Filipino Community Holds Simbang Gabi For Disaster Victims at Meguro Church, Tokyo
Photos of the first and last days of the Simbang Gabi of the Filipino Community held at the Meguro Catholic Church in Tokyo.
The Filipino community held a nine-day Simbang Gabi on 15-23 December 2013 at the Meguro (St. Anselm) Catholic Church in Tokyo for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and the earthquake in the Philippines.
The Philippine Embassy headed by Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel M. Lopez, with the support of Meguro Church Pastor Fr. Leo Schumacher S.S.C., the Meguro Parish, the Catholic Tokyo International Center (CTIC) and the Philippine Assistance Group (PAG), joined hands with various Filipino community groups and choirs in the Kanto region in organizing the Simbang Gabi for the disaster victims.
Filipino priests from around the region – Fr. Jay Madrona, Fr. Chito Lorenzo, Fr. Jun Peralta, Fr. Jack Serate, Fr. Philip Bonifacio, Fr. Nelson Cabasisi and Fr. Roed Desamparado – celebrated the first eight Simbang Gabi masses. The mass on the final day was celebrated by Fr. Leo.
The Simbang Gabi masses were well attended, with around 100 to 350 people attending each day. Collections from the Simbang Gabi masses amounting to JPY 472,336 (around PHP 200,000) will be donated to the disaster victims in January 2014.
After each mass, refreshments donated by various Filcom groups and private companies supporting the Filipino community were served at the Church Hall, including traditional Filipino fare such as arroz caldo, suman, pan de sal, queso de bola, hamon, kape and salabat.
