8th Sunday After Pentecost: Our TLM in Sorsogon City

St. Jerome Emiliani Chapel, Aemilianum College Inc., Sorsogon City, Philippines The Chapel is maintained by the Somascan Order. Traditional Latin Mass is held every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

As usual the 8th Sunday after Pentecost Liturgy was celebrated at the St. Jerome Emiliani Chapel, Aemilianum College Inc., The theme for today's Liturgy revolved around the Mercy of God. We who have received mercy from God must thank Him and serve Him. And s such we owe our obedience to Him. The First Lesson was taken from the Letter of Paul to the Romans 8:12-17. Here St. Paul tells us that we are not debtors to the Flesh but to Him who has redeemed us from sin. While the Gospel Reading was taken from Luke 16:1-9.

Christ said: "Let the little children come unto me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these!"

I volunteered to take the Picture of the Group who assisted at Mass. The Lady with her children have consistently been attending our Traditional Latin Mass. It inspires me to see these innocent little children attending the Mass. Jesus has promised God's Kingdom to these little children. Who could imagine that there would be a Traditional Latin Mass in Sorsogon City? My first encounter with the Traditional Latin Mass dates back in 2003 when I was in-charge of our extension program in Quezon City. But recently with changes in the administration of our University, I was given a different assignment thus my frequent trips to the Big City became less frequent. I can no longer regularly attend the TLM in Manila. I have talked to several priests in our diocese but it seems no one is interested. Indeed the Lord works in wonderful ways and who could tell then that today we have a TLM in Sorsogon City. Although I live far from Sorsogon (I am from Albay a neighboring province of Sorsogon) traveling from my home city of Tabaco is not so much a sacrifice. God is indeed good and He works in wonderful ways. Like a Shepherd Our Lord provides for the needs of his flock.

Fr. Abraham Arganiosa, CRS

After the Mass, our celebrant and Chaplain of Aemilianum College, Fr. Abe Arganiosa, CRS greeted the faithful with his cheerful smile, not minding the thick vestments, the heat and the humidity. The mass ended at around 12:10 p.m. The chasuble Fr. Abe is wearing is actually very old. He found it in the old sacristy of the College. In fact he also found a red one. As well as a deacon's dalmatic and some old sacramentary. The vestments are very old but still elegant looking. Fr. Abe has ordered new green vestments from Neumann but until now it has not been delivered as yet. Perhaps the tailor is busy with orders. So I encouraged Fr. Abe to use the old green vestment he found in the their old Sacristy. He was a bit reluctant to wear the old vestment. But I prodded him to do. I would guess that this beautiful vestment dates back to the 60s but after the liturgical reform in the 70s fell into disuse. The maniple was missing though. Our TLM apostolate does not have complete vestments as of now. We do not even have candelabras and altar lines. But we are doing what we can with our little resources. Our altar servers are little by little getting used to the TLM. This morning I noticed that their older member is beginning to respond to the dialogs portion of the mass. They already know when to ring the bells (by the way Fr. Abe provided a larger bell in the chapel recently), and above all they are getting used to frequent genuflections which is not common in the Novus Ordo. I noticed though that the prolonged kneeling proves to be a test to their endurance and patience. The boys are really struggling. But I believe that with time they will get use to it. I am way older but I find kneeling edifying and it increases my devotion and submission to Our Lord. If ever there are pains in my knees I offer them for the relief of the souls in purgatory.

Charitable souls who could contribute to the furtherance of this apostolate are welcome to extend help. The Lord bless you with much abundance as you help fill the need of the faithful in this part of the Philippines. Our apostolate needs to procure vestments, missalettes for the faithful and other furnishings. The furnishings of the chapel is intended for the Novus Ordo Mass thats why we need to complete the vessels and furnishings for the TLM so that the worship of God will be rendered in a most dignified and beautiful ways. But above all we believe that Our Lord looks at our hearts and our sincerity, simplicity and obedience are the most precious incense we could offer the Lord.

"Fear not Little Flock for it is the Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom."

Some of the regular attendants to the Mass were not present this time. Some of them are in their own parishes busy with the icon of Our Lady of Penafrancia's visit to the Diocese. Our Lady of Penafrancia is the Patron of the Archdiocese of Caceres of which the diocese of Sorsogon is a Suffragan.