May 29,2011, Sunday 25 years of Pilipino Catholic Ministry in Chicago; Our 37th Wedding Anniversary.

My wife and I sang in the 11:00 o'clock mass as members of the St. Timothy choir and at 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon, we attended the 25th year of Pilipino Catholic Ministry at the Cathedral. I was also one of the ushers wearing my barong Tagalog,  formal wear among Filipinos comparable to the coat and tie of the western world.

After the celebration, a stomach filler was served in the cafeteria followed by a musical rendition in the Auditorium. Pilipino church choirs of different parishes and some young musical talents rendered Philippine favorite songs and medleys in the vernaculars plus the dances which were a mixture of Spanish and native influences, that sent ovations from the crowd. Even Cardinal George who was in the front row favorably remarked on the great performance.

Watching the stage renditions, flashed back home memories streaming in my mind - the crimson-colored small rice bird (maya) in the rice fields, the carabao egrets wading in the puddles, (tinikling dance), the bamboos swaying along the river, the vintas (Philippines sailboats) slashing the wavy sea, on the backdrop of the beautiful sunsets, of Romeos serenading in the tropical moonlight nights. Oh, those wonderful, lazy days and sleepless memorable nights!