It's Mama Mary's birthday!

Today, we celebrate the nativity of the Blessed Mother.  Thank you, Mama Mary for keeping us under your maternal protection.

When church bells ring ... in Ilocos Norte

Churches dot  the towns  of  Ilocos Norte. Four rise high in  the towns of  Batac 

( Immaculate Concepcion Church), Badoc ( La Virgen Milagrosa Shrine of Badoc),  Paoay  (Paoay Church) and San Nicolas  (San Nicholas Catholic Church). There are others found in the  towns of Sarrat  ( St. Monica church) and Dingras  (ruins of Dingras  church) then there’s   one in the northern side of the province, the Bacarra church . Two more churhces are  in Laoag:  the Carmelite Monastery Chapel (or Carmel Church) and  the St. William Cathedral.   

Such a pity we were not able to visit all the historic churches  because of the erratic weather during our three-day stay in Ilocos.  But glad that we were able to see at least two of the most impressive pilgrim sites in the said province.

Paoay Church and belltower

The imposing Paoay Church, also known as  St. Augustine Church, is one of the oldest churches in the country.  The Augustinian friars led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo  started construction in 1694 completing it in 1710 and rededicating the same in 1894. 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Paoay church a.k.a. the Earthquake Baroque church in the Philippines. 

Postcard pretty.

A total of 24  thick and massive buttresses extend from the body to support the structure and survive earthquakes. The upper portion of the buttresses are made of  bricks while coral stones were used for the lower part and a mixture of both for the walls.

Photo by BB

Photo by BB

A three-storey belltower made of coral stone stands meters away from the main building. It was. designed that way to keep the church safe in case of collapse. Katipuneros during the 1896 revolution used this belltower as their observation post  It was used yet again by Filipino guerillas during the WW II Japanese occupation

The belltower of Paoay: jutting out into the sky Photo by DSanti

Inside the church: the long walk.

Santa Monica Parish Church 

The church was  closed that afternoon we headed for a visit. Nevertheless, it was such an experience to see the neo-classical Santa Monica Church ( in the municipality of Sarrat ) on the outside. 

Santa Monica Church was the venue for the wedding of  the late President Ferdinand Marcos' daughter Irene to Gregorio Araneta in June 1983.

Like the Paoay church, this has a belltower beside the edifice built in 1669.

Santa Monica Parish Museum built in 1993 preserves the cultural and historical heritage of  

  the Ilocos townfolks.

Sister love

Counting my blessings ...

Lifted from ilkietoquote.com

  And certainly ....

Author unknown

 

Scenes from Holy Week

Palm Sunday: the start of the Holy Week and the Feast of the Entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

Take up your cross and follow Me (Matthew 16: 24)

I am the Light of the World ... (John 8: 12)

He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness...

... but will have the light of life.

Altars of Repose: Christ in the Blessed Sacrament

                                  Top left: Mary the Queen Parish Church, San Juan City 
                                  Mid left : Santuario de San Jose, Greenhills, San Juan City
                                  Lower left : Aquinas Church, San Juan City  
                                  Center: Pinaglabanan Church, San Juan City 
                                  Top right: Archbishop's Palace, Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City 
                                  Mid right : Mt. Carmel, New Manila , QC
                                  Lower right: St. Therese of Child Jesus & Holy Face, New  Manila,  QC                   


Thirst -quenchers after the mass:

Balut, penoy ...

Fresh, hot bibingka for the famished.

Musings on Good Friday

It’s not Easter yet but I received my Easter present  ( or should I say Easter message?) early ... on Good Friday!

I’ve been missing my best friend who passed away last December and this is my first Holy Week without her. Normally, at this time of the year, we would be comparing notes: what activities we were going to have, the seven churches our families would visit for the  traditional Visista Iglesia and where we would spend Easter Sunday and how.

Days before her passing she asked me to pray for her. I still keep my promise and pray I would for her every single day. Yesterday was no exception and as my family and I made our first stop for our Visita Iglesia, I talked to her like she was beside me and asked her to pray with me. In my heart and in my mind I knew she was there praying with me as I was praying for her, for her eternal peace and for the healing of her loved ones, especially her two boys and her husband. I said the same prayer ( along with other petitions ) in the seven churches that we  visited.

I woke up this morning with tears in my eyes. Dearest best friend forever Malou appeared in my dream last night. She was at a party and was waiting for me. I came and she looked at me and smiled. Everyone was dressed in white. She was happy eating grapes, smiling and telling me  how good the grapes were. In an instant my dream shifted to another scene: it was pitch- black around us but  here we were still talking about things. She suddenly points to a framed picture by the stairs and tells me as if reassuring: “maganda pala doon! “  I looked at the direction where she was pointing and I saw this picture of a lady with a ray of light around her, no, not just an ordinary ray of light but a beautiful, radiant, bright ray of light. 

I knew then my dearest best friend forever is really HOME and she is happy.  I am happy knowing that she is happy but I cried still because I miss her so.

The bright ray of light in my dream  pretty much looked like this: 

Taken at Pinaglabanan Church in San Juan City:
our first church for Visita Iglesia

Hello again!

Hello there!

Sorry for the lull. It seemed like I “slept” that long but really, there were many things going. I’ve always been “on call” for my children, driving for them here and there ( mommy  duties never end),  doing errands and yes, preparing for an upcoming trip. Making that TO DO list seems to take forever … well, only because I keep  editing them!  And, not to forget, the menu that I keep editing, too.

Well, I’m back and here’s a little something for inspiration.

 About  two weeks ago, I went to St. Padre Pio Chapel in Libis, Quezon City for a “thanksgiving visit” for an answered prayer.  It was early Thursday morning  and after dropping off my daughter to a styling assignment/ shoot  in Pasig City, I had breakfast and proceeded to Libis.  

Going to St. Padre Pio Chapel is a balm to my soul. When you visit the chapel, you'll understand why.  I felt the hunger to pray more and give thanks for THAT answered prayer when I was inside.  There is a particular image of Padre Pio that people would line up to when they visit the chapel. I must have queued for an hour or so to touch his hands and pray with him just like many others waiting in front and behind me. I found myself praying for a man who was in deep prayer in front of the saint's image oblivious of our long wait. I didn't mind though. I sensed the urgency of his prayer and it moved me.

Special room for your intentions:

St. Pio of Pietrelcina was the first stigmatized priest in the history of the church.

 St. Pio: " Unite yourself to my prayers" 

Month of the Holy Rosary

October is the month of the Holy Rosary.  Personally, for me, it is one of the special months of the year.  Although I haven't had the chance to join a Marian procession the past year or so, the sound of people's voices singing together " Ave Maria " as they walk behind the beautifully- dressed up images of Our Lady during a Marian procession never fails to stir memories of  the miracles in my life that were made possible through the intercession of our Blessed Mother.

This month, I'll make sure I'll do at least one rosary pilgrimage with my friend, LS.
Stay tuned. I'll show  you some of the Holy Rosaries that have been with me through the years ...   Holy Rosaries that bear witness to the trials, celebrations and yes, miracles in my life! Here's one of them ...

a family heirloom rosary