"Dear Rhona" - Simbang Gabi 2010 (St Edward, Newark, CA)

"Hey Ma, look what I did Christmas!" How lucky am to have participated in this wonderful tradition...

"Simbáng Gabi is a devotional nine-day series of Masses practised by Roman Catholics and Aglipayans in the Philippines in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary in anticipation of Christmas. Simbáng Gabi, which translates to Night Mass, is held from December 16 to December 24 and is usually done as early as 4 or 5 o' clock in the morning." -- Wikipedia

5 o'clock in our case (4.15 for warm-up), then had the best breakfasts with the parishioners afterward. Mass was said and sung in English, Tagalog, Latin and Spanish. I was so proud and privileged to be conducting this love community group, and I was able to do it again this year, 2011 (sorry, it took me a year to edit this)!

If you ever get a chance to go -- and Simbang Gabi is a now a big event here in the US -- go. When I first went in 2005, I JUST CRIED -- the ultimate combination of my culture, my faith and my passion (music).

"My First Simbang Gabi"
http://madkata.blogspot.com/2005/12/my-first-simbang-gabi.html

Now... what to do for next year? Sing, of course... :)

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