Penafrancia Celebration at Brgy. Bagumbuhay

I attended an anticipated mass last Saturday celebrating the Feast Day of Our Lady of Penafrancia. Most of the attendees at the event hailed from or can trace their roots to the province of Bicol which is devoted to Mother Mary. The sermon was a usual story with the usual lessons about being close to the Mother, delivered by a usual priest, except this one was from the Bicol region too. There was food after the mass and everyone was calm bee-lining for the caterer's long table. It was particularly humid that night and you can see mosquitoes hovering around people's legs. Unfortunately, I was in shorts and had to keep swatting the bugs away with a brown envelope.

Christ the King at Veteran's Vill./Proj. 7

This parish was assigned a new parish priest. During his sermon, he described how he liked things - he starts his masses on time and expects people to come to Church on time as well. He says he goes around and visits parishioners and has meals with them. Funny parish priest - he asked people if they remember last Sunday's sermon or Gospel. And no one was volunteering to answer. The priest then asked people to raise their hands if they went to mass last Sunday and true to Filipino form, no one raised their hand. We are a funny people!

St. Paul the Apostle at Mo. Ignacia/Timog

During the mass, the electricity went out for at least 8 times. The priest and the commentators and the choir just kept on preaching, commenting and singing during those times.

There were lots of people standing outside even though there were still vacant seats near the front. Filipinos may be shy like that.