‘Simbang Gabi’ resumes Friday evening at St. Thomas Aquinas Church

 


by Susan Palmes-Dennis

ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina—After being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual ‘Simbang Gabi’ or ‘Night Mass’ will be held anew at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church on Dec. 17 at 7 pm, Friday. 

Lota Mascarenas, a parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, said their ‘Simbang Gabi’ is now on its 11th year after it was started by the church’s Filipino parishioners. This year’s Simbang Gabi is sponsored by the Couples for Christ and North Rosary Group, Mascarenas said. 

Father Matthew Codd, pastor of the St. Thomas Aquinas Church, is the celebrant of the Mass. Members of the St. Thomas Aquinas Filipino community will serve as choir. 

The Hymn Halina Jesus, a common Tagalog church song, will be sung at the processional to start the Holy Eucharist. 

The song ‘Unang Alay’ will be sung as the gifts are prepared as is the song 'Ang Kristo Ay Gunitain' during the acclamation.

The first 2009 'Simbang Gabi' at St. Thomas Aquinas Church
The Filipino songs harken back to the memories of Filipino-Americans who attend the annual ‘Simbang Gabi’ at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church and the activity also drew even non-Catholics in the Charlotte area. 

Other classic Tagalog Christmas songs like ‘Pasko Ay Sumapit’ and ‘Sa Iyo Lamang’ will also be sung during the Mass. 

Mascarenas, an active parishioner, encouraged those attending the Mass to wear Filipiniana dress for the females and Barong Tagalog for the males. 

‘Bring your family to celebrate, let us come together for all his blessings and prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus,’ she said.

In 2009 multilingual songs involving Tagalog, English and Visayan songs were sung while the general intercessions were done in Pangalatok, Kapangpangan and Visayan. 

In the Philippines, the ‘Simbang Gabi’ or ‘Midnight Mass’ is held for nine days at Catholic churches running up to Christmas Eve. Other Catholic churches within the diocese of Charlotte also started their ‘Simbang Gabi’ this year.

A light dinner will be served after the Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Everyone is asked to bring food to share with everyone.


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