Today we celebrate one of the greatest mysteries of our Christian faith, the Holy Trinity. This celebration reminds us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are equal persons of the one true God. They are never separated, though, each one of them is a distinct divine person. There is unity of essence and relation within the three divine persons.
The concept of the Holy Trinity is not easy to explain in human terms. We know the story of St. Augustine of Hippos who sought to understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity so that he could explain it logically. Preoccupied with this as he walked along the seashore, he saw a little boy who made a hole in the sand and was fetching water from the sea and emptying it on the hole he had made. When he asked the little boy what he was doing, he replied that he was trying to empty the sea into the little hole he made. That was an impossible feat that showed St. Augustine how difficult it was to fully understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
You probably already know another story about a young boy who climbs a mountain in India to meet a guru. When he got to the top, he found the guru sleeping and woke him up. The guru asked him, “What can I do for you, young man?” He answered, “I want you to explain God to me.” The guru smiled and said, “A God that can be explained is not a God that you should worship.” And went back to sleep. This is so because once we can define God and fully understand him, then we have reduced him to something we can manage and control. It is not about the truth of these stories that matters, but the fact that, like the little boys, understanding the mystery of the Holy Trinity in its logical form is difficult and unnecessary. What is important is understanding what it holds in stock for us.
The doctrine of the inner relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a mystery in the sense that we grow every day in our understanding of it, but might never know everything about it. The readings would not get us there. The word Trinity is not found in the Bible. Early Christians arrived at the doctrine when they applied their God-given reason to the revelation which they had received in faith. Jesus spoke about the Father who sent him (the Son) and the Holy Spirit he was going to send. He said that the Father had given him (the Son) all that he has and that he in turn has given to the Holy Spirit all that he has received from the Father. In this, we see the unity of purpose among the three persons of the Trinity.
The importance of this doctrine lies in this: we are made in the image of God which we have seen to be a mystery. Experts in religion tell us that people always try to be like the god they worship. People who worship a warrior god tend to be warmongering, people who worship a god of pleasure tend to be pleasure-seeking, people who worship a god of wrath tend to be vengeful, and people who worship a god of love tend to be loving. Like a god, so the worshippers. Therefore, the more important question for us to ask today is: What does the doctrine of the Holy Trinity tell us about the kind of God we worship and what does this say about the kind of people we should be?
The human person is a mystery. We are made in God’s image and likeness. We bear something of God and something of human nature. We are not just human, but equally God in human expression. Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him” (John 14:23). We grow every day in self-knowledge. It is funny that despite the many years we have lived, we still surprise ourselves sometimes. We still don’t fully understand ourselves. That is why we struggle to understand ourselves more and to become the better version of ourselves. If we still struggle with understanding ourselves, how difficult is it then to understand others? This is an invitation to be patient with people, just as God is often patient with us.
By creation we recognize the creative power of God. By redemption, we recognize his infinite love that made Jesus undertake the pains of the cross. And by sending the Holy Spirit, we see that God loves to be with us at all times. These show us that God himself does not exist in solitary individualism but in a community of love and sharing. God is not a loner. He is a community of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These core characteristics should be seen reflected in us: creativity, love, compassion, assisting those in need, cooperation, and standing up for one another. This means that a Christian in search of Godliness must shun every tendency to individualism. The ideal Christian spirituality is that which encourages unity in diversity.
The mystery of the human person can be better understood in a loving relationship that mirrors the relationship that exists among the Trinitarian God. We are so diverse and gifted differently as individuals. Our gifts and talents become useful in the context of community when we put them at the service of others. God is God because he made humans through whom he reveals himself. Just as God is God only in a Trinitarian relationship, so we can be fully human only in a relationship of love in a community. The self needs to be in a horizontal relationship with others and a vertical relationship with God. In that way, our life becomes Trinitarian like that of God. The I-and-God-and-neighbor principle becomes our model of relationship.
Today, the church reminds us that the three divine persons are not divided in their essence and actions. Instead, they work together. Therefore, what we celebrate today is a model for our unity in diversity. One of the important lessons we can learn from the Holy Trinity is that in spite of our individual personalities and differences, unity is possible and a fundamental option. We need to reassess the place of unity in our communities, relationships, friendships, marriages, and families. It also reminds us that in spite of our different talents, gifts, social, and economic levels, we can live and work together for our salvation and the salvation of the world.
