At Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Lathrop the earliest Mass today starts at 5:30 a.m. If that sounds unusual, it's because it's not the Catholic church's usual year-round service. It's only held during the Advent season.
There's even a name for it: Simbang Gabi, a Tagalog phrase that literally means "night Mass." Of course, it's not actually held in the evening but very early in the morning when it's still dark which gives the semblance of night time. In the Philippines, this tradition is also referred to as "Misa de Gallo," so called because the service begins at the crowing of the roosters.
Simbang Gabi is a novena mass that is held for nine consecutive days culminating with the Midnight Mass on Nov. 24. The service this morning in Lathrop is the eigth day of the novena, with the ninth set for Tuesday at 5:30 in the morning.
Simbang Gabi starts
on Dec. 16 every year
Even though this is the first time ever for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Lathrop to hold Simbang Gabi, 72 people were there on the very first day, said Corrie Budnick who, along with Thess Alcantara, spearheaded this Christmas tradition at the Lathrop parish. Attendance steadily grew with the following morning's gathering growing by 25 percent.
The main focus of this church event is, of course, the Mass. But a festive occasion always follows - a breakfast reception featuring mainly Filipino delicacies such as suman (sweet rice wrapped in banana leaves), pancit (noodles), egg rolls, and pan de sal (Filipino rolls). The food is donated by various individuals or couples. The second day of the novena Mass, for example, was hosted by Philip and Claire Albano who brought the food. The seventh Misa de Gallo breakfast was sponsored by Marcelina Tangonan Tacotaco and her husband. Anybody can bring other types of food for the occasion if they so desire, Budnick said. Last Friday, for example, she and her husband Steve brought soup. The task of scheduling the volunteers who are responsible for the food served is Alcantara's responsibility, Budnick said.
Various priests offer
Simbang Gabi masses
Father Salvador Ledesma, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, offered to do all the nine Mass services but priests from other nearby parishes stepped forward to help, Budnick said. Two of them are Father Delfin Tumaca of St. Bernard's Church in Tracy, and Father Edito Mascardo, a hospital chaplain working for the Catholic Diocese of Stockton. Both are Filipino priests and have had previous experiences with Simbang Gabi events in other parishes. Besides being an associate vicar at St. Bernard's, Father Tumaca is also an advisor for Couples for Christ.
A group of about a dozen parishioners were already talking about starting a Simbang Gabi at Our Lady of Guadalupe when the Budnicks and Alcantaras came into the picture.
"When they found out we are new parishioners, they asked, 'Can you be a part? Can you help us?" Budnick recalled. And the rest is history.
Simbang Gabi is nothing new to the Budnicks and Alcantaras who were involved in their respective parishes in the Bay Area prior to their move here - Steve and Corrie at River Islands, and Nixon and Thess at a church in Hayward.
Steve Budnick though is still active as a deacon for the Diocese of Oakland. He is currently serving at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Fremont. But he has been helping Father Ledesma at the Guadalupe Church in Lathrop. In face, he gave the homily during one of the masses last week.
Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo has become a popular tradition in churches around the world where there is a large concentration of Filipinos. It gained even more popularity recently when Pope Francis, for the very first time, led a Simbang Gabi service at the Vatican with a Filipino choir singing the service music.
The public is invited to attend the Simbang Gabi.
