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Adveniat House - Manila
January 2007
First Christmas and first New Year in the Philippines
No doubt, Christmas is the most popular celebration in the Philippines. It goes on through five consecutive months: a world record!
As early as September, the main stores are decorated with Christmas lights and one can hear the traditional carols; it will spread to the streets and the subway. Christmas trees appear at street corners and squares. In October, decorations get to the homes, even during the typhoons and the rainy season. By the end of November, Christmas celebrations get more numerous: liturgical celebrations, Masses, meals, exchange gifts, carolings… in schools, offices, work places, organizations… Even the guards in front of the stores and the subway entrances have exchanged their usual caps for the red Santa Claus bonnet!
Simbang Gabi and Carolings
The climax of the Christmas preparations comes with the Novena Masses called Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo
(before the cock crows). It starts on December 16, at 4:30 am, in every
single church of the Philippines, with standing room only. For nine
consecutive days, most people will attend this early Mass or an evening
Mass in honour of the Blessed Virgin. It is a time of preparation for
Christmas but also a time of prayer for the perseverance in the faith of
the Filipino nation. At the end of the Mass – in the past people would
go on to their works in the fields - a copious breakfast is served with
local specialties: famous bibingka (a kind of rice cake) or puto bungbong (flavoured rice cooked in bamboo nodes).
Jean-Marie Chuvi was the most regular to these Masses among us all.
Invited by the Missionaries Servants of the Poor, he presided these
early Masses from December 16 to the Eve of Christmas in the Parish of
the Resurrection in Laguna, one hundred kilometres South of Manila. It
was a good opportunity for him to practice his Tagalog. Here is what he reports:
« At this time of the year, priests have to say Masses everywhere, in
all churches and small chapels of the numerous barrios since all the
Christians want to participate in these early morning or evening Masses.
There are Christmas lights all around, a symbol of Christ coming to us.
Just imagine the difficulty of a novice like me to adapt to this
rhythm. Thank God, Brother Mami, my Filipino acolyte, was on hand to
wake me up on time and correct my homily in Tagalog. At times, some
English words jumped into my text, which here is typical taglish
(Tagalog-English). Insecure at the beginning, I became more confident as
the days went by. I could discover a new aspect of the Filipino culture
made out of generosity, sharing and love: the families spontaneously
open their homes and invite for meals, godfathers offer presents, bosses
are generous with their employees. It is really a great moment of joy
and of true sharing. »
Another tradition is the carolling. Groups are formed and go from house to house singing
Christmas Carols, for the joy of the household… then for small gifts or
candies. The candidates living with us have wished to get our voices
together as well in order to offer our own performance. The idea was to
get some extra money for health care or to help families in trouble
because of the typhoons or illness. Choir practices were numerous and
were coming on top of the usual fatigue of the end of the year. The
result was not as great as our efforts but it was a first try anyway.
Here are some of the pieces: Day of Joy (Haendel and Beethoven), Miraculous Night, Do you hear what I hear, Pasko na Sinta ko (San Pedro, a famous native composer), Christmas Wish, Star, and a traditional Gloria.
A busy Christmas season
The week before Christmas was quite busy. You know Jean-Marie Chuvi’s
schedule. The other members of the community were also very active: see
for yourselves.
Tuesday, December 19: in the afternoon, we sing for the Religious
of the Assumption and some former students of their college living in
the neighbourhood. It was our most successful performance and the
excellent snack that followed will be remembered...
Wednesday, December 20: the whole community takes part in the Vigil
at Assumption-Antipolice, a school run by the Religious of the
Assumption on the hills overlooking Manila. From 6:00 pm to 11:30 pm, a
few hundred students with their teachers, staff and parents meet
in the gymnasium for a long adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and for
confessions or counselling in tents scattered around the eco-park.
In the morning of December 21, at 4:30 am, people from the
neighbourhood join us for the Sambaing Gabi Mass followed by breakfast
where everyone becomes a friend of his neighbour. In the evening, the
community is invited at a lawyer’s home for an outdoor diner with
the extended family and friends. They staged a living Nativity with the
proper costumes, carols and meditations on the mystery of the new born
King; the program included also games, gifts and more food (we are in
the Philippines, aren’t we!). It was a long day and we hit home at 11:00
pm.
Friday, December 22, in the afternoon, we celebrated a special
Christmas Mass with the workers renovating our new residence… followed
by a well prepared marina and the distribution of the Christmas presents: a bonus pay, a Chinese ham ball and Queso de bola, the traditional season’s piece of cheese.
In the evening, we all went to one of the squatter area to offer our
carlings. It was one of our most memorable event of this first Christmas
in the Philippines. Around one hundred kids and their parents were on
hand to listen to our songs, banging the beat with their spoons and
bowls (forget about the quality of the tunes!) since lugaw, a
rice and chicken soup was to be offered to all right after. Some ladies
we know had offered to prepare this traditional snack; there were plenty
of left over for the next day too.
Saturday, December 23 was a free day… to do some shopping for our
own gifts and to prepare the celebration of the community. We had a
joyful visit, that of Sister Micaela de Wilde, General Counsellor of the
Little Sisters of the Assumption. We shared about our present and
future collaboration between our both communities, namely our apostolate
with the poor people and our Vocation ministry.
Christmas in family
December 24 was a long day. It started with the Simbang Gabi Mass at
4:30 am in our own parish. The three priests concelebrated with Bishop
Honesto Ongtioco, the spiritual leader of our Diocese of Cubao. The
church was full for this last day of the Novena. After the Mass, we
shared the breakfast with the Bishop in the parish hall.
