On a lighter note...

I busied myself in taking some pics of the Oratory and took the pleasure of also taking shots of Fr. Andy and some of the servers including myself yesterday . Sorry for the poor quality. I only used a cam phone. :)

Our Lady of Atonement, Baguio Cathedral's patroness. Her statue located in the Oratory.

The Sanctuary.

A beautiful window of St. John the Baptist. (Notice the native elements in the border and their vestments.)

The Cathedral from the back of the grounds.

Msgr. Andres Cosalaln, Jr., our regular celebrant and the spearhead of all of this.

(Left to right) Ali, Angelo and Paul, our dedicated servers.

(Middle) Myself of course. At HIS service.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aguinaldo Masses being held in Baguio Cathedral Oratory

Since the 16th of December the Missas de Aguinaldo are being held at the Baguio Cathedral Oratory in the Tridentine Rite, 40 years after the last Tridentine Aguinaldo Masses were held in the Cathedral. We are very honored to have this special privilege to have our traditional Filipino "Simbang Gabi" as popularly known, in the Extraordinary Form. We are extending our invitation to many who would like to experience these special 9 days in the traditional way as done in the past centuries- with the Tridentine Mass.

The Missas are held every 5 in the morning starting the 16th up to the 24th of December at the Cathedral Oratory at the back of Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral, Baguio City, Philippines.

Chapel veils and our newly-published Latin-English Missalette are available at the entrance to the Oratory.

Also, the Solemn Mass of Midnight on Christmas Eve, December 24 are going to be held in the Traditional Latin Mass in the same Oratory at 10 in the evening with Rev. Msgr. Andres Cosalan (the Vicar-General of the Baguio Diocese) celebrating.

Again, there is no better way of experiencing Baguio's winter-like climate than going to Aguinaldo Masses but what's more unique are Aguinlado Masses in the Tridentine Rite! We would like to share this blessed Christmas season with you. So come, let us adore Him!!!

Traditinal Latin Mass in the Dominican Convent of Santa Catalina in Marcos HIghway, Baguio City

Since the month of April 2009, the Traditional Latin Mass (popularly known as the Tridentine Mass) is being regularly celebrated at the Cathedral Chapel Oratory and Baptistery at the back of Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral in Baguio City. These Traditional Latin Masses have been pushed through by the initiative of Msgr. Andres M. Cosalan, Jr. in accordance to the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum of His Holiness Benedict XVI. The Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m. in the same chapel by Msgr. Andres Cosalan himself.

With a steady growing number of regular attendees the Latin Masses have also reached the attention of many tourists coming to Baguio and are searching for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Adding to this, the Dominican Convent of Santa Catalina in Marcos Highway, Baguio City has opened its doors to monthly Tridentine Masses also celebrated by Fr. Cosalan (as he is still the only priest in the locality that celebrates in the Extraordinary Form). Masses at the said convent are on every First Saturday of the Month at exactly 6:30 a.m. You can reach it by taxi cab and is readily seen and accessible through the highway. We are looking forward and praying fervently for more parishes and convents in the Diocese of Baguio to have the Traditional Latin Mass and for more people and priests to get interested in it.

Also, the Diocese of Baguio through the writing of Msgr. Cosalan has released a pamphlet (being the very first informative pamphlet on the TLM published by a Philippine diocese, according to the Rorate Coeli Blog*) entitled “An Introduction to the Traditional Latin Mass” that explains and promotes the Traditional Latin Mass. This has not only reached the faithful of Baguio City through the cooperation of many lovers of the TLM but also through the willingness of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters or Pinks Sisters to distribute copies in their convent chapel in Brentwood, Baguio City. God bless them all! Thankfully, these copies have not only reached the area of Baguio-Benguet but have even reached Metro Manila. Possibly more copies are to be published together with a new mass booklet (also by the good Monsignor) with the common prayers of the Mass for the consumption of the growing number of parishioners of the Tridentine Mass. (For inquiries about the Traditional Latin Mass in Baguio and about the “An Introduction to the Traditional Latin Mass” pamphlet please email mao.almadrones@ymail.com).

Being very hopeful, we in the Latin Mass Committee of the Diocese of Baguio are united with Msgr. Cosalan in praying and promoting the re-introduction of the Traditional Latin Mass in Baguio and Benguet and that in the coming months daily Masses in the Extraordinary Form may be celebrated. Also, we pray that the congregation in our little chapel may grow so that one day Baguio Cathedral itself may see the Tridentine Mass alive once again on its beautiful traditional marble high altar and sanctuary.

We ask for your fervent prayers in this advocacy in the greater glory of God and the Catholic Church. God bless you all.

