Christ is Born

After nine consecutive day of Masses in the anticipation  of Christmas and to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today is the last day of Simbang Gabi  (Night Mass) and will be held at St. Martin Church in Greenacres.

Attending the Masses is meant to show devotion to God and heightened anticipation for Christ’s birth, and folk belief holds that God grants the special wish of a devotee that hears all nine Masses.

The Simbang Gabi here in Adelaide was organized by Filipino Catholic Pastoral Support Committee with other Filipino Community around Adelaide with Father Loi Viovicente, Filipino Chaplain and the Parish Priest of Mater Christi Church.

This is my first time to attended the Simbang Gabi since moving from New Zealand to Australia, two years ago. Every Simbang Gabi , the Mass will be held in Different Church around Adelaide.

According to Oj Vargas, chairperson of Filipino Catholic Pastoral Support Committe, the Simbang gabi here in Adelaide was started six years ago.

The first of the Nine day series of Masses was held at Holy Trinity Church in Para Hills

2. St. Bernadette Church in St Marys with Adelaide  Archbishop Philip Wilson

3. St. John The Baptist Church in Plympton with Priest in Residence Father Kevin Taylor

4. St. Pius X in Dernancourt

5. Holy Rosary Church in Prospect with Father Alex Vickers

6. St. Thomas More Church in Elizabeth with Parish Priest Father Pat Woods

7. Holy Family Church in Parafield Gardens

8. Mater Christi Church in Seaton

For Filipinos, Christmas Eve (“Bisperas ng Pasko”) on 24 December is celebrated with the Midnight Mass, and the traditional Noche Buena feast.

Family members dine together at around midnight on traditional yuletide fare, which includes: queso de bola (Filipino Spanish for “ball of cheese”, which is made of edam sealed in red paraffin wax); tsokoláte, noodles and pasta, fruit salad, pandesal, relleno and hamón (Christmas ham). Some families would also open presents at this time.

The FCPSC would like to invite you tomorrow (Dec 24) at Mater Christi Church in Seaton for the Christmas Mass and the celebration will start at 9pm.

It was a fruitful journey for me and to my family . Thank you God for the blessing you have given us.

I would also like  to Thank you to all my sponsors and to my readers and followers.

Have a Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year !!!