Like the apostles, we as Christians must carry this message: that God, that Jesus, that the Holy Spirit is love, and that He is present among us. He is present as Father in the love we give and receive, and also in those who give time and attention to the needs of their fellow human beings. He is present as Son in our faith; the faith we preserve and express in difficult times, suffering, and adversity. And He is present as Spirit in our faith that is stronger than all doubts, and in our enthusiasm that always renews and opens our faith to God’s endless love.
Sisters and brothers, may that be our experience of the Holy Trinity, the mystery that we will never be able to grasp with our human minds, but which instills in us that God is infinite love, close to us at every moment of our existence in the communion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen
One of the accusations that the Jews brought against Jesus during his trial was that he called God his father, and in that way sought to claim that he was one with God. They could not understand how Jesus, who they could see as a human being, could claim to be God. But Jesus did not stop there. He went on to say that we too are united with God, and are one with God. To make matters worse, he said, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (John 14: 23). Knowing how difficult it was for his audience to understand his deep spiritual teachings however, Jesus used various metaphors to illustrate his teachings, especially about the relationship that exist between him and his disciples. Last week it was “I am the good shepherd and you are the sheep of my flock.” In today’s Gospel, it is “I am the true vine and you are the branches.”
This Gospel reading is taken from the middle of the Last Supper discourse. There, Jesus spoke about his relationship with his disciples. Using the metaphor of the vine and the branches, which refers to the metaphor of God’s relationship with Israel that was constantly used in the Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus showed himself to be deeply united with those that belong to him. In the Old Testament, Israel was constantly referred to as the vineyard, and Yahweh himself was the master who planted the vineyard and tended it. God took the vine out of Egypt and planted it, watered, and pruned it (Psalm 80: 8-11). Therefore, he expected it to bear fruit. The prophets used this metaphor to remind the Israelites of the consequence of turning away from God whenever they did something wrong.
By using this metaphor, Jesus teaches his disciples that his relationship with them will not end after his death; he will remain with them always. This unity between Jesus and his disciples is the basis for their ability to continue to do the work that he began. Similarly, Jesus’ presence with us through the Gift of the Holy Spirit enables us to continue the work of love that he began. Just as the branches receive life from the stock, so do all who unite themselves with Jesus. He becomes their vital force, inspiring, leading and guaranteeing the life of grace in them.
Jesus also teaches his disciples about the importance of the words he has spoken to them. Keeping his word is the guarantee for remaining in him. It is also the assurance of winning God’s favor and receiving from God what we need or ask. For ourselves who did not see Jesus in the flesh, we come to know him through the Scriptures, the living Word of God. Our commitment to be Christ’s disciples is sustained through God’s Word. This commitment is also strengthened by our life of prayer and nourished by the Eucharist. Through the Eucharist, Jesus dwells in us, remains with us, and transforms us so that we might bear fruit in his name.
The image of pruning is a powerful one. Any gardener knows that growth should not be unchecked and unmanaged. There comes a time when pruning is necessary. It can appear to be a destructive act, and at times a gardener is emotionally reluctant to do it to a beloved plant, but it is absolutely necessary to allow fresh growth and ensure the plant’s long-term vitality. It is just like the plants and flowers we have in our gardens. There comes a time when we must trim them. Otherwise, they will not look beautiful. If you don’t prune the grapes, they won’t bear much fruit. But you also need to know what to prune, and how and when to do it. This image refers to our own lives. We must allow our own lives to be pruned so that we might continue to bear the right fruit.
Notice that the gospel tells us that God is the one who does the pruning, not ourselves. This should be an encouragement because if we were to do it ourselves, we might do it wrongly. What is required of us is to turn to God to help us set the priorities right. We can have a lot going on in our lives and at some point, it becomes too much and we start cutting. Unfortunately, we don’t always trim for the right reasons. We might keep what is fun rather than what is good for us. We might hold on to what makes us popular or what is easiest. The other option might be to get rid of everything, which could be an extreme reaction. But when we turn to God to do the trimming, he brings us to his light to see clearly what needs to be removed and what to keep.
