m always discouraged when I see commercialization stand together with the old, somehow our track record as a nation shows that this has been disastrous for eventually the new would destroy the old. I have never condemned urbanization for it benifits society economically but I’ve seen how such venture would have the old lose. In Makati for example, we had pre American structures who were sold by the next generation of owners since the market was just irresistable - the old houses never stood a chance. In its place now stands building.

After leaving the town, passing the historic Pagsanjan arch, I was in deep thought if the people I’ve met in the town have in them the desire to keep the gifts that time had given them, almost three centuries in the making. How would they preserve the old tradition alive to pass on to the next generation. People seem content with time slowly passing, life’s still simple there and I have dreams of building a house in the banks of its river where i can throw my fishing line and hope to catch ayungins, hito and tilapias. One day I will.

Discovering Rizal's Chapel of Our Lady of Peace

Recently I discovered the kapilya where Rizal at an early age made his prayers to the Holy Virgin. The Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje located in La Paz Biñan (namesake of popular old church in Antipolo) its a 15 minute walk from the town proper. It was once a modest chapel built with stone and mortar, solid wooden doors, small windows and a modest church bell with the Virgin as its centerpiece inside, it can seat less than a hundred churchgoers.

Rizal admired both of his parents but he was closer to his Mother, his first teacher. He adored his mother's ways and loved her the most. His mother has made a panata to visit the church in Antipolo ('thanksgiving' for successfully giving birth to Pepe himself), later on it was the young boy and his father who fulfilled that promise on her behalf. This was the reason why the young boy had made the same devotion to the patron saint at the time he was in Biñan. It impressed me that he would walk early at dawn to attend the 4am mass in Our Lady of Peace when at that time the proximity of the town church and another kapilya (San Jose) is more practical.

It was one hot day when me and my friend (Pepe!) arrived at the place via tricycle (a ride that lasted 3 minutes) from Biñan's rotonda. It was said that Rizal stayed (at an Aunt's house) close to where he studied when he was in Biñan. A prominent house in front of the town's rotonda was owned by his relatives (its standing in front of the plaza, the Alberto-Alonzo stone house). The young Rizal would wake up early to make the walk to La Paz and back to attend Maestro Cruz' class. The kapilya is now a parish that could accommodate up to 300 or more parokyanos far from what it was before.

We met Fr. Adi and his secretary who were gracious enough to tour us around (even offered us a meal for which we respectfully decline). The parish is now equipped with modern sound system, lights and comfortable seats --with smooth stylish floor tiles and a relatively new altar one could hardly trace any old relics, it felt like a new church.They were very proud of their history. They handed me this piece of paper where it outlined the parish story.

THE HISTORY OF NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA PAZ PARISH

What now a parochial church in Brgy. De La Paz used to be a chapel built on a 1,172 sq. mtr lot donated by then the Bishop of Lipa, Msgr. Olalia, DD in the year 1868. A priest from the town proper of Biñan used to say mass during the highlight seasons of the barrio fiestas and Christmas. It was only on January 1967 when a parish priest was assigned in the person of Fr. Benito Pagsuyuin under the Diocese of San Pablo's Bishop Pedro Bantigue. The current parish Priest Fr. Ricky Yapana is the 17th in line. Th eold stone and mortar chapel and wooden rectory down in 1988 and a new church building was slowly put up. Construction was completed in 2003. The nearby house and852 sq. mtr. lot owned by the Cardena family had been bought by the parish through the proceeds of various fund campaigns and has now become the parish rectory. It was only on 1993 under Fr. Zaldy Fortuno finish the payment and transferred to the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Pablo.

Being the history guy that I am - I was disappointed that they have approved to bring the old kapilya down and replaced it (also expanding the floor area) perhaps the religious leaders and the faithful had little choice since the population has grown tremendously. I felt despondent but it is what is - this structures were built to last but not if men decide to tear them down. The priest later on gave me contact information of Mr. Eric Alonde - their church historian and once head of their lay community. I was excited to talk to him and discussed Rizal's brief preferrence for their kapilya over the other churches in the area at his time. We traded notes and oral history, he was knowledgeable of La Paz' past and was very proactive on their parish activity.



the renovated chapel, now a very modern looking structure

Turns out that Mr. Alonde was also not aware that our hero made his devotion to their chapel. I told him about the devotion of the young Rizal and some other things about how the hero while he was in Biñan, i also explained why Rizal chose their kapilya. He later on acknowledge that they have no prior knowledge of this, they've probably thought that Rizal won't even bother going the distance but he did!. It was a great feeling to have actually shared something that would add pride to their small barrio, theirs is place often flooded and with a noticeable impoverish shanties around.

Viva Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje

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I've already emailed Fr. Adi and Eric some reference text from Palma's & Guerrero's biography of Rizal. They requested to be provided with this materials (how I wish I could provide them more). According to Fr. Adi he would bring this up to their council since they are planning to create another material where they'll once again write their Parish history (even a footnote about this discovery would be a great addition!)


Kudos to my good friend Pepe, ever ready to help out with some difficult Spanish translations!