The parishioners of Santisima Trinidad Parish in Malate, Manila, have been attending Masses not just in the parish church. They also hear Masses on the streets within the parish community.
Led by Parish Priest Fr. Carmelo (Jek) P. Arada Jr., street Masses are held twice a week besides the in-church Masses on weekdays and on Sundays.
Fr. Jek, as he is fondly called by the parishioners, schedule the Masses in 21 barangays covered by the parish, he told the BusinessMirror after a street Mass held at Barangay 752 headquarters.
The street Masses are held “to bring the church, to bring Jesus closer to the people,” especially to those who have difficulty going to church, Arada explained.
Besides the Masses, the 14 Stations of the Cross are currently being held on Fridays of Lent also on streets, giving the parishioners, “more chances to be closer to Jesus.”
During the Stations of the Cross “we accompany Jesus so the people would see his suffering, and be able to relate it to the suffering they are undergoing,” he said.
Besides the Masses, Arada and the other priests of the parish also go around the community to pray for and anoint the sick, and hear their confessions.
Lay ministers also give communion to the sick, who could no longer go to church on Sundays.