SIMBANG GABI 2008: Part 10 THE STO. ROSARIO PARISH

Our Queen-Mother, the Patroness. Ever Lovely and Beatiful. Ang Mahal na Birhen ng Sto. Rosario, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, La Nuestra Señora del Sto. Rosario.

I have already presented the 9 poor Chapels where I served during the Simbang Gabi. I celebrated Masses in those chapels not only once but several times during the 9 days Novena Masses in Preparation for the Lord's Nativity. It was very tiring since we have to wake up as early as 3:00am daily for 9 days and in the evening we are starting at 5:30pm which usually ends at 9:00pm. For 5:30pm we were being fetched at 5:00pm and were able to return at home or at the convent at 9:30 or even 10:00pm.

The Belen or Nativity Scene in our Parish. They look small in this photo but in reality they are large figurines.

Once again I wish to express my gratitude to our Parish Priest Fr. Virgilio 'Verge' Ramos for inviting me to serve in our Parish this Christmas Season and at the same time for equally distributing the Barrio Chapels to the 3 of us, including Fr. Conrad, his assistant priest.

The Simbang Gabi is the most beautiful and wonderful season in the life of Filipino Catholics besides Christmas itself and the town fiesta. Thousands of Catholic Faithful are flocking to the Church because all classes were suspended and the works as well for the holidays. Thus, young students not usually seen during the year are present in the Church that makes the season perfect for catechesis.

The Parish is blessed with about 8-12 Lay Ministers. The lowest number I've seen in a Mass is 6 unlike in the Barrio Chapel that we were lucky if ever there is one Lay Minister to help. They are active and very dedicated servants of the Lord and of the Church.

The Lectors and the Acolytes

The girls gathering the collections and love offerings. They are shown in their blue and pink uniforms. During the Mass they also have veils on their head. So, not only the old ladies, the Apostolada ng Panalangin, are wearing veils also these girls, the lectors and others. The use of veils is fast becoming very popular in our Parish. Praise the Lord. The two at the far end of the photo are senior acolytes: from left Roderick who is a former seminarian and a Knight of the Altar at San Antonio de Padua since childhood, then John Paul, an acolyte whose name I unfortunately forgot and Eddie. Since there are a lot of young recruits for Knight of the Altar, Ed usually stays with the choir during the Masses.

These are the wonderful choir members. I do no longer know them by name because some are new faces and most of the time they are far away from the priests. Our choir is staying in the choir loft so that their voices are properly spread from the back to the front of the Church filling the entire House of God with their voices. These are very young and dedicated in their service of the Lord of the Church.