I first heard about the Asian Youth Day through my parish (SFX) youth coordinator, Cheryl Anne when I walked into her office one weekday night. She told me that she was trying to get some people to attend and asked if I was interested.
That night, I walked into Cheryl’s office just to greet her but left with a certain yearning to attend the AYD 5. I returned all relevant documents within the next 2 days although I had no idea what I was signing myself up for.
After the 2 weeks of guided reflection at CAYC on” Sharing the Word” and “Living the Eucharist” by a Verbum Dei Sister, I still felt unprepared and I even started having doubts about going as I discovered that I would be missing my Parish’s 50th Anniversary celebrations and Dinner.
Anyway, I prayed about it and decided to surrender all my inhabitations to God. When I arrived in Manila on 20th Nov, all my doubts vanished and I knew that I was called by God to be at AYD 5.
Days in the Diocese (DID)
Day 1
I was attached to the parish of Sto Nino (Infant Jesus in Spanish) in Tondo which is one of the poorest districts in Manila. Many have a bad impression of Tondo and are afraid of visiting the district due to negative impressions of the place. However, the people at Tondo were very warm and welcoming and it was really a very safe place to live in. The streets were vibrant and always abuzz with activity.
On day 1 of my arrival, the parish planned a grand welcoming Mass for us. The liturgy was solemn and the liturgical dances inspiring. After the Mass all the delegates attached to Sto Nino were ushered through the centre aisle of the Church where a school band and a welcoming party was awaiting our arrival at the main entrance.
There was a concert planned for us with school children dancing and playing musical instruments before we were taught how to play Pinoy games (Filipino games). All the games were very creative and fun to play and it opened my eyes to the simplicity of the people who enjoyed much bonding through physical games unlike the youth of Singapore who are glued to screens all the time.
After the games I was introduced to my foster family who were very easy to get along with. This family took care of me for 3 days and provided for my basic necessities such as meals and accommodation. They even went the extra mile to bring me to the “Mall of Asia” which is supposed to be the biggest Mall in Asia.
Day 2
Today, there was a tour organized for all the delegates and we had the opportunity to walk through the snake route which is a fenced up route leading to the roof top of the church where a replica of the Infant Jesus Statue is placed for people to pray before it.
As I walked through the route, it began to dawn on me that the Filipino people were very faithful and simple people. People who needed tangible aspects of their faith to feel God’s presence around them. This simplicity and faithfulness touched me as the majority of the lay worshippers did not have much knowledge and depth in their understanding of their faith but that did not stop them from praying and building a relationship with God.
After the tour, we were brought to Paco Catholic School for a Talk and Cultural dance night. This was the location for all the delegates attached to various parishes in the Archdiocese of Manila to converge. Here, all delegates were treated to performances and talks on the political climate of the Philippines. This talk was aimed at helping the youth of the Archdiocese of Manila to make the right choices when voting for a new leader.
The talk lasted for 4 hours and many of the delegates were beginning to get restless. However, the Filipino youth were very attentive and respectful towards the speakers although some were not as engaging as others.
After the talk, the delegates were treated to a grand and sumptuous dinner and we were also taught 4 cultural dances. This day was a truly insightful day as I had the opportunity to let my hair down and dance. In Singapore, I am always reserved and was always worried about what others might think about me if I were to go up and dance. In the Philippines, although I was a horrible dancer, instead of teasing or laughing at me, the youth were encouraging and appreciative when I attempted to learn and try their dances.
Day 3
The parish organized an overnight vigil for the feast of Christ the King along a street in the district of Tondo. Tents were set up and people gathered to pray and adore the Blessed Sacrament. I joined the vigil at 5.30am in the morning and was touched by the fact that the people could practice their faith so publicly. I was later told that the whole idea of the vigil which would be followed by a procession through the streets of Tondo was for evangelization.
The procession began at 7am and as we walked through the streets, the crowd grew larger and larger. Everyone was participating by singing and reciting prayers and at regular intervals, the Blessed Sacrament would be placed on a make shift altar which selected households had prepared. At these stations, a Priest would lead the people in praying for a certain cause.
Mass began as soon as the procession arrived at the Church and at the end of Mass, all the delegates were invited to showcase their talent by dancing the theme song of AYD 5, A new season of grace. Instead of walking off, the people gathered around the front of the Sanctuary to watch and some even participated by waving their hands in the air. This was indeed a true sign of Filipino hospitality.
Before the day ended, we were given an opportunity to distribute food to the poor in the district of Tondo. These poor people would gather in the parish every Sunday afternoon for lunch. However, what touched me was the fact that the parish catered to their spiritual well being and their need for community support by ensuring that the Gospel was explained to them. Games were even planned for them. The fact that they were made to feel welcome in the parish was moving. In Singapore, many of the poor would turn up at soup kitchens just for a meal and disappear without any opportunity to interact amongst themselves and with the volunteers.
A pilgrimage to various churches under the vicariate of the parish of Sto Nino was also planned and in the evening, to end off the DID there was a closing program organized by the parish where delegates from various countries were asked to perform for all the youth, organizers and foster parents present.
No words can be sufficient to describe my experience during the DID. The bonds that I made with the youth in the parish of Sto Nino and the insights I gained from the hospitality and warmth of the people were invaluable. I shall end off my reflection on the DID with a few photos as they would do the rest of the talking for me.
Written by Shawn Wong, St Francis Xavier
*More Photos in Photo Gallery