We see in the first reading how Jesus pruned Saul who was destructive to the spreading of the Gospel and made him an apostle. The previous section of the Acts of the Apostles describes Saul’s persecution of the first Christians. He was devout in his Jewish faith and therefore was deeply offended that some of his fellow Jews were accepting Jesus as the Messiah. So Saul imprisoned many of them. He was present when Stephen was martyred, and consented to this violence (Acts 7:58 – 8:1). Saul believed that he was rendering service to God by killing those polluting what he considered to be the pure religion. While traveling to Damascus for this purpose, he was confronted with a vision of Jesus and was converted. His name was changed from Saul to Paul, and he was able to bear fruit for the Gospel to such an extent that a larger portion of the letters in the Bible are attributed to him. Without such pruning, his life would have been wasted pursuing what he considered just, yet unacceptable to God.
When Paul tried to join the other disciples, they were all afraid of him, having heard all he did to destroy them. In today’s reading, we see Barnabas reassuring the Christians in Jerusalem that Paul’s conversion was authentic. He narrated Paul’s encounter with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, and how afterward Paul had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. After the Jerusalem Christian community accepted him, Paul continued to speak out boldly for Christ. When Paul’s life was threatened because of his boldness in the public debate over Jesus Christ as the Messiah against the Hellenists, it was the same Christians he persecuted who had become part of his new family that saved him by bringing him to Caesarea – an important port city northwest of Jerusalem – from where he traveled to Tarsus.
Beloved friends in Christ, Jesus has called each of us to bear fruit. And we can only do that by being part of him who is the true vine. It is dangerous to choose any other way like Paul tried to do before his conversion. As the Scripture wans, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to destruction” (Proverbs 14:12). If we are cut off from him, we can’t do anything. Let us, therefore, continue to grow in our union with Jesus and thus continue to bear fruit in his name. Amen.
By Fr. Marcel Uzoigwe, C.S.Sp. (Is 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Phil 2:6-11; Mk 15:1-39)
Dear friends in Christ,
The universal church celebrates Palm Sunday today to mark the glorious entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. That begins the last journey that would lead to his death on the cross and eventual resurrection when we celebrate Easter. Palm Sunday leads us to the very peak of the Christian faith. The readings of today, especially the Passion narrative, dwell on the betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus on the cross in a very touching and painful manner. Why would Jesus who went about doing good, healing the sick, and raising the dead (cf. Acts. 10: 38) suffer so much?
Suffering is something we all have experienced in some proportion. It is not fun, and no one likes it. Yet, it is a human reality. Every era and every culture has its understanding of suffering and seeks to find solutions or ways to deal with suffering to alleviate it. There is already enough suffering in the world. We suffer on many fronts, from natural disasters and diseases to human-induced suffering. What people do to cause suffering to each other is indescribable. Abuse of power, unbridled selfishness, feelings of insecurity and fear of losing one’s position, being trapped in an ideology, lack of respect for the life of others, carelessness and laziness, and slavish compliance with the norms of a culture, are some of the factors that cause suffering to people.
Suffering is not something to wish for, especially when it leads to nothing positive and greater in proportion to it. We frown at what some people might call meaningless suffering. By that, I mean suffering that leads to no good and that can be avoided. It could also be inflicted suffering from betrayal, lies, mockery, bullying, and all that springs from hatred and the desire to destroy the other for no just cause. The list of what might be regarded as meaningless suffering in human terms keeps expanding each day. When people who are positive about euthanasia speak, they seek to convince their audience of what they consider meaningless suffering and the only solution they can think of as ending one’s life. But can there be a meaningless suffering or do we conceive it to be so due to our perspective in life – the way we look at things or understand them? If we should have a clear picture of what comes much later after the suffering or take a cue about suffering from a divine perspective, will that change our view about the sufferings we might encounter in life, and how we respond to them?
The passion narrative we have just read declares Jesus’ attitude towards suffering. Jesus shows a way through suffering, not a way that makes us suffer less or some kind of grace pill as a pain reliever. He drank the chalice of suffering to the bitter bottom. He was betrayed by his close associate (Judas), abandoned by his disciples who preferred to save their own lives by running away and leaving Jesus alone to suffer, forsaken by his own Father (my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? – Mark 15:43), mocked by the crowd he fed (John 6: 1-14) and healed of their sickness, accused by Chief Priests he came to instruct on true righteousness and condemned by Pilate to please the Jewish leaders. In all these, Jesus bore his suffering without taking revenge. He responded to evil with goodness, lies with truth, and enmity with love. In that way, he brought to practice his teaching on the Mountain (cf. Matthew 5: 43-44: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”). Love was central and the determinant of all his actions.
