WE made it back to back. Meaning, as in last year’s edition, we also did our Kabig (Kapalohan Bisita Iglesia Group) ritual this year in just one province: Batangas. Last year it was Pampanga.
Like in all our previous pilgrimages, our latest was again a smashing success. Awesome as ever.
Thank you, mainly, to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Not even a minor hitch. Safe and sound trip all the way—as in our past 10 straight Bisita Iglesia forays.
Again, to those not yet in the know, our Bisita Iglesia has been a yearly Kabig trek involving some 10 intrepid souls hopping from one church to another in different towns. Inside every church that we visit, we offer prayers to each of the 14 Stations of the Cross commemorating the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Dear Lord Jesus Christ in the run-up to Holy Week (this year it’s from April 9 to 16).
After every recital/prayer in front of each of the 14 Stations, we all silently make a personal pitch for our own personal intentions.
It’s supposed to be a secret. But one member revealed hers.
“I prayed that the killings in drug-related cases will finally end,” said Ching J. Fernandez of SSS Village, Marikina City.
Almost everybody followed suit.
Said Mayor Luisito S. Visorde of Calauag, Quezon: “I prayed that all of us would always remain strong so that we could continue doing this yearly intimate encounter with Dear God.”
Elvie Florido, the wife of retired Prosecutor Vito Florido, said: “I prayed that up to our old age, we could still be together doing this devotion to Lord Jesus Christ.”
Said Sol F. Juvida, the journalist-writer: “Dear God, please keep our knees strong ‘till the end of time.”
Also in the group as original Kabig devotees are Dante T. Fernandez of Roxas City and yours truly. Rejoining us this year is Ken Visorde, who came with his mom, Liezl (also present last year), to complete the nine-person entourage. As usual, Bogs Mendoza, Benjie Romero and Reggie “Abs” Abadines were also with us. Bogs piloted the ever-reliable El Grandia (our ride since 2007) and Benjie the Navarra. Security back-up Abs doubled as a fotog.
For the record, our 2016 Kabig sojourn marking our first decade of devotion was in Pampanga: San Fernando’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Bacolor’s San Guillermo, Betis’s Our Lady of Lourdes, Saint James the Apostle and Saint Claire Monastery; Guagua’s Immaculate Concepcion, Santa Rita’s Santa Rita de Casia and Lubao’s Saint Augustine.
Our Batangas route last weekend included Laurel’s Immaculate Concepcion, Agoncillo’s Mother of Perpetual Help, San Nicolas’s San Nicolas de Tolentino, Taal’s Caysasay, Taal’s Basilica, SantaTeresita’s Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Cuenca’s San Isidro de Labrador, and Balete’s Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.
Notables were San Nicolas de Tolentino, who is the patron of the souls of purgatory; Taal’s Basilica de San Martin de Tours, which was built in 1575 and remains as the largest Catholic church in Asia.
Some data show the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Balete was brought to the country by Governor General Juan Nino de Tabora from Mexico via the galleon El Almirante in 1626. Tabora’s safe voyage across the Pacific Ocean was attributed to the image.
Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal is a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which fisherman Juan Maningcad “caught” in 1603 at the Pansipit River. Subsequent Marian apparitions documented by Spanish colonial church leaders continue to enhance beliefs of consistent, continuing miracles attributed to the Virgin.
One beauty of our last pilgrimage was all the seven Batangas towns we visited were found along Taal Lake (the brilliant idea was Sol FJ’s, as usual). Which means we practically circled the world-famed lake that cradles the iconic Taal Volcano.
After a daylong joust, we repaired in Talisay’s exotic, forest-laden Balai Isabel Hotel by the lake. And, as usual, we all spent a night of soulful merrymaking—our spirits rejuvenated once more by the grace of the almighty.
PEE STOP My family condoles deeply with Dave Macasadia, the SsangYong big boss, and Angelica Panganiban, the famous actress. Dave’s mother had passed away and so was Angelica’s grandfather, Fred. It was the Tondo-born Fred, who was our dear neighbor in QC, and his wife, Mila (may her soul also rest in peace), who raised Angelica, who is presently one of the country’s most sought-after stars on the silver screen. I saw Angelica grow up in our neighborhood. Like her Lolo Fred, Angelica always made it a point to hear Mass every Sunday at Our Lady of Remedies Chapel.