At noon, we had decided to have our Christmas dinner. On the menu: ham,
roasted turkey, red wine and cheese, cake and ice cream. After dishes
and a too short siesta, the community came together for the exchange of
gifts, songs and sharing. For this exercise, each one was invited to
choose from one of the titles of Christ: Prince of Peace, Son of God,
Saviour, Friend of the Poor, Good Shepherd, Servant… and elaborate on
what it had meant for him during the past year.
At 6:00 pm, we gathered at the Religious of the Assumption in San
Lorenzo for the celebration of the birth of Christ. Here is how one of
the young sisters reports on the evening celebration:
“On the Eve of Christmas, three Assumption families were gathered to
celebrate the birthday of Jesus. There were 27 Assumption Sisters, 13
Assumptionists (Fathers, Brothers and Candidates) and 6 Little Sisters
of the Assumption.
We all filled the Marie Eugenie Chapel with heartfelt voices to
welcome the Lord. A very short practice and orientation for the midnight
mass followed right after Vespers. A festive dinner prolonged the first
Christmas Eve celebration.
At 9 pm the much-awaited 'midnight' mass started. All lights in the
school chapel vicinity were turned off except for the spotlight on the
manger with Mary and Joseph waiting for Jesus to arrive.
Bro. Ricky sang "O Holy Night" as every Sister holding a child
processed. Sisters on wheel chair said it was a moving sight towards the
crib. San Lo chapel overflowed with smiling families, watching their
young sons and daughters pass by. Finally, Sr. Gertrude laid the baby
Jesus in the manger which prompted the assembly to kneel down and pray.
After a moment of silence and when each one was back to their
respective places the celebrants Fr. Bernard, Fr. Gilles and Fr. Chuvi,
entered solemnly, too. Two powerful choirs: the AA's and the Sunshine
Choir led the sung liturgy. Fr. Bernard delivered a beautiful homily
inspiring us all to be good children of God.
Right after the Agnus Dei, all 46 religious including the four
sisters in their wheelchairs came forward to renew their vows. Every
word was clearly proclaimed using one formula differing only in the part
(underlined): "… I vow to live in poverty, chastity and obedience
according to the Rule of Life of the Religious/ Augustinians/ Little Sisters of the Assumption. Truly it was a moving experience of making a public profession to a life of love, a life for others - a life for God.
The tradition of kissing the baby Jesus created a long line of
families in. And of course, picture taking is always part of the ritual.
One family even placed their own baby on Jesus' crib while his own
father carried the baby Jesus in his arms.
The gathering didn't end after the mass because many families stayed
for the agape. The Sisters lovingly prepared and served hot chocolate,
cookies and biscuits for everyone to share. They also gave away candy
cane for the little children. Everybody went home happy, renewed and
inspired. Jesus is once again born in each one's heart.”
The whole Assumption family was gathered for the Noche Buena in a fine mixture of French wine and cheese and Filipino pastries.
The Sisters of the College gave us quite a gift. Each year, they produce
a calendar; this year, it was the work of their Art Department
students. On the last page, there was a presentation of our community
with pictures. Wow! Will it attract new vocations?
All throughout Christmas day, children would ring at our door and sing
carols in order to receive candies or money. Because of this tradition,
the Central Bank of the Philippines prints new small bills! As for us,
we had no new bills but rather chocolates and coins. Next Christmas, the
bursar will need to foresee a more generous budget…
On Saint Steven’s Day, December 26, the community was the guest of the
Little Sisters of the Assumption in Malibay along with the neighbouring
community of the Religious of the Assumption in order to celebrate the
feast of their Founder, Fr. Etienne Pernet, and the 40th
anniversary of religious profession of Sister Micaela (Argentine) and of
Sister Liliana (Chile). It was a joyous celebration of food, songs, and
dances.
The diaspora came on December 27. The Filipino brothers went to their
families. Gilles and Bernard went to Cebu in order to explore the
possibility of buying a property in this second largest city of the
country for our future novitiate. They were the guests of the
Augustinians at the Basilica of the Santo Nino (Jesus of Prague), one of
the most popular devotions in the Philippines. The Basilica holds a
dozen Masses a day with crowds in attendance at all time. They met also
with Cardinal Ricardo Vidal who is most willing to welcome our
Congregation in his Diocese. Meanwhile, Jean-Marie Chuvi was the
guardian of our house in Manila with Hector; they were hosting a
possible candidate, Ronald, from Cagayan de Oro.
Happy New Year 2007
All the brothers were back on time, on December 31st, in
order to jump together into the New Year. At 10:30 pm, we celebrated a
Mass of thanksgiving for this first year of our community in the
Philippines, for the support and friendship that we received from all of
you. We entrusted to the Lord the coming year and prayed for all your
intentions.
The second part of the celebration was out in the street. We joined our
neighbours making as much noise as possible to scare the evil spirits
and admiring the fireworks which lasted for more than an hour… Quite a
surprise for the Westerners among us! The sun was slowly coming out when
the noise quieted down…
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO!
MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!
Santo Niño
The devotion of the Santo Niño (Holy Child) is the oldest and one or the
most popular in the Philippines. When Legazpi landed on the island of
Cebu in 1565, one of his soldiers found an image of the Child Jesus. It
is believed to be the same statue Magellan had given to the wife oft the
chieftain of the island after her baptism. The image is venerated today
in the Basilica of Cebu. For Filipino Catholics the Holy Child
represents a God who is accessible to all and can be approached without
fear. The devotion instils the virtues of simplicity, obedience, and
trust in God. At the same time it calls for mature discipleship and
loving service to all.
January 28, 2007
Pictures: if you want to view some pictures of the community, consult the following:
www.assomption.org
www.assumptio.org
www.assumptio.us
Address:
Adveniat House
17, C. Salvador Street
Loyola Heights
1108 QUEZON CITY
PHILIPPINES
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