The passion narrative would make no meaning if it was all about Jesus alone. Its beauty lies in the fact that it is about us. Jesus needed not to suffer for his own sake because, being God, he needed no salvation. But as Isaiah earlier prophesied, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted”(Isaiah 53:4). This attitude is the attitude of sacrifice, of willingness to sacrifice, of overcoming oneself and going all out to do it for the sake of the other. It is an attitude we can only develop by first recognizing and dealing with our selfishness, fears and insecurity, attachments, and self-interest on many fronts. Jesus has shown us that path most radically and completely.
Christianity is not a faith and an attitude to life that makes life easier for us in the human sense of the word. It is not a kind of opium that numbs us in the face of suffering nor is it an antidote to the reality of suffering. If that is the case, the sufferings that Jesus underwent wouldn’t have been real. His pains would have been faked and the whole idea of salvation through his painful death and resurrection would be contestable. It is rather the other way around. Through our faith we receive the strength, the insight, the courage, the perseverance, and the inner joy that comes from knowing God is with us in all things, good and bad, joy and suffering, pain and healing. Faith enables us to experience the transformative power of God who, through the sufferings of Jesus, has brought about the salvation of the world. Thus, even in the face of inevitable pain or suffering, we know that we are not alone and that God who allows it has a greater goal in view for us.
Isaiah tells us in the first reading that the Lord God has given him a well-trained tongue, that he might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. He gave his back to those who beat him, his cheeks to those who plucked his beard and did not shield his face from buffets and spitting. This would not be ordinarily recommended to anyone in the human way of thinking. We humans think in terms of self-defense and retaliation. Referring to Jesus, this prophecy clearly defined the path that Jesus took and would recommend to his would-be followers. He has alleviated people’s suffering in every possible way, through healing, and liberation; the blind could see again, the lame could walk and the deaf could hear, and the dead were raised to life. Yet he allowed himself to undergo suffering. It is now easier to understand why his mockers taunted him saying, ‘he saved others; he cannot save himself’ (Mark 15:31). Being extremely selfish, the Jewish leaders could clearly not understand that Jesus concentrated on saving the world rather than on himself. And this is what he calls us to do. By loving one another and getting interested in the welfare of others, we offer God true worship and are in turn loved and cared for by God himself.
Yet another verse in the prophecy of Isaiah leads us into the second reading. There it reads, ‘Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back’ (Isaiah 50:4). Rebellion is an offense to God. The entire biblical history of God’s anger against his people is linked with the concept of rebellion as sin, and that is often coupled with pride as the prime cause. Paul described Jesus in the second reading as the epitome of humility whose exaltation is based on his humble acceptance of the role of the suffering servant. He took that role and played it perfectly out of love for us so that we who are controlled by pride and selfishness would learn the true meaning of love and thereby become salvific in our dealings with our fellow men and women.
The passion of Jesus was for a purpose. He worked hard in that part of an imperfect world and underwent suffering himself to break its bondage on humanity. Through faith in Jesus, men and women can now be liberated from the clutches of evil in the human heart, the suffering that arises from lack of love, lack of faith, lack of trust, fear, and lies, from lust for power and deceit, excessive greed and selfishness. Humanity can enjoy the freedom brought by Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
We too are invited to be partners in continuing the work of Jesus through faith in him expressed in the living out of the Christian principles of love. Let this Holy Week be a period of sober reflection to truly realize what Jesus does for us and discover how we can be part of his saving mission to the world around us. Amen.
By Fr. Marcel Uzoigwe, C.S.Sp. Wis.12:13,16-19, Rom.8:26-27, Matt.13:24-43.
Dear Friends in Christ,
Our society has changed a lot. Most children today know nothing about agriculture. One child was asked where eggs and vegetables come from. He replied that they come from the supermarket. You can’t blame the child. Every farm product comes from the supermarket. At least, that’s where you buy them, and that’s all some children born in the city know about farm products.
Growing up with my parents in the village, we had a farm where we planted different kinds of seeds. There I experienced today’s parable that Jesus used to convey a message about the kingdom of God. After tilling a field, we sow the seeds. Within a few days or weeks, the seeds germinate. As the seeds grow, we notice another seed growing around or near the good seed. Sometimes the planted seeds and the weeds looked alike: they shared the same soil nutrients, enjoyed the same weather, and received the same amount of water and sun. Before harvest, we weed the farm. If we weed too early, some desirable crops may be unknowingly uprooted. No matter how careful we are, good seeds will always be tampered with in the field.
