Lenten Pilgrimage: Batangas
Set my alarm at 3AM as I have to be at Greenbelt Chapel by 5AM. ETD 6AM. The night before, my tooth cracked. Thanks for eating some nuts. Hehehe!Lakbay Pasasalamat, Lakbay Dalangin.
Our pilgrimage chaplain is Fr. Andy de Guzman.
There are three buses, named Joy, Grace and Thanksgiving. Our group is called "Joy".
On our way to the first Church, 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, peach an dlove with others in the 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 inspire, 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 have stopover at Petron gas station along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).
Our first church is St. Francis Xavier and Nuestra Senora de Escalera at Nasugbo where we celebrated the Eucharist. We prayed the first and second station of the Cross as well as venerated the relic of St. Francis Xavier.
"Since Nasugbu was formerly a part of Balayan, the Christianization of the place coincided with that of its mother parish, as early as th sixteenth century.
"The parish of Nasugbu was canonically erected in 1852. A big church made of stone with nipa roof was constructed and was dedicated to the patron sint, St. Francis Xavier. His image was enshrined in the church retablo, together with the image of Nuestra Senora de la Escalera. In 1873, the roof was afterwards replaced with tiles, but an earthquake damaged it heavily in the same year, prompting the parish priest to change it with galvanized iron sheets. The parish church, located in the eastern part of the town, lasted only until 1896, because the Spaniards burned it during the Spanish-Filipino war, when they retook the town from the Katipuneros. A massacre of Filipino rebels by the Spanish forces took place in the site during that year. The church in ruins was abandoned and the place was later called Lumang Bayan. In 1899, after the revolution, the town was transferred to where it is now. Padre Leocardo Dimalig, the parish priest during the revolution and after it, led the construction of a new church made of bamboo and nipa near the marketplace. However, in 1900, the provisional church was razed to the ground. Father Mariano Ilagan built a new church of much stronger materials. It lasted until 1959, when it was demolished to give way to the construction of a bigger church of concrete structures, during the term of Father Ambrosio Castillo.
"Because of the increasing population of Nasugbu, the parish priest, Father Benjamin Percano, in 1996, together with some parishioners, planned the construction of a big church. The one built in 1959 was demolished. However, Father Percano died during his incumbency. Monsignor Alberto Boongaling continued the project but, in 2004, he was replaced by Monsignor Alfredo Madlangbayan, who continued and finally finished this large and beautiful church inaugurated in 2007."
Fr. Andy guided us on our reflection by focusing on the life of the patron saint of the church we visited. For St. Francis Xavier, it is "live and spread the Word of God". We were also challenged (given an "assignment") to practice in our daily lives to spread His Word.
Second stop is at the Parish of St. John the Baptist at Lian.
"The Franciscans evangelized the area in 1580. During that time, the Augustinians turned over Balayan to the Franciscans, and Lian, as a visita, was administered from Balayan. Then, the Jesuits took over the territory in 1591. Lian, as a hacienda, was bequeathed by Padre Jose Cabral, the parish priest of Balayan in 1666 to the Jesuit College of San Jose, upon his death. In his will, he requested that the proceeds from the state be used to maintain a chaplaincy, support the church of Balayan and aid the poor of that district. Based upon official sources, the parish of LIan was created in 1870. However, there are extant documents in the Archdiocese of Manila referring to this place as a parish as early as 1807 with an interino, Father Vicente Ponce de Leon. A granary house, rebuilt by the Jesuits after the uprising of 1745, was converted in a church.
"Although the land was owned by the Jesuits, the secular clergy, who administered Balayan since 1697, attended to the spiritual needs of the residents.
"The old church, which survived until 1950, was demolished and replaced by one of modern style. The people of Lian are devoted to their patron saint, Saint John the Baptist, whose popular image captivates religious sentiments not only among the parishioners, but also among the people of Western Batangas."
Focus: Reconciliation
Challenge: Bring someone back to God.
On our way to the third church, our bus had a flat. Everyone is praying that we arrive to Balayan safely. One commented, even with the flat, it seems the bus is "floating".
The third church is the Parish of the Immaculate Conception at Balayan.
"Balayan is a coastal town situated on the shore of Balayan Bay. It is bound on the north by Tuy, on the east by Calaca, and on the south by Lian and Calatagan.
"The foundation of the parish as recorded was in 1974. However, long before that year, the Christianization of the area had already started. Beginning in 1570, Balayan was explored and evangelized by the Augustinians who came with Martin de Goiti; in 1578, by the Franciscans; and in 1591 by the Jesuits. After the Jesuits, secular priests administered the area. The Jesuits returned in 1753; in 1768, the secular clergy again; and in 1876, the Augustinian Recollects administered Balayan until the outbreak of the Revolution in 1896. Balayan was made a pueblo in 1575, comprising then of the present towns of Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan and Tuy. The twon was made the capital of the province until 1732.
"The first church of light materials was built by Fray Diego de Espinar in the place called Lanatan and then another in Ermita. The Augustinians left Balayan to concentrate on their mission in Taal. The Franciscans took over. In 1579, Fray Francisco de Santa Maria constructed the stone church in the present site.
"The first Jesuit who administered Balayan was Fray Pedro Chisino, but after a couple fo years he left Balayan and the town was left to the secular clergy. By 1754, the Jesuits were back during that time, pirates form the south raided and plundered the town. They also turned the church and drove the Jesuits away.
"After the pirates' attack, the church was reconstructed and fortified by Padre Jose de Ayala, a native secular priest. This fortified church, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, survived until the present time.
"In Balayan, the traditional fiesta is celebrated every December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Very recent is the celebration of the Feast of St. John the Baptist, which coincides with the festival, the "Parada ng Lechon sa Balayan"."
Focus: Purity
Challenge: Something you can let go.
We, then, had our lunch at Agot's Bar and Restaurant.
Our fourth church is the Parish of St. Raphael at Calaca.
"Calaca, which was the midpoint of the ancient communities of Balayan and Taal, became an independent parish in 1836, around the same time as the establishment of the town. The patron saint chosen was St. Raphael Archangel, whose image was enshrined in the first church made of bamboo and nipa palm.
"In 1848, Archbishop Jose Aranguren of Manila came to the town for the episcopal visitation. Observing that the old structure church did not seem to justify the dignity of the parish, he suggested to the parish priest, Padre Basilio Vizconde to construct a church made of stone. In 1854, a license was granted to him. The first attempt in the church constructed, however was traumatic. On February 13, 1854, when the foundation was about to be blessed by Padre Vizconde, a park fell, unfortunately on the nipa roof of the provisional church and despite the furious effort of the townspeople to quench the fire, it spread instantly, reducing the whole church with its retablo to ashes. Padre Vizconde undaunted by what had happened, pursued the completion of the project, until it was finally inaugurated on October 24, 1861. This stone church had survived the wars and earthquakes of the succeeding years. Until recently, this magnificent structure is one of the best-preserved church in the province, including its interiors."
Focus: Healing
Challenge: Find and "heal" someone who is "sick" (emotionally, etc.)
Our fifth church is the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face at Sta. Teresita. We were also able to venerate the relic of St. Therese.
"In 1943, by order of Bishop Alfredo Verzosa, Fr. Vicente Catapang started to establish a prospective parish in Taal. The parish center would be Sambat, his place of origin and barrio, which was then under the jurisdiction of Taal.
"The first chapel, dedicated to Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus, was constructed on a piece of land lent by the relatives of Fr. Catapang. Fr. Catapang, by order of Bishop Rufino J. Santos (later a cardinal when he became Archbishop of Manila), proceeded to build a larger parish church on the same lot where the chapel was. The construction of which was started in 1951, and was finished and dedicated on February 20, 1952. On December 29, 1961 Sambat became a municipality, and was renamed Santa Teresita.
"When Fr. Catapang died on March 1, 1980, he was succeeded by Father Venerando Rocamora. The Parish Pastoral Council decided to acquire a bigger lot for the construction of a new church. Unfortunately, Fr. Rocamora passed away before the start of the construction of a new church. In 1981, Fr. Alberto Malaipay, then a parochial vicar of Taal, was appointed priest-in-charge of Sta. Teresita, and the construction of the church became his responsibility. He was succeeded by Fr. Gregorio Landicho. On February 21-22, 2000, the Pilgrim Relic of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the millennium saint, visited the parish, during the tgerm of Fr. Antonio Platon Tolentino. During the incumbency of Fr. Eriberto Cabrera, Archbishop Ramon Arguelles declared the parish church the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face on January 2, 2007. The second visit of the Pilgrim Relics took place on February 10-11, 2008. Fr. Bert Cabrera spearheaded the renovation of the shrine on 2009-2010."
Focus: The little way (ordinary things extraordinarily)
Challenge: Put value on what you do.
Next stop is the Holy Family Parish at Bolo, Bauan.
"The idea of creating Barangay Bolo a new Parish in Bauan was initially conceived by the then Archbishop of Lipa, now Archbishop of Manila, Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales, in 1996 since the Immaculate Conception Parish during that time was too big for only a few priests to meet the spiritual needs of the whole community. Msgr. Alberto Boonggaling, Bauan parish priest, recommended the 18 barangays on the western part of Bauan to comprise the proposed parish.
"On April 27, 1977, the ground breaking ceremonies and blessing of cornerstone was led by Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales. A few years after, Bishop Jose Salazar, the then Administrator of the Archdiocese of Lipa, blessed the church on February 21, 1994. On November 20, 1994, this new parish was canonically erected as the Parish of the Holy Family and was blessed by Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles. Fr. Ariel O. Gonzales was installed as its first parish priest."
Focus: Family
Challenge:
Extra Assignment: Watch the movie "Nativity Story".
Our last stop is the Parish of the Most Holy Trinity Shrine of the Glorious Cross at Pallocan West.
"This new parish rises in the middle of a new commercial district of Batangas City in Pallocan West. The generous Pastor clan donated 6,000 square meters of land where the new beautiful chruch is constructed. This church is strategically and geographically accessible to the nearby barangays of the eastern portion of the city. It was inaugurated in 2004, with Father Ildefonso Dimaano as the first parish priest. Furthermore, the parish church is the realization of a dream of the former Archbishop of Lipa, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, that the place would be the Shrine of the Glorious Cross as a continuous homage to God by the faithful during the celebration of the Jubilee Year 2000."
Focus: God loves you.
Challenge:
Samsung GT-B7722. 24Mar2011
Samsung Galaxy Tab, 31Mar2011
posted by ~GFA~ @ 3/26/2011 11:08:00 PM
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