7 Churches 7 Lessons

Holy Week

Visita Iglesia is a tradition where people visit at least 7 different churches on Holy Thursday & Good Friday. It is one of the most popular Holy Week panatas, or sacred vows, that Filipino Catholics make.

So I did my research on Google Maps and look for popular churches in Metro Manila. Although there are a lot of beautiful and famous churches in the city, I just don’t wanna go there just for the sake of it.
Plus, the popular ones are the most crowded so I added some more research… until I found my 7 churches.
The objective is to get 7 churches that will give significance and moral lesson to me and my family.

So here are my 7 Churches and the 7 Lessons that we learned from it…

1.) REMEMBER THE DEAD, PRAY FOR THE LIVING (St. John Bosco Parish, Makati)
=> This church has been the Funeral chapel for our dearly departed (Martinez Family). This place gives us a lot of reason to remember them. The happy times together and why we will always cherish them forever.
We also prayed for the living. Especially the troubled and those who are in need of God’s guidance.

2.) WHY PEOPLE ARE BAD? (San Ildefonso Parish, near Pasay)
=> The church is near Pasay City. In the past, Pasay was known as the country’s “Sin City” because of the proliferation of prostitution dens masquerading as nightclubs and bars. High criminality rate was also recorded during that time.
We prayed and ask guidance to the Lord to shelter us from evil but more importantly to try to understand them as to Why are they made that way. There must be reason for it.

3.) SHED SOME OF YOUR RICHES TO THE POOR (St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori Parish, Makati)
=> This parish is beside Magallanes Village. It’s an exclusive residential development for the rich and elite. So we went there not only to give thanks for all the blessings that we received but also to ask God to enlighten the others (especially those who are really rich) to shed more of their money to strangers. It they do that, it will be for their own good.

4.) FIND YOUR TALENTS AND USE THEM (St. Joseph Parish, Bamboo Organ, Las Pinas)
=> This place is renowned to house the Bamboo Organ, a pipe organ made mostly with bamboo pipes. Music enthusiast often visit to see the talented musicians play the bamboo pipes.
They are not the only ones who has the talent. Each one of us do too.
If you don’t know your talents yet, ask God, and please use it and share it to the world.

5.) LOVE YOUR COUNTRY (San Antonio de Padua Parish, near Parañaque City Hall)
=> This House of God is a few steps a way from the Munisipyo. It’s a branch of our government, which resembles our country. There is too many corruption in the government, too much hate in our media and society, and more reasons for our fellow Filipinos to migrate to a foreign country.
We spent some time here to pray mainly for our country and our countrymen to stay and make the Philippines better.

6.) BLESSED ARE THE POOR (San Agustin Parish, Parañaque)
=> This parish is where the humble houses are located. I really inserted this Church to our itinerary so that my kids will know how the Poor people live. But if you really observe carefully… are they really poor?
Maybe in this world they are, but not in God’s kingdom.
You want proof… well these people are more generous than the rich.

7.) FOUNDATION OF MY FAMILY (Our Lady of Beautiful Love Parish, Merville Park Parañaque)
=> The church is inside Merville Park. It is a place where I grew up with my Grandparents. My Lolo and Lola taught me all the right values in life.
When I got married, I went back to the same house and bear 2 handsome children. They too grew in Merville and also had the same teaching from their Great-Grandparents.
Family is important because it is an extension of God’s love.
We are the living proof that we too are the church of God and we too should pass on their teaching from generations after generations.

So there are my 7 Churches and the 7 Lessons that we learned from it.
I hope next year. The next time you will do Visita Iglesia, you will get the true teachings from our creator who love us all dearly.

Written on March 31, 2018