St. Padre Pio Parish and Shrine, Santo Tomas, Batangas

This year’s Holy Week is not even halfway through yet and so there’s still a lot chance to visit churches and shrine. One place a would-be pilgrim and religious can visit, one place not is just one bus ride away from Metro Manila is the St. Padre Pio Parish and Shrine in Santo Tomas, Batangas.

Found in the midst of Batangas greeneries, the shrine is indeed ideal for prayer and meditation. You should expect of course the constant hum and buzz from the people doing their business in the periphery of the shrine as well as from the visitors. One thing that we have observed in these kinds of places is that the distinction between shrine and tourist destination is quite blurred. (Note that we do these visits for their general cultural significance to the Filipino.)
  

Anyway, what can be found inside the shrine? Prayer and meditation can be done in a number of ways. The shrine has a several chapels where you could do your personal devotions. There is also what looked like a main hall or church where regular masses are being held. Upon entering, there is also a store where religious items can be purchased for use in the shrine and later.

What is most interesting – both from the religious’ and tourist’s view point, I believe – is the several-feet high tower. It is basically a place where you can know more about the life of Padre Pio. But note that you have to pay 20 pesos for the entrance fee in exchange for a small prayer booklet of sort. This 20 pesos of yours buys you a literally breath-taking view of the surrounding countryside. Photos will not be enough to relay the feeling. You better climb up that tower.

On the tower’s ground floor you have an image of the glorious cross and for the succeeding floors, the life of Padre Pio in pictures.

 

Padre Pio’s Life: A Brief Outline (from the photos in the tower)

• he was given the name Franceso Forgione after St. Francis of Assisi
• second of the five living children of Maria Giuseppa del Nunzio Forgione and Grazio Mario Forgione
• 1897: at the age of 10, he had already expressed his desire to become a priest
• 1903: at the age of 15, Padre Pio entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars in Morcone and took the habit of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (O. F. M. Cap.) and took the name Fra Pio (Brother Pio) in honor of Saint Pius V, the patron saint of Pietrelcina in Southern Italy
• August 1, 1910: At the age of 23, Fra Pio was ordained to priesthood, now called Padre Pio, the Capuchin priest. He said: “I want to be a friar with a beard…like Brother Camillo.”
• 1915-1918: served in the military
• September 23, 1968: Padre Pio died at the age of 81
• Gesú, Maria: with his rosary in his hands, he declared these words over and over until he breathed his last

His life was as adventurous as any outgoing person indeed.  What remains to be known is how Padre Pio was chosen to be venerated by the people in this place in Santo Tomas.

One last detail that I was able to note was this curious little monument found just as you enter the shrine. It is dedicated to the memory of Ernesto M. Gonzaga (Dec. 27, 1930 – Dec. 5, 2005) who apparently made the development of the shrine possible.

Schedule of Liturgical Services of Padre Pio Parish
* Note that the parish itself is different from the shrine. The main parish or church is found a short walk from the corner along the highway that leads to the shrine. See directions below.
Masses
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 06:30 am (parish)
- Wednesday, Friday, 05:00 pm (parish)
- Sunday, 06:00 am (parish), 08:30 am, 04:30 pm (shrine)

Regular Confession
- every Friday, 04:00 – 05:00 pm

Baptism (regular schedule)
- Sunday, 07:00 am

Confirmation
- to be announced
- as per schedule

Wedding
- as per schedule

Anointing of the Sick
- anytime urgently necessary
For blessing of houses, offices, cars, religious items, etc.
- inquire at the office or at telephone numbers (043) 784-3568 or 455-0894
 

[How to go to St. Padre Pio Parish and Shrine, Santo Tomas, Batangas: Whether you are coming from Cubao area of LRT-Gil Puyat station area, simply board a bus headed for Lucena City, Quezon. You simply ask the conductor to stop the bus at the corner that would lead you to the shrine. This corner is in Bregy. San Pedro. Upon alighting the bus, tricycles are available near the 7-Eleven store. Minimum fare would be around 10 pesos but that would depend whether you are visiting solo or in group.]

Revisiting (San Sebastian) Lipa Cathedral

* Trailer Pransis at the Lipa Plaza Independencia

* the façade of the Lipa Cathedral

* entrance to an inner patio

* Patio San Sebastian

* a photo of the bishop’s residence before it was destroyed during World War II

* an old photo of the seminarians in Lipa

Hardcore presentation of names, dates, and places tends to dilute the essence of what I want Back Trails to be. But owing to time limitations, one hopes to make the best out of them. But I am not saying that such approach is not working. For me, one important ingredient should always be present: the thoughts of the would-be Trailer. Sharing things here at Back Trails is a way of seeing the way I grow stronger with regards to my affinity to our Philippine history. Well, enough of these rants. The whole point of it is that I shall be resorting to more pictures on this Lipa entry, as the visit to this busy city in Batangas was a hasty one.
I literally discovered the Lipa Cathedral. Using the last of my OJT allowance I toured the town of Sto. Tomas, and the cities Tanauan and Lipa. But this was back in 2008 and I still have not conceived of Back Trails. A year later, I went back to the cathedral on a more festive atmosphere, the day being Palm Sunday where I was engulfed in a sea of palm leaves.

* a carving on the main door of the church; although it looks exquisite, they are actually recently made

* view of the baptistry

* the long line of pews

* stairway to the bell tower perhaps?; the shot could have been more dramatic if not for our camera’s resolution

* Jesus loves you, Yesukristo loves you! (line from a song by P.O.D.)

The church is as historical as the place where it is nowfound. It began functioning under the administration of the Augustinians from 1605 until the end of nineteenth century. It was originally found on the shores of Bombon Lake, but the eruption of the Taal Volcano in 1754 destroyed it. It should be noticed that it was the Augustinians too who built the early church in Bay, Laguna along the shores of Laguna de Bay. I am beginning to wonder if they are somehow attracted to bodies of water.
The 1754 eruption prompted the church’s relocation on its present place. The church rebuilding was done under the supervision of Reverend Benito Varas O.S.A. He also became the parish priest from 1865 to 1894. A few years later, on April 10, 1910, Pope Pius X created the Diocese of Lipa. Besides religious affairs, the Augustinians also promoted the cultivation of cacao and coffee. It can be surmised that the lands in Lipa at that time was vast and were a good choice for some agricultural activities.

I shall stop here for now and shall attempt later to dig in to some names and events concerning Lipa. And as I write these tonight, I am now entertaining the possibility of digging in to the priests’ names I have mentioned