By Ate Leila Vicente—Catechetical Ministry
It was the 28th of May, the last Saturday of the month and though the rains poured relentlessly throughout the day, people were hoping against hope that somehow the sky would clear up. It did not.
Nonetheless, the parish workers came with flowers and floral foam to deck up the carroza hoping that the rains would stop in time for the Marian procession that evening. Dr. Alice Go and her husband had the carroza towed to the nearest vulcanizing shop to have its tires inflated. Kuya Danny tested the generator and prepared the four sulos of the carroza. The day before, another rainy day, Ate Shirley Ruiz put up the arch at the side of the altar and came loaded with white flowers and greens and proceeded to create a most lovely arch, befitting the beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother. By 5:00PM, the rains continued to pour and Kuya Cesar decided to invoke Plan B—the procession will be confined inside the church to be followed by the floral offering.
Notwithstanding the weather, the sagalas came, all 62 of them, some with consorts. Everyone was in church for the anticipated mass. Just before the mass ended, given the instructions by Fr. Luke that “lalabas ang procession”, the lay ministers and some parishioners scrambled to prepare the carroza for the procession. Mama Mary would not let the weather rain on her parade. And indeed the show went on.
It was a beautiful procession headed by the altar servers, eight young children from the Marian catechism class holding AVE MARIA placards prepared by Kuya Vic and Ate Cristy Vianzon, followed by the sagalas & consorts, all coifed and dressed to the nines. Mama Mary’s carroza brought up the rear. The elderly stayed in the church, waiting for its return. Despite the foreboding rain, the procession wended its way through most of the areas of the parish. When the procession finally reached the church, a long procession of flower-bearing girls and boys, ladies and gents, some on wheelchairs, laid their offerings before the Blessed Virgin. Mary received her floral crown from Ate Kate Geronimo and Ate Roseann Garcia while Ate Cora
Pangyarihan sang the Memorare. It was very touching! The Flores de Mayo ended with a prayer and final blessing by Fr. Luke.
Soon after, the arch and Mary’s statue became an instant ‘tourist’ destination as hordes of sagalas, their families and other parishioners surrounded the Virgin for their photo ops. The frenzy ended with light sandwiches and snacks. It was another eventful evening at SLRP.
Nonetheless, the parish workers came with flowers and floral foam to deck up the carroza hoping that the rains would stop in time for the Marian procession that evening. Dr. Alice Go and her husband had the carroza towed to the nearest vulcanizing shop to have its tires inflated. Kuya Danny tested the generator and prepared the four sulos of the carroza. The day before, another rainy day, Ate Shirley Ruiz put up the arch at the side of the altar and came loaded with white flowers and greens and proceeded to create a most lovely arch, befitting the beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother. By 5:00PM, the rains continued to pour and Kuya Cesar decided to invoke Plan B—the procession will be confined inside the church to be followed by the floral offering.
Notwithstanding the weather, the sagalas came, all 62 of them, some with consorts. Everyone was in church for the anticipated mass. Just before the mass ended, given the instructions by Fr. Luke that “lalabas ang procession”, the lay ministers and some parishioners scrambled to prepare the carroza for the procession. Mama Mary would not let the weather rain on her parade. And indeed the show went on.
It was a beautiful procession headed by the altar servers, eight young children from the Marian catechism class holding AVE MARIA placards prepared by Kuya Vic and Ate Cristy Vianzon, followed by the sagalas & consorts, all coifed and dressed to the nines. Mama Mary’s carroza brought up the rear. The elderly stayed in the church, waiting for its return. Despite the foreboding rain, the procession wended its way through most of the areas of the parish. When the procession finally reached the church, a long procession of flower-bearing girls and boys, ladies and gents, some on wheelchairs, laid their offerings before the Blessed Virgin. Mary received her floral crown from Ate Kate Geronimo and Ate Roseann Garcia while Ate Cora
Pangyarihan sang the Memorare. It was very touching! The Flores de Mayo ended with a prayer and final blessing by Fr. Luke.
Soon after, the arch and Mary’s statue became an instant ‘tourist’ destination as hordes of sagalas, their families and other parishioners surrounded the Virgin for their photo ops. The frenzy ended with light sandwiches and snacks. It was another eventful evening at SLRP.
