Holy Week 2016

We visited only two churches last Good Friday, out of the originally planned five churches for our Visita Iglesia itenerary for this year, since we headed out already late in the afternoon.

Our first stop was at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Makati City. It had already started to get dark when we reached the church, but we were able to do the Stations of the Cross inside the compound, along with other visitors.

The National Shrine of the Sacred Heart

Inside the church

The 9th Station

What I found particularly interesting in their version of the Stations of the Cross is that for every station, there is a corresponding activity that will help you feel, understand and contemplate more on the readings and reflection of each station. For me, it gives more meaning to the act, rather than just merely reciting the words.

Activity for the 9th Station

Red pieces of paper with several scribbled notes pasted on the Cross 

My Little Lady and my niece cutting a piece of what represents as Christ's cloth during crucifixion 

BandAid paper where people can write their emotional wounds and paste them on the Cross

My Little Lady carried the Cross while reflecting on this station  

The 13th Station

Our Lady of Sorrows

Jesus in His tomb

Painting of  The Sacred Heart of Jesus photo courtesy of the NSSH website

THE 12 PROMISES OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

Every First Friday of each month, devout and faithful Catholics consecrate to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the spirit of reparation. Jesus Christ Himself made the following promises to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, in favor of those who fervently practice and promote this devotion. 

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life. 

2. I will give peace in their families. 

3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions. 

4. I will be their security and refuge during life, and above all, in death. 

5. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings. 

6. Sinners will find in My Heart the Source, and Infinite Ocean of Mercy. 

7. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent. 

8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection. 

9. I will bless every place in which an Image of My Heart is exposed and honored. 

10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts. 

11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart. 

12. I promise you in the excessive Mercy of My Heart, that My all powerful Love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months, the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in My disgrace, nor without receiving their Sacraments. My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE SACRED HEART

4 Sacred Heart St., San Antonio Village, 1203 Makati City, Philippines

Tel. (+632) 895-6331 / (+632) 890-5357 

Fax: (+632) 899-6340 

Mobile: (+63) 0922-8981006

E-Mail: nsshparish@ymail.com

Website: nsshph.blogspot.com

Facebook.com/NationalShrineoftheSacredHeart

Twitter: twitter.com/NSSHPH

Office Hours are from Tuesdays-Sundays

8:00 AM-12:00 NN / 2:00 PM-6:00 PM

SCHEDULE OF CELEBRATIONS

Rector / Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. Victor Y. Apacible

Resident Guest Priests: Msgr. Romeo A. Violeta / Rev. Fr. Rogelio A. Orpiada

WEEKDAY MASSES

6:00 AM, 6:45 AM and 7:30 AM * 12:15 PM * 6:00 PM

SATURDAY MASSES: 6:00 AM, 6:45 AM, 7:30 AM

ANTICIPATED MASSES: 5:00 PM / 6:30 PM (Tagalog)

SUNDAY MASSES

6:00 AM, 7:30 AM (Tagalog), 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM 12:00 NN

2:30 PM (Children's Mass Tagalog), 4:00 PM (Tagalog),

5:30 PM, 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM

SPECIAL MASSES - Second Sunday

7:30 AM Mass for the Elderly (Tagalog)

5:30 PM Mass for the Youth

St. Andrew the Apostle Parish Church

Our second and last stop was at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish Church. I only took one photo, but marveled at the design and structure inside, that veers away from the regular architecture of most churches.

The church was very solemn, and the instrumental music that was playing that time rendered the place more conducive for praying and deep reflection.

ST. ANDREW THE APOSTLE PARISH

62 Constellation Street, Bel-Air II Makati City, Philippines

Tel. (+632) 890-1796

Website: http://www.saaparish.com/

Facebook.com/saaparish

SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE 

6:30am - Filipino

8:00am - English

9:30am - English

11:00am - English

12:15nn - English

3:30pm - Filipino

5:00pm - English

6:30pm - English

8:00pm - English

Overall, our shortened Visita Iglesia this year was spiritually enriching, nevertheless. For it lies not on how many churches one has visited, but the quality of prayer one has completed in the journey.

Hope you all had a blessed and meaningful Holy Week.  

HAPPY EASTER!

New Year in March

If I am to create my own calendar, my year will commence months after it has officially began for everyone else (even later than the Chinese celebrate their New Year). Just like my typical week starts on Tuesdays, my days start at noon, while my energy and creativity surge profusely at night.

I am a nocturnal being by nature, with my body clock wound counter clockwise and I still do not understand why experts insist that waking up late does not compensate for sleeping late, regardless if it still amounts to 8 hours of recommended sleep (most of the time, even more). They say “the body knows its proper rest schedule or when it is day or night” and once you upset it, the balance is tipped and your health is put at risk. But how did they know what the body knows?

Yes, it is no doubt a complicated mystery under the perennial shroud of that thing we call ‘Science’, where everything must have a rationale. Besides, who am I to argue with the so-called “experts”? It does not necessarily mean though that I fully believe in them or that I will follow what they say is supposedly true and right. As a nonconformist, I rebel at the thought of being told when to sleep and wake up. I feel it is best to listen to my body and heed its signal— to sleep when I feel sleepy and to wake up when it needs to, regardless of time.

But that is just me in my own utopic universe.

The truth is, we live in a world where everything has been placed under a certain schedule or order, from where we base the plan of our own timetables. This is the prevailing state we were born to follow in order to move in congruence with the rest of society.  

Regardless of what the world dictates, my year still starts beyond January; my week begins any day except on a Monday, my sun rises at noon--when it is at its scorching brightest, and my nights end when it is time for the rest of humanity to start a brand new day.