Simbang Gabi & Christmas Lights

ST FRANCIS ASSISSI — Before the crack of dawn last Monday, the first “Simbang Gabi”, and just before 4 a.m., Fr. Emmanuel “Bong” Gonzaga, parish priest at Maa, Davao City led in the public countdown for the “switch on” of the church’s newly installed lights.
When I arrived under a drizzle, the dazzling courtyard and illuminated church with new chandliers were fully-packed, overflowing — some even umbrellaed in the rain. Fr Bong, in his usual down-to-earth booming voice during the homily with the parishioners, was thanking some parishioners and those who helped refurbish the church into a radiant house of worship that it was. He also mentioned the “NANDING BOYS” principally Anthony “Taras” Sasin and Al Barretto who both helped light up the place. Being myself one of the group, so-called because we are close friends and unofficial “acolytes” of Archbishop Emeritus Nanding Capalla, I was shaken from dozing off when he suddenly mentioned my name as among the Nanding Boys. That kept me wide awake all throughout!
But what was unforgettable then was when he specially mentioned and thanked one of the Nanding boys, Engr. Art Milan of Davao Light whom he said personally saw to it that the power needs of the church, although with unusually high in load due to new installed lights, would be uninterrupted. Just as he finished his sentence, suddenly all the lights went off. For a while, I thought it was part of a script. But it lasted for a while that FR. BONG had to speak on top of his voice to continue with his homily. After a while the lights went back on. Another interruption took place somewhere later in the mass. I whispered to Beth that perhaps it could be the circuit breaker. I thought Art, who was somewhere in church must be squirming in his seat.
After the Maa mass, the Nanding boys met up with Archbishop Nanding over breakfast at Apo View hotel who, by the way, looked so young and active for his age. Less pressure and stress really do wonders. Then we asked Art about the ‘brownout”. We all had a good laugh when he said that no, it was not part of any script and that already instructed his Dalight men pronto to take a look at the circuit breakers right after the mass. And yes , it’s “Murphy’s Law” in action. “ If something can go wrong, it will.!” And it did! hahaha!
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GUIHING CHURCH — I also attended “Simbang Gabi” mass at the Perpetual Help parish church in Guihing, Hagonoy, Davao del Sur, our family’s hometown. You should also see the lighted courtyard with distinctive candle-light lanterns in a mellow glow at night surrounding the church grounds. Fr. Jade Calumpong, the parish priest lit up his place to blend with the giant christmas lightings in the adjoining public plaza that our family installed for our neighbors in the barangay. Thanks to the family of the late Dona Gabriela Walstrom ( through “Monsi” Cris de la Cruz and Roger Larrochea whom I met in Zamboanga City) who allowed the use of their idle property lot for the barangay folks to enjoy during the Season.
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CHEERS TO ALL THOSE WHO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY AND BLESSED. !! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!! — from all of us in the Dureza Family.