Jesus told a parable about a man who had planted good seeds in his field. But at night the enemy came and planted weeds among the grain. The weeds germinated along with the wheat. The servants of the owner of the field where the good seed had been planted asked to remove the weeds from the wheat. The request was refused because by doing so they might also remove the good seed.
The enemy is identified in the parable as the devil. His intent is made clear. It is to destroy the good done and plant evil. Just as Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). It is difficult in life to identify the adversary because some actions seem good at first, but are later discovered to be evil in intent. It is also difficult to know people’s intentions behind their actions. As Shakespeare wrote, “There is no act to find the mind’s construction in the face.” So we can facilitate the enemy’s plan without knowing it. The master in the parable was wise enough not to allow his servants to clear the weeds when the right time has not yet come. It takes time and patience to discover and understand what is not immediately obvious to the senses. Moreover, separating herbs and weeds takes time and patience. Just as the good seed and the weeds are similar, so too, in many cases, good and evil are not immediately recognizable on the surface.
St. Augustine used the image of the two cities to indicate the struggle between evil and good. He called the first Babylon, the second Jerusalem. And he used the story of Cain and Abel from the book of Genesis (Genesis 4:1-16) to illustrate it. He took Babylon to mean confusion, and Jerusalem to represent the vision of peace. He indicated that by looking closely at the city of confusion, one understands better the vision of peace. That implies that the presence of evil can serve to recognize its opposite which is the good that man must strive for, just as darkness enables us to appreciate the light.
The parable of the Sower is also a signpost for our lives. The wheat and the weeds are both present in our hearts. There is always an inward struggle between good and bad within the hearts of men. We see the effect only when people give in to them. When someone gives in to anger, for instance, and acts accordingly, only then do we know what has been going on in him. Likewise, we know that someone loves us, not just when the person says it but when we experience it in action. That calls us to deep reflection. Do I recognize the weeds within myself? Do I know how to deal with it to avoid scattering it in others? Do I have the patience to know when and how to uproot them without endangering the good in me?
That invites us to learn how to discern. Discernment is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.12:10). It is the ability to judge situations properly, and have a good understanding of the moral and practical consequences of our decisions. If we possess the gift of discernment, costly mistakes, and misfortune will always be avoided. With discernment, we recognize whether or not something is truly from God, in accordance with God’s will, or in consonance with the devil’s agenda.
We have the example of Gamaliel in the Acts of the Apostles. He discerned properly during the persecution of the apostles before the Sanhedrin by advising them to leave the apostles and let them alone; because if what they were doing was of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God the Jewish leaders will not be able to stop them, rather they might even find out that they were fighting against God” (Acts 5:34-39). Without discernment, we cannot distinguish the wolves in sheep’s clothing, or the true prophet from the false prophet (Matt.7:15).
The good news is that we can pray and ask for the gift of discernment and be assured that God will grant it to us. Paul assures us in the second reading that the Holy Spirit can help us to pray properly in accordance with the mind of God. That is of great encouragement. Besides, the other two parables in the Gospel reading speak of the potential for growth in a positive direction. The first is the parables of the mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. This smallest of all seeds grew to become a big tree that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches. The second is the parable of the yeast a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through. These give the confidence that divine power working through us can accomplish infinite greatness (cf. Ephesians 3: 20).
The gift of discernment will enable us to learn from Jesus. There is always a struggle between the forces of good and evil. There is a need to be patient and not be quickly judgmental. Rather we need to tolerate and pray for one another. A sinner today may be a saint tomorrow. A prodigal son today may come to his senses tomorrow and return home a changed person. The first reading described God as strong and just in his judgment, yet lenient to all. By doing so, he has taught a lesson to his people that the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men, and has given us the good hope that after sin he will grant repentance.
Learning to discern is to follow Jesus’ example. May God grant us the gift of discernment to separate what is fundamental and good from what is transient and evil so that we may seek first the kingdom of God in all things.
A documentation of the 25th anniversary celebration by Mary Lynn van Dijk
On May 28, 2023, twenty-five and a half years since five Filipinos organized the first once-a-month Mass in Gouda in December 1997, the FCC Gouda celebrated their silver anniversary. Since it was a very special occasion for the community, and not just because it was Pentecost Sunday, Father Mark Robin Hoogland, CP, concelebrated the Mass with Father Marcel Uzoigwe, CSSp.
