Lenten Pilgrimage: Cavite
Set my alarm to 4AM as I have to be at Greenbelt Chapel, Makati City by 5:30AM. The alarm did sound, turned it off... and went back to sleep. LOL. What woke me up is the voice of woman talking that it seems a crowd is infront of our house preparing to board a bus for their outing. Uh-oh! It's 5:20AM!!! I think, I became a woman "Flash" that time. Was at the meeting place before 6AM, the ETD for our Lenten Pilgrimage to Cavite, arranged by Greenbelt Chapel.The theme for the pilgrimage is "Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests". Our pilgrimage chaplain is Fr. Jason H. Laguerta.
There would be two buses, each assigned with a trait, that is, "Devoted" and "Steadfast". We're "Devoted".
On our way to the first stop, we prayed the Pilgrim's Prayer:
"Heavenly Father, we thank You as we come together
in Your name to be with the community of pilgrims
to share your reconciliation, peace and love
with others in this Lenten pilgrimage.
Prepare our hearts and minds that we may be worthy
to receive God's gifts and favors today.
Remind us always that this pilgrimage is a spiritual journey
with a purpose and not merely a sightseeing trip.
Help us to practice the virtue of patience for whatever
discomforts and difficulties that may arise.
Grant us the spirit of obedience to be one with others
and to participate fervently in all the activities.
May our visit to various churches foster
personal spiritual growth with a joyful
hope to return in our respective parishes
inspired, enlightened and transformed.
May God protect us and keep us in His loving care.
May Jesus of Calvary and of Emmaus walk with us.
May the Spirit give us clarity of mind, strength of heart
and a sure foot as we all travel today.
All these we ask through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
We also prayed the rosary.
Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish (Imus Cathedral)
Our first stop is at Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish (Imus Cathedral), where we also celebrated the Eucharist.
"The parish church of Nstra. Sra. del Pilar is the present Cathedral of the Diocese of Imus. Imus was originally part of the old town Kawit.
On October 3, 1795, it became an independent parish under the patronage of Nstra. Sra. del Pilar with Fr. Francisco de Santiago, Orsa, as first parish priest. Imus was the first Recollect parish in Cavite.
After a strong typhoon of September 1799 destroyed the church, the Recollect Friars transferred it to barrio Toclong and finally to sitio de Balangon (now the town plaza of Imus) in 1823.
It was Fray Nicolas Becerra in 1824 who constructed the present Cathedral of Imus teaching the people how to make bricks. The construction of the church altar used forced labor as well as forced contributions of wood called talacsan.
One of the able administrators of hacienda of Imus (formerly comprised of barrio fo Imus, Binakayan and Dasmarinas) was Fray Ezekiel Moreno who served Imus for a short time but he was always remembered for his charity and love for the people. The parish was given to the Filipino secular priests in 1897.
The big parish convent was converted into the Bishop's house in 1962. The church has undergone a series of renovation and is considered as one of the most massive in Cavite.
The Diocese of Imus comprises the whole province of Cavite. It was established as a separate diocese from the Archdiocese of Manila in November 25, 1961. The diocese will celebrate its Golden Jubilee on 2011 with the theme 'Tena, Mag-KARAKOL Tayo'."
St. Michael the Archangel Parish at Bacoor
"Bacoor is said to have originated from the Tagalog word 'bakod'. In the early years of Spanish colonization, the town was surrounded by abundant trees that served as its 'bakod' from the nearby town of Palanyag and other Cavite towns.
Bacoor was the first capital of the Philippine Revolutionary Government. The town was also the site of the Battle of Zapote Bride on two occasions, February 16, 189 (against Spanish forces) and June 13, 1899 (against the Americans).
On January 18, 1752, the King of Spain signed a royal cedula creating the Parish of San Miguel Arcangel in the town of Bacoor under the administration of a secular priest. One of its famous parish priests, Father Mariano Gomez de los Angeles was a secular priest of Indio race who served the parish for 48 years. He was a real pastor who not only ministered to the spiritual needs of the people but saw to it that his parishioners had something for livelihood. He also became active in fighting for the rights of Filipino clergy.
