La Virgen

In late November to early December, the San Roque Church played host to a Marian exhibit. Actually the host (or hostess) was San Roque's patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga.

The images included the Mater Dolorosa, Nuestra Señora de la Turumba, Nuestra Señora de la Leche, Nuestra Señora del Rosario and many others.

I took these photos at a time when the exhibit was closed, and got shooed away by a caretaker, who mumbled that visitors weren't allowed when there was no one around to watch, because Las Virgenes' accessories and finery might get stolen. In the past and in other places, thieves have not spared these images. And so I hesitated to upload this post, fearful that bad people might get wind of Our Ladies' whereabouts. But now the Marian exhibit is long gone from Cavite City and I can safely post the pictures.

Here are the many faces of La Virgen, this blog's tribute to Her, who gave Holy Birth to the Man whose cumpleaño the world is celebrating this season.



In the backdrop is the yet unfinished ceiling of the San Roque Church, corrugated sheets still. Holding court among all was the image of La Soledad so familiar to Caviteños.

San Roque Church renovation update

Tiene egroup el mga Caviteño que ta ayuda na construction del San Roque Church, el casa de La Soledad. Ya habla ilo, mga dos o tres año pa raw bago caba el iglesia, pero cabao ya raw el physical structure. Ya umpisa el construction di quel 2001. El nombre y email address del egroup sanroquerenovationgroup@yahoogroups.ca.

I was in Cavite the past days, and I've been marvelling at the devotion of those supporting the church's construction. There was one particular supporter that caught my eye.

Primero, ya mira yo con ele cerca na palengke, pero ta maneha yo y no hay yo camera at that time kaya no yo ya pudi saca litrato. The next day, ya mira ya naman yo con ele, ta dale vuelta na kalye Rafael Palma. Ta maneha ya naman yo kaya no yo pudi saca picture. After that, no ma yo ya encuntra con ele.

And then, just as I was leaving Cavite, I saw him, her, it. Black Toyota Innova parked along Lapidario St in San Antonio, faith and support to Our Lady of Solitude written all over. Near the front is the line: "Help Build Our Church."

Viva La Soledad

For all Caviteños everywhere, here is a belated greeting on the feast of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, Cavite City's patroness. Happy Fiesta!

Below is the official poster commemmorating the event, courtesy of Ms. Joy Picache dela Rosa of the Cavite City Library and Musuem. Gracias, Ma'am Joy!

The price of progress: Cavite Road Project

Looks like the Manila-Cavite coastal road project is quietly pushing through, and if newspaper reports are to be believed, one proof is that fishing villages in Bacoor, Cavite are being told to prepare to be wiped out.

That's the gist of the story that came out in today's Philippine Daily Inquirer, and in the print version, there was even a graphic of the route from the Zapote Bacoor Interchange to the projected Kawit Toll Plaza and Interchange, a seven-kilometer stretch of road over water that will have three viaducts spanning the coast of Bacoor.

After the Toll Plaza, the expressway proceeds inland into Noveleta and on toward Sangley Point which is again planned as an international hub of some sort. Habla Chabacano had a post on that a year ago, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of Sangley gearing for hub-ness?

Anyway, here's the full article entitled "Cavite road project stirs poor villages" that came out today.

Misa Chabacano

Credit must be given where it is due.

The Mass being said every second Saturday in Chabacano is translated by Ms Joy Picache dela Rosa, curator and librarian of the Cavite City Library and Museum (CCLM). At right is a sketch of Ms Joy which appears in CCLM's monthly newsletter.

Ms. Joy sent me an email, and I'm taking the liberty of posting it here:

Hello, I read in your blog that you were able to get a copy of the Misa Chabacano.

Actually, I do the translating of the Sunday Mass from the Tagalog and English misalette to Chabacano. We hold the Misa Chabacano every 2nd Saturday, 6 PM at San Roque Church. Since I am a member of the Lay Ministry of the Word, you can usually find me serving as lector at the Misa Chabacano.

Hope to see you there...

Caviteños who would like to hear Mass in Chabacano are invited to attend.

Ms. Joy knows everything and anything there is to know about Cavite City and Chabacano, for all of you out there who have questions and comments. She publishes the monthly newsletter Aviso and if you would like to get your copy via email, let me know and I'd be glad to forward your email addresses to her, for inclusion in CCLM's mailing list.

The Apostles' Creed in Chabacano

At the San Roque Church in Cavite City, anticipated masses are said in Chabacano every other Saturday evening.

My grandmother and uncle usually attend these masses, and they gave me a copy of the mini-misalette.

The mass is called Misa del Pueblo. In Tagalog, Ang Misa ng Sambayanan, in English, the People's Mass.

I will eventually share the misalette with you in this blog, but for now, let me just give you The Apostles' Creed in Chabacano. It needs no translation.

Ta cre yo cun Dios, el Padri todupoderosu
Qui ya haci el cielu y el tierra;
Y cun Jesu Cristu, Su unicu Hiju, el Señor di niso
Qui ya concebi por mediu del poder del Espiritu Santo.
Y ya naci cun Santa Maria Virgen; Ya sufri por mandu di Ponciu Pilatu;
Ya clava na cruz, ya muri y ya interra; Ya baja na lugar del mga muertu;
Na tercer dia, ya livanta: Ya subi na cielu
y ta sinta na manu derecha de Dios, el Padri todupoderosu;
Desde alla, di vini Eli otra vez para juzga
El mga vivu y el mga muertu;
Ta cre yo cun el Espiritu Santu;
Na Santa Iglesia Catolica, Na comunin del mga santu;
Na perdon del mga culpa; N resureccion del cuerpu;
Pati na vida eterna. Amen.

Despues de una larga ausencia

Apologies for the long absence. Work got in the way, and could not be ignored, specially in these hard times.

I'd like to post here a comment made by an anonymous reader of Habla Chabacano, in reaction to a post about Padre Pedro. Here is what Anynoymous said:

Yo naci' en la ciudad de Cavite en 1944 durante la guerra contra Japon. Conoci' Padre Pedro Lerena, un puro espanol. Era un padre de parochial my estricto que ponia miedos a los Cavitenos. Yo servi' como un sacristan durante mis ninez. El padre era un buen amigo de mi familia, mi abuela, especialmente porque eran paisanos. Mi abuela nacio' en Barcelona, Espana pero crecio' en las Filipinas desde su quinta anos de edad hasta su muerte en 1952, edad 84 anos. Su nombre era Doña Angela Zabala Borromeo.

Below is a translation of Anonymous' comment, done with a little help from Google's translation tools.

I was born in Cavite City in 1944 during the war against Japan. I know Father Pedro Lerena, a pure Spanish. He was a strict father who put fear in the hearts of Cavitenos. I served 'as a sacristan during my childhood. The father was a good friend of my family, my grandmother, especially because they were countrymen. My grandmother was born in Barcelona, Spain but grew up in the Philippines from the age of five until her death in 1952 at the age of 84. Her name was Doña Angela Zabala Borromeo.

Any old-time Cavitenos out there who have something to say about this? Your comments are welcome.