Father Mark Robin and Father Marcel and the FCC Gouda acolytes, Rena, Elpi and Gio. Photo by Mercy Ordiz.
Everyone had been asked to dress in Filipiniana. The ladies were especially lovely in their ternos and kimonas, while their Dutch and Filipino men were handsome in their barong Tagalog. Because Father Marcel was himself a birthday celebrant, after Communion, he joined the others who had their birthdays in May, while Father Mark Robin blessed them.
Father Mark Robin blessing the birthday celebrants. Photo by Mercy Ordiz.
After the Mass, the FCC Gouda commemorated their 25th anniversary with a potluck dinner and a program of singing, dancing and playing parlor games. The celebrations began with Hans Oosterwijk, FCC Gouda Secretary, looking dapper in his light beige barong Tagalog, thanking everyone, but especially the event’s sponsors, the names of whom are listed at the end of this article. Then he turned over the microphone to Father Marcel who looked handsome in his bright white barong Tagalog. Father Marcel led us in a prayer of thanks.
Father Marcel wearing his white barong Tagalog. Photo by Mercy Ordiz.
Hans then introduced Father Mark Robin Hoogland, CP, who had celebrated masses for eight months. Father Mark Robin is Provincial Superior of the SPE for the Netherlands and North Germany, President of the Executive Board of the Conference of Religious based in the Netherlands (KNR), Member of the Advisory Board of the Radboud University of Nijmegen’s Faculty of Theology, and has a PhD in Theology obtained from the Catholic University of Leuven. Father Mark Robin recalled being invited, and after talking with the FCC Gouda Board, agreeing to say the masses in Gouda, after Father Dan Ceballos, msc, suddenly died in August 2016. He also talked about learning from us, that he admires our spirit of community. On a recent trip to the Philippines where because it was thought too dangerous for him to be in Mindanao, he stayed in Manila. There he was able to witness firsthand Filipino culture. He did not mind eating rice in the morning, but it was hot. In the evenings, it cooled down to 27 degrees C which was bearable. Like other Dutch people, he couldn’t quite understand how it is (possible) that very rich people and very poor people could live beside each other. Father Mark Robin added that he admired our FCC Gouda members’ commitment to being active in the church, to helping each other adjust to the culture, climate, and language, but especially the food, which must be very different from what we are used to.
He told us, “You brought your faith with you. You are missionaries yourselves. In sharing your faith, you are doing what the apostles were sent out to do at the very first Pentecost.” He congratulated the FCC Gouda, and urged us to continue with what we are doing. In parting, Father Mark Robin said, “Pagpapalain kayo nawa ng Diyos.” Thank you, Father Mark Robin! May God bless you, too. Then it was time to congratulate our dear Father Marcel, who had celebrated his birthday on May 25th. Amor van Os, FCC Gouda Chair, called on Jane Streefland-Osigan, FCC Gouda Treasurer, to bring a large box to the front which Hans presented to Father Marcel who seemed pleased to receive it and said thanks.
Then came the first presentation of the evening. Vivian Santua, Marietta Boswinkel-Retuya, Christy Jong-Seno, Benny Farma, Marivic Adema, Luz van Starre, Jenny Luna, Dita Koolwaaij-Subeldia and Catherine de Wild sang Ako ay Pinoy and Matayog ang Saranggola ni Pepe under the masterful guidance of FCC Gouda choir mistress Susan Horn-Perez. Tony Farma and John Santua accompanied them on their guitars.
The FCC Gouda Choir singing Ako ay Pinoy and Matayog ang Saranggola ni Pepe. Photo by Mary Lynn van Dijk.
Mr Frank Marcus, Vicevoorzitter of the Parochie Sint Jan de Doper in Gouda, was supposed to give a short talk. He gave it instead during the Mass. He related the beginnings of FCC Gouda, how in December 1997, the first once-monthly mass was held, organized by five Filipinos living in Gouda and Gouderak. (Note: Billy Hoogendoorn and Rebecca Oosterling are two of those original organizers who are still active in FCC Gouda.) He also related how in 1999, the Filipino Catholic Community (FCC) was established, with groups in Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Tilburg and Gouda. Father Dan Ceballos, msc, was appointed pastor and he said a mass each Sunday in a different location. (Note: With Father Dan’s untimely demise in August 2016, and after it was decided that the four FCCs go their separate ways, several priests were invited to say the Mass, until in 2018, Father Marcel Uzoigwe, CSSp, agreed to become shepherd to the FCC Gouda flock.) Mr Marcus added that on behalf of the parochie he was pleased to say that we are welcome to use the church for our masses and other activities for the next 25, 50, or even 75 years. We gave him a big applause. He then called on Amor, who has been FCC Gouda’s voorzitter for the last 12 years, and handed her a bouquet with 25 cream roses.