He was implicated in the Cavite mutiny of January 21, 1872. Together with Fathers Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora he was executed in Luneta in February 17, 1872.
After the death of Father Gomez the parish was given to the Spanish Recollect friars who administered the parish until the outbreak of the Philippine revolution. A Filipino secular priest took over after the revolution.
The parish church of Bacoor, San Miguel, retains its original structure through the altar has been newly constructed."
Aguinaldo Shrine and Museum at Kawit
St. Mary Magdalene Parish at Kawit
"Kawit is the town that gave her name to the province 'Cavite'. It came to be known as Cavite Viejo and Tangway (a settlement across Bacoor Bay) as Cavite Puerto.
Kawit was first evangelized by the Franciscan Missionaries under the leadership of San Pedro Bautista. Jesuits took over in 1624 and were the ones who established the Parish of Santa Maria Magdalena which they administered until 1768.
According to an anecdote, the Jesuits chose St. Mary Magdalene as its patroness to counter the immoral situation in Kawit as a place of flesh trade. (It was a popular belief that Mary Magdalene was the sinner who was converted but more recent Biblical research proved it to be baseless.)
St. Mary Magdalene Church is one of the oldest in Cavite. This is where General Emilio Aguinaldo (first president of the Philippines and who also declared Philippine Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898) was baptized in 1869.
The first church was built in wood in 1638 with the help of six Filipino families from the towns of Silang and Maragondon. In 1737, the cornerstones were put up but it was destroyed in 1831 by a strong typhoon. Through the concerted efforts of the Kawiteños, the church was renovated in 1990. It is basically made of bricks and adobe. It boasts of an elaborate baroque altar-retablo.
Kawit is famous for its 'Maytinis' celebration which dates back to the Spanish time. The Cofradia Sagrada Familia takes charge of the annual celebration on Christmas Eve. Floats of different biblical personalities from creation to the birth of Jesus Christ from a parade in the town streets. The parade ends in the church for the traditional 'Misa de Media Noche'. The entire altar of the Church of Kawit converts into a big nativity scene."
At Josephine's Restaurant in Kawit
San Roque Church at Cavite City
"Cavite City was once called 'Tierra de Maria Santissima' because of the strong Marian devotions of the people as evident by the several churches built by the different religious orders. It was during this time that the Catholic faith reached its heights in this part of the Philippines.
San Roque became a town in 1614 and the San Roque Parish was created in 1632.
Legend reveals that the icon of the Virgin was found off the shore of Cañacao Bay in the morning of 1667 by the workers of the Arsenal de Cavite. It was also said that the Virgin appeared to a Spanish Sentry at the gate called Porta Vaga, thus the title.
On April 12, 1692, the image painted on a canvass was placed in the new Ermita de Porta Vaga, per inscription found on the back of the painting. A tri-centennial celebration of Our Lady of Solitude de Porta Vaga was held on April 12, 1992 through the efforts of Bishop Felix Perez and Msgr. Hernando Gody. Under the chairmanship of Antonio Nazareno, the celebration lasted from April 1991 to April 1992.
On November 17, 1978, again through the effort of Bishop Felix Perez and Msgr. Barraquiel Mojica, the canonical coronation of the Nstra. Sra. de Soledad de Porta Vaga was held. This further strengthened the devotion of the Caviteños to the Virgin Mary.
Today, the Shrine of the Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga is in the Church of San Roque, a former barrio outside the former Cavite Puerto or Cavite Nuevo."
The Most Holy Rosary Parish at Rosario
"Rosario is a town along the coastal area of Cavite province Manila Bay. It was a small barrio at the town of San Francisco de Malabon (now Gen. Trias). It was originally called Salinas-Marcella.
The word Salinas came from the Spanish word 'sal' which means salt. At that time, salt making by means of solar evaporation of sea water was one of their sources of livelihood. On the other hand, Marcella derived from the Spanish word 'mar' which means sea as the town is situated near the sea.
In 1845, by order of the Governor General Don Narciso Claveria, Salinas together with Ligtong and Noveleta, was created as an independent town with Rosario as its new name to honor the patroness of the new town which is Virgen del Rosario.
