(The following was contributed by Naty Lapuz-Templo.)
By now, residents of Don Enrique Heights should have their copies of the Holy Week program distributed by the chapel committee. The program details the religious activities to be observed in the community from the afternoon of Saturday, 31 March, up to Easter Sunday, 8 April.
As tradition dictates, there will be the blessing of palms, the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, washing of apostles’ feet, mass of the Last Supper, Stations of the Cross around the park (not through the streets of DEH as in previous years) with the chapel as the starting point, commemoration of the Lord’s Passion, the procession of the Sto. Entierro, the lamayan, the Easter vigil mass, the blessing of fire and the Easter candle, and the salubong.
One, if not all, of our three resident priests — Fathers Steve Tynan, Geoffrey Coombe, and Brian Steele — will be available to hear confessions in the afternoon of Saturday, 31 March. If we cannot make it then, we can still go to confession at St. Benedict Parish on Holy Wednesday, 4 April, at 6:30 p.m.
Although it does not appear in the program, a pabasa is scheduled on Monday, 2 April. I heard that a group from Bulacan will do the chanting/reading. I wonder why residents have not been encouraged to participate in it.
We shall not hear the Seven Last Words in our chapel on Good Friday. This activity will be done in St. Benedict Parish at 1:00 p.m.
Those who will go to the Easter vigil mass on Saturday evening need not bring candles. The chapel committee will provide these, equipped with decorative shields/guards that will catch the candle drippings (instead of them from falling on the chapel floor).
On Easter Sunday, kids will again be treated to some fun and prizes at an Easter egg hunt on the chapel grounds at 7:30 a.m. With Babeth Lazo, Auring Santos, and Maritoni Littaua as the ladies in charge, our young “egg hunters” can expect an exciting time. Since about eight years ago, we have incorporated this western activity into our Easter celebrations, like other urban communities. In some places, though, children look forward to the ringing of church bells during the “Gloria” symbolizing Christ’s resurrection from the dead, at which time they must jump in the air, in the belief that this will “help them grow taller.”
In my hometown
I remember in my hometown, Arayat, Pampanga, decades ago, we teenagers flocked to a makeshift hut, to do our own version of the pabasa. Aside from the fun of hearing our own voices reverberate all over town, the occasion gave us a chance to bond with friends and classmates, and to partake of the tasty arroz caldo or sopas or sotanghon being served there. I also remember some irreverent guys attempting to change the “tune” to something jazzy or march-like but they were scolded by the elderly women, so they were forced to go along with the usual mournful singing.
I recall my dear lamented father who, although not a regular Sunday-mass-goer, never failed to join the Good Friday rites in our town church. In fact, Holy Week seemed to inspire such great piety in him that he admonished us children to observe all the season’s devotions to ensure our place in Heaven.
An Easter event that we particularly welcomed was the burning of the effigy of Judas Iscariot, accompanied by the burst of firecrackers and the blaring of trumpets. The ritual may as well proclaim, “Jesus Christ is risen, down with His betrayer!”
Sticking to tradition
We expect our Catholic community to come together to worship during this Holy Week. Families in all the streets have roles to play in all its phases. As in previous similar church activities, they can be trusted to carry out their responsibilities.
In charge of putting the program together are Alice Caballes, whom we fondly call “Mother Superior” and her capable assistant, Armin Vera Cruz. Fr. Brian is the priest-in-charge.
Except for the sight of flagellants whipping their backs bloody, our community is set to observe Holy Week in the traditional way.