Frank Marcus and Amor. Photo by Mercy Ordiz.
Going back to the program, it was the turn of Consul Mr Nomer B. Ado II to give a speech. He was in Gouda on behalf of Ambassador Malaya, and after thanking the FCC Gouda for the invitation, relayed his congratulations. May we continue to foster the Filipino spirit in the Catholic Church, he said, and spread the kindness and hospitality of Filipinos all over the world. He also wished us the best for the celebration.
Consul Ado from the Philippine Embassy in The Hague giving his short talk. Photo by Mercy Ordiz.
As an intermission, Amor, now the emcee, took out the bunch of 25 roses and holding it up, said that the flowers were for all of us. She then gave it to Mercy Ordiz to distribute, with two flowers each for Billy and Rebecca. Next on the program was the medley of songs sung by Glenda Huisveld-Adonis and Leah Kilian-Macatangay, of the Salamat Musika group, and the FCC Dordrecht. They sang very well indeed.
Glenda and Leah singing their medley. Photo by Marissa van der Graaf.
After thanking them, Amor called on each of the past and present FCC Gouda Board members to come forward. She thanked them for their help and efforts and handed each of them a small present. Then Jane Streefland-Osigan, Martin Streefland, Susan Horn-Perez, Elpi Gutierrez, Irene Hameete, Jenny Luna, and Hans Oosterwijk posed for a photo with Amor.
As another short intermission, Amor called on couples to dance. Lovella and Lennart van der Weiden obliged as well as Vivian and John Santua and Benny and Tony Farma. They danced to the music played by Nova and Norie who comprise DJ Oxie2.
As it was almost 18:00, a break was deemed necessary so that people could have dinner. Everyone obediently took their place in a long queue, waiting patiently for their turn to get some food from the dining table full of mostly Filipino and Dutch (or other Western-style) dishes.
While some had eaten, and others were eating, the PowerPoint presentation created by Myra Colis was beamed on the wall. Father Marcel provided a commentary as photos were shown of the activities undertaken by the FCC Gouda in the last twelve years. (Note: Previous FCC Gouda Board members did not have the foresight to take photos.) In December 2016, the FCC Gouda Board changed the name of the community to FCC Gouda and (Its) Surroundings, and applied for recognition as a foundation. In January 2020, the FCC Gouda Foundation received ANBI status, which means periodic donations to FCC Gouda could be declared in one’s belastingaangifte (income tax return) and could theoretically reduce one’s tax due by the same amount of the gift. If the reader wishes to make a periodic donation to FCC Gouda, please contact one of the Board members.
The PowerPoint presentation featured photographs taken of the many activities FCC Gouda as a community has undertaken to fulfill its three core activities: Worship and Prayer, Services, and Improvement and Growth. The full presentation can be viewed on the Facebook page of FCC Gouda and Surroundings. Lovella van der Weiden and Christy Jong-Seno gave testimonials. Towards the end of the presentation, Father Gilbert Razon, SVD, who had celebrated a few Masses, admonished us to “huwag mag-away, mag-away” (don’t quarrel [with each other]) and wished us the best on this our 25th anniversary.
After this, we watched with delight as FCC Gouda dancers danced to the music of Mamang Sorbetero. Lea van Rhijn-Saga, Elpi Gutierrez, Rena van Kleunen, Irene Hameete, Jane Streefland-Osigan, Luz van Starre, Amor van Os, and Billy Hoogendoorn wore straw hats and kimonas over matching skirts. Kristine Baul Morsy played the role of the sorbetero (ice cream man) and she, too, had a straw hat on, a cool box to put in the ice cream, and a bell which she jiggled, like a real sorbetero.
FCC Gouda ladies dancing to Mamang Sorbetero. Photo by Mary Lynn van Dijk.
Their dance pleased the audience so much, they did an encore, with Rosa Cabrillas and Evelyn Mendoza of FCC Rotterdam and Marissa van der Graaf and Nova Villaver of FCC Dordrecht dancing along. Then it was the turn of FCC Dordrecht to present a dance. Marissa looked splendid in her pink terno, while Nova looked dashing in her barong Tagalog. They danced to a Pantomina Bicol folk song.
