Pope John Paul: Lost in Bangkok

Pure-bred Roman Catholic

I am what you would call a full-blooded catholic. My parents are devout catholics who never miss to hear the sunday mass. I had 12 years of catholic education, thanks to the nuns who became the favorite topic of cruel high school jokes. During high school, I used to hear mass every wednesday and finish the Our Lady of Perpetual Help novena. Sometimes, when I have time, I even attend the mass on fridays, this time for the Sacred Heart of Jesus novena. I never miss going to sunday mass, misa de gallo, as well as every catholic procession you can think of.

Bless me father for I have sinned...

If I were to go to confession now, I would have to take a long pause after the phrase "Bless me father for I have sinned." You are supposed to tell the priest when you had your last confession. So I would say: My last confession was... ahhh... hmmm... let me think... 18 years ago!!! Well, what do you know, my last confession is already celebrating her debut. It was that long ago!

But my last communion was not too long ago. It was, if I'm not mistaken, about 10 years ago, right after college. You see, I firmly believe that before having communion, one must be clean and pure, and therefore, has to have confession first. And since I have not had confession for a loooong time, I very seldom go for communion.

Talking about communion, my elementary friends and I firmly believe that one good measure to know if the Lord has forgiven you for your sins is to have communion. The hostia (unleavened bread), upon touching your mouth, should rest on top of your tongue, not at the roof of your mouth. If it got stuck to the roof of your mouth, then you are in trouble, the Lord did not forgive you. Little did we know that all these business about the bread's stickiness is purely due to your saliva's acidity and all those scientific theories.

I missed the Pope

While in Bangkok, I stayed with a pinay friend for a weekend. She was going to hear the mass that Sunday, so I thought it to be my duty to go with her. After all, I have not heard mass for more than a year now. I thought, it wouldn't hurt, and after all, I can always make 3 wishes. (They say that you should ask for 3 things everytime you visit a new church).

Now, with all the masses that I went to during high school, I've actually memorized the whole text of the mass. I can recite all the prayers, the priest's dialogue, and the responses. That is why it gave me a jolt when I didn't hear Pope John Paul's name! His death suddenly became very real to me. I felt nostalgia wash all over me, and I felt lucky that I was actually given the opportunity to see him in person at the Vatican a few years back. I miss mentioning his name during mass! It's like knowing that Pluto is not a planet after all. Or if Santa Clause finally decides to retire. It brings chaos to an otherwise orderly world.

Sunday as a social event

Going to that cathedral in Bangok, I saw many pinoys -- lectors, sacristans, choir members, and mass-goers. It was like going to a sunday mass in the Philippines. It makes me think, aside from the joy one gets from praising the Lord, the sunday mass is a great help for expat pinoys and OFWs. It becomes a social event for them, interacting and being with fellow pinoys. I met a pinay expat here in Malaysia. She was surprised to know that I have not attended any sunday mass in Penang. For her, it was the only thing that helped her with the homesickness.

Must make a mental note, that when I go home for Christmas, I will attend at least one misa de gallo, and hear the sunday mass on Christmas and New Years. After all, I want to familiarize myself with the new pope. What's his name again?

2:09pm

03 December 2006

Sunday

Penang