Ad Iesum per Mariam,

The Traditional Latin Mass Committee of Baguio

(Taken from my old blogsite at http://iskolarngbayanisangsakristan.wordpress.com)

Aguinaldo Masses to be held in Baguio Cathedral Oratory

The Vicar General Msgr. Andres Cosalan, Jr. (who heads the Tridentine Masses in the Diocese of Baguio) has announced yesterday (November 29, 2009) that Aguinaldo Masses are to be held in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite starting December 16 at 5 o'clock in the morning. These are to be held in the Cathedral Oratory and are to be in line with the traditional Rorate Masses where Aguinaldo Masses originated from. This will give the faithful a better way of "tuning-in" on the mystery of the Incarnation and will be a different way of celebrating Missa de Gallo than was accustomed (i.e, the overfilled church with many people clamoring and chattering among the faithful gathered for Mass). Because it is in the Tridentine Rite, many are expecting for it to be more solemn and more meaningful.

WE hope to update you more on this. God bless you.

Ad Iesum per Mariam,

The Latin Mass Committee, Baguio Cathedral

image borrowed from: http://inillotempore.com/blog/images/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=LineArt&id=annunciation

Catholic Women's Chapel Veils available at Baguio Cathedral

The growing number of faithful attending the Traditional Latin Mass in the Baguio Cathedral Oratory and Baptistery hasbrought about a demand for women's chapel veils. For the women, especially moms with their girls, it was a great sign of modesty most specially in the Act of Worshiping God in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is a great way of externally displaying piety and a good example to many of the youth who dress immodestly during Mass. Frequented with questions like "Where could I get the veil?" and "Is there a store selling veils here?" the Vicar-General Fr. Andres Cosalan, Jr. has recently announced that chapel veils are available at the Catechetical Office inside the Cathedral Rectory. As Fr. Andy always says, chapel veils to women are a great sign of purity and modesty before God especially in Mass. It also hinders any distractions men could befall during Mass because of women's hair and beauty. It is also a sign of humility and submission to God.

It is very well recommended that women who attend Traditional Latin Mass wear the proper attire like skirts that reach below the knee and tops with sleeves that are long enough. And the veil is a must!

The veils availbale at the Cathedral are priced depending on size and design. But surely these are at an affordable price. These veils are also great for gifts and is a great way of teaching our little girls modesty in the sanctuary, in imitation of the Blessed Virgin, our Mother.

Traditional Latin Mass in Baguio City

Since the month of April 2009, the Traditional Latin Mass (popularly known as the Tridentine Mass) is being regularly celebrated at the Cathedral Chapel Oratory and Baptistery at the back of Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral in Baguio City. These Traditional Latin Masses have been pushed through by the initiative of Msgr. Andres M. Cosalan, Jr. in accordance to the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum of His Holiness Benedict XVI. The Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m. in the same chapel by Msgr. Andres Cosalan himself.

With a steady growing number of regular attendees the Latin Masses have also reached the attention of many tourists coming to Baguio and are searching for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Adding to this, the Dominican Convent of Santa Catalina in Marcos Highway, Baguio City has opened its doors to monthly Tridentine Masses also celebrated by Fr. Cosalan (as he is still the only priest in the locality that celebrates in the Extraordinary Form). Masses at the said convent are on every First Saturday of the Month at exactly 6:30 a.m. You can reach it by taxi cab and is readily seen and accessible through the highway. We are looking forward and praying fervently for more parishes and convents in the Diocese of Baguio to have the Traditional Latin Mass and for more people and priests to get interested in it.

Also, the Diocese of Baguio through the writing of Msgr. Cosalan has released a pamphlet (being the very first informative pamphlet on the TLM published by a Philippine diocese, according to the Rorate Coeli Blog*) entitled "An Introduction to the Traditional Latin Mass" that explains and promotes the Traditional Latin Mass. This has not only reached the faithful of Baguio City through the cooperation of many lovers of the TLM but also through the willingness of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters or Pinks Sisters to distribute copies in their convent chapel in Brentwood, Baguio City. God bless them all! Thankfully, these copies have not only reached the area of Baguio-Benguet but have even reached Metro Manila. Possibly more copies are to be published together with a new mass booklet (also by the good Monsignor) with the common prayers of the Mass for the consumption of the growing number of parishioners of the Tridentine Mass. (For inquiries about the Traditional Latin Mass in Baguio and about the "An Introduction to the Traditional Latin Mass" pamphlet please email mao.almadrones@ymail.com).

Being very hopeful, we in the Latin Mass Committee of the Diocese of Baguio are united with Msgr. Cosalan in praying and promoting the re-introduction of the Traditional Latin Mass in Baguio and Benguet and that in the coming months daily Masses in the Extraordinary Form may be celebrated. Also, we pray that the congregation in our little chapel may grow so that one day Baguio Cathedral itself may see the Tridentine Mass alive once again on its beautiful traditional marble high altar and sanctuary.

We ask for your fervent prayers in this advocacy in the greater glory of God and the Catholic Church. God bless you all.

Ad Iesum per Mariam,

The Traditional Latin Mass Committee of Baguio