Marissa and Nova of the FCC Dordrecht dancing. Photo by Mary Lynn van Dijk.
After thanking Marissa and Nova for such a graceful dance, Amor asked Father Marcel to come to the front and light the tea lights around one of the three cakes baked and beautifully decorated by Lucy van Ginkel-Latraca. Amor asked Rebecca and Billy to come forward to cut the cake, but before they did that, Hans’s daughter and Lucy’s son, Bjorn, came to the front, at Amor’s urging, to represent FCC Gouda’s next generation.
Then came the modern interpretation of a traditional Igorot dance by Nila Tayco, Lilia Bartonico and Marissa van der Graaf. Nila and Lilia are from FCC Rotterdam, while Marissa is from FCC Dordrecht. It was a pleasure to watch the dancers in their traditional Igorot dress dancing with their woven baskets.
Lilia, Nila, and Marissa rendering their modern version of an Igorot dance. Photo by Mary Lynn van Dijk.
Amor then invited everyone to come and dance, and the FCC ladies took up their places on the dance floor, moving in time to the music with natural grace and talent. They also tried to follow the dance steps featured on the beamed videos, but some were much too difficult to follow.
The FCC ladies showing their dancing moves. Photo by Mary Lynn van Dijk.
Then it was the turn of the FCC Rotterdam group to present their La Jota Moncadena dance. Dancing were Arnold Paco and his partner, Lilia Bartonico, Rosa Cabrillas, Linda Sanchez, Margelita Limen and Milanie Eraya.
The FCC Rotterdam dancers dancing their LaJota Moncadena dance. Photo by Mary Lynn van Dijk.
What followed were the parlor games which included the newspaper game, Trip to Jerusalem, and other games, both for the adults and the children.
To close the celebration, the ladies dressed in Filipiniana were asked to come in front. The Best in Costume (Ladies) prize was given to Lovella van der Weiden who had an exquisite red terno on. She received the loudest applause from the audience. The men in their barong Tagalog also competed. Father Marcel received the most applause from the audience, and thus, he won the Best in Costume (Men) prize.
Congratulations to the FCC Gouda Board for organizing a highly successful event.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & THANKS Decorations were set up by Kristine Baul Morsy, Irene Hameete, Gene Boon and Jereco, Luz van Starre and Lea van Rhijn-Saga. Thank you, ladies, and Jereco. Thank you, too, to Marlyn Rontal who helped prepare the decorations but had to leave for the Philippines. Thank you to all who brought food and drinks to share. God will bless you for your generosity. Thank you, thank you to all who helped clean up after the event, under the leadership of Luz van Starre. Thank you to FCC Rotterdam and FCC Dordrecht for preparing songs and dances, and for coming to Gouda to help celebrate this auspicious occasion. Thank you, DJ Oxie2, for playing such danceable music. A special mention and big thank you to Tony Farma and John Santua for providing musical accompaniment with their guitars to the FCC Gouda choir’s wonderful singing. Thank you, lovely ladies of the FCC Gouda choir. You liven up our Masses. Thank you, Myra, for creating the PowerPoint presentation. Thank you, Mercy Ordiz, for taking photos of the event. Thanks, too, to those who contributed their photos. Our deep gratitude go to the sponsors of this event: B.E. Hartman, Jr. J.G. Follero Tessa van As Administratiekantoor FiHansieel Amor and Jaap van Os J.D. van Kleunen Lita Henke-Mariano Ton Smits V.B. Santua Lea and Alex van Rhijn Catherine and Herman de Wild Jane and Martin Streefland Elvie Padilla Gene Boon and Jereco Elpi Gutierrez Jochella Was-en Strijkservice. And special thanks to Marissa van der Graaf, Arnold Paco, Irene Hameete, Amor van Os, Jane Streefland-Osigan, and Susan Horn-Perez for their assistance with the names of those mentioned here. Finally, thank you very much to Marissa van der Graaf, and Mary Lou Ybañez Van Tol for uploading their video clips to the Facebook page of the FCC Gouda and Surroundings, where the singing and dancing can be viewed (again). Also thank you, Mary Lynn van Dijk for documenting our 25th anniversary celebration through this article– indeed a day to remember!