On November 3, 1845, presbyter Don Mamerto Ner Mariano, a native of Rosario and one of the best priests of the Curia of Manila, was appointed parish priest.
One of the most colorful traditions of Rosario is the famous 'Caracol' (Spanish word meaning snail). The fluvial procession is called caracol because of its slow movement. During the 'Visperas' of the fiesta, the Virgin is borne on the shoulder of her devotees. The Virgin is placed on a grand 'arco' heavily decorated with flowers. All the participants danced to the tune of 'fandanggo'.
A big challenge facing the Church and the government is how to keep pace with the rapid change and economic progress while preserving the rich socio-cultural and spiritual heritage of the town. Through the years, there has been an apparent weakening of the devotion to their patroness. The Church is faced with the duty to bring new meaning that will help revitalize the century-old devotion and deepen the faith of the people especially in building up a thrue Christian community."
Holy Cross Parish at Tanza
"There was formerly known as Santa Cruz de Malabon. It was once a barrio of the vast town of San Francisco de Malabon (Gen. Trias).
On August 29, 1780, the barrio was created as an independent parish with Santa Cruz as its titular.
Construction of the church started in 1839 but a strong earthquake destroyed it 20 years later. Fr. Jose Trobat with the help of the people rebuilt the church in 1873.
In the hall of the convent of Tanza on March 23, 1897, Gen Aguinaldo and Gen. Trias took oaths as President and Vice-President of the revolutionary government. Gen. Artemio Ricarte was inducted into office as Capt. Gen. in the same place.
Tanza is also the hometown of Felipe G. Calderon, the man who drafted the first Philippine Constitution.
In 1780, it was popularly believed that the image of St. Augustine was found in a river which is now called Rio del Obispo. The image was brought to the parish church for veneration. Even if the person of the parish is the Holy Cross, the devotion to St. Augustine spread like wild fire as countless miracles were attributed to it. The people's relationship to the saint has gone very perosnal which is the reason why they call him 'Tata Usteng'. In August, thousands of people flock to Tanza church to honor the saint. It is one of the centers of pilgrimages in Cavite.
The feast of the Holy Cross is celebrated every 3rd of May with the usual mass and procession taking place but people are hardly mindful of it as people are more devoted to St. Augustine."
It is miraculous... (first-hand experience).
Parroquia de San Francisco de Asis at Gen. Trias
"General Trias, was originally called San Francisco de Malabon. It was an hacienda of a Spanish Condessa Dona Maria Josefa de Yrrizarri y Ursua, Condesa de Lizarraga. Her tombstone can be seen near the main door of the Church.
The hacienda was first evangelized by the Franciscans who introduced San Francisco de Asis to the people. They erected the first chapel made of light materials in 1611. On September 9, 1753, San Francisco de Malabon became an independent parish through a decree signed by King Ferdinand VI of Spain.
Fr. Manuel Trias y Gomez was named parish priest in 1884. On June 12, 1898, while he was celebrating the morning mass, the brass band played the Marcha Filipina by Julian Felipe. Thus, the Philippine National Anthem was first played on the church ground of San Francisco before it was played in Kawit for the proclamation of Philippine Independence.
The first uprising in Cavite known as the 'First Cry of Cavite' occurred in San Francisco de Malabon on August 31, 1896 led by General Mariano Trias y Closas. On February 24, 1920, Legislative Act No. 2889 was passed naming San Francisco de Malabon as General Trias, after one of its most famous sons.
The church of San Francisco boasts of a beautiful retablo in baroque style and facade which was patterned after the church of Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur.
One noticeable thing was an acacia tree planted by Gen. Artemio Ricarte, a former school teacher and later General of the Revolutionary forces against Spain. It stood there for 100 years, a silent witness to the many historical and personal events in Malabon. The tree was uprooted during typhoon Milenyo on September 28, 2006. The image of Saint Francis was carved on its trunk and now lodged in the gazebo."
We arrived at Greenbelt Chapel around 7:30PM, where I took some pictures of the chapel because of a request from a friend.
posted by ~GFA~ @ 3/06/2010 11:16:00 PM
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