Maundy Thursday pilgrimage 2012

I will sharpen the saw.

I decided this year, I'd go on a journey during the Holy Week. Originally, I was planning to go way up north, to Batanes. It was a chance to take photos, to see new sights, to eat new types of food... basically, to see a culture that I haven't seen before. This trip was supposed to be similar to the Holy Week Ifugao-Mountain Province trip my family took in 2000 (we went to a Presbyterian Easter celebration) and the Marinduque trip we took in the 1990s (to see the Moriones festival).

Then Lola Estay's health took a turn for the worse and all my travel plans were placed on the back burner. Nothing grand is in the books for me this Holy Week. I decided to keep things simple this year: Good Friday and Easter Sunday with the family. But what about the annual Maundy Thursday Visita Iglesia?

This year, I opted to go to the churches that I'm fond of going to. I was aiming to reach Our Lady of Caysasay Church and the Basilica de San Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas or the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila. As I was finalizing my plan, I thought that the last church I'd visit would really depend on how I was doing in terms of time.

In the end, I ended up visiting five churches instead of seven. Two of these churches are very special to me (because my family went to church there when I was in grade school) and it was my first time to visit the other three churches.

Don Bosco Seminary, Canlubang

My dad graduated from high school from Don Bosco Makati. He must have had good memories there because when we were younger, he would bring the family to the Canlubang campus to attend Mass and to encourage us to take on sports. I've always had the impression that the Salesians are very close to kids and aren't intimidating as priests. None of the Padre Damaso stereotypes... at least based on my limited experience. Aside from the people though, I like going to this particular Don Bosco chapel because it's so peaceful. Trees surround the campus and contribute to the illusion that I'm far away from the road.

St Joseph the Worker Parish, Canlubang

This is one of my favorite churches. Not because of the architecture; it's a small and simple, yet beautiful church. Like the seminary, the church is surrounded by trees. It is a serene place to go hear Mass in. After seeing many ornately decorated churches in different towns, seeing one that looks just like a barn is a relief.

Sta Cecilia Church, Canlubang

This church is in the heart of Ceris Subdivision, where I used to learn how to drive (Shhh!). It's my first time to visit this church. I wasn't able to go in because the doors were closed but what caught my attention was the large bell that was hung outside the church. It says "Nuestra Sra. delos Desamparados" (Our Lady of the Abandoned). Another peaceful church; it's surrounded by trees and ornamental plants. Plus, it looks just like a house! I wonder what it feels like to hear Mass there.

Mary Help of Christians, Sta Rosa

I've long wondered how to go to this church. From the Eton/ Ayala Greenfields exit, one can see the slanted cross of the church across the grassy fields. This may not be true for much longer because one day, the grassy fields will be dotted by houses and the church won't be visible from far off anymore. Another peaceful church; only a few people were quietly going through the Stations of the Cross when I dropped by. The yellow sun put the church in a good light.

St John Bosco Parish, Sta Rosa

Another Don Bosco church, I see. This one, though, was right by the road to Ayala Westgrove. Since I got there less than an hour before the Mass, I decided to finish my pilgrimage there. The place, while considerably packed due to the time, was still peaceful. The wall behind the altar had a mural, something that wasn't present in the plain walls of the other churches. The images of saints and the Cross here were all covered with purple cloth.

At the end of the day, I realized that my parish pilgrimage was more than a road trip to see churches. It was a spiritual journey. The churches I went to reminded me that the church building people are going to is not as important as being at peace in undisturbed prayer in whatever church you find yourself in.