Family Traditions You Bring with You Through Life

Visita Iglesia 2012 @ Notre Dame de Vie Chapel, Fernbrook Gardens

Blessed Maundy Thursday!

In a few hours, we'll be hearing The Last Supper Mass, where we will also witness the washing of the feet. Jesus washing the feet of his disciples is a powerful message for me. It speaks of humility and service, which many leaders have difficulty practicing.

After mass, we'll be going Visita Iglesia, perhaps around the area still. We wouldn't want to spend hours on the road when we should be spending it in church praying and reflecting. 

In the old days, I remember practicing Visita Iglesia by visiting seven churches and pray before the Blessed Sacrament. Recently, the practice has been transformed into a modern-day Via Crucis or Way of the Cross, also known as Stations of the Cross, reliving the passion of Christ from his condemnation to his crucifixion. Thus, families would visit 14 churches, making each church one station.

On three occasions we did just that. The first one was we went with fellow parishioners in the parish-organized Visita Iglesia to Batangas. Then the next one, we joined another parish-organized Visita Iglesia to Bulacan.  My favorite church in this route was St. Anne of Hagonoy, Bulacan. Read about it here. The last one we did a complete 14-church visit was in Laguna, where we just followed a route printed in the newspaper. Then four years ago, we attempted to do a Visita Iglesia in Tagaytay but the traffic was so bad that we had to make a detour. Thus, we ended up in two churches, one of which is Notre Dame de Vie Chapel as pictured above and the other one was St. Benedict Church in Ayala Westgrove Heights.  

Growing up, my memories of Holy Week comprised of super quiet days and nights spent reading the Bible, reflecting and praying. We would stay home and didn't do anything else but that. No TV, no radio. That routine would only be interrupted by going to the church to hear mass. My parents were set about not going on trips during those days. They only allow trips to the beach on Resurrection Sunday.

I think I have imbibed this tradition, if you can call it that, thus I am never comfortable going on trips on Holy Week. I have nothing against those who travel, ok, but it's just me. Like this year, we have an invitation to spend the Holy Week in Cabanatuan. I like the idea but I am not too comfy about travelling, especially on a Holy Thursday. If we do plan to spend the Holy Week in another place, we prefer to travel a week earlier and be in that place come Holy Week. 

Once again, my household now is quiet as we prepare for the mass later at 5pm. I am just writing this because I felt the urge to share this story today (In fact, I didn't want to touch the laptop or phone and go online.).

On this most important occasion in the Catholic Church, I want to devote my time to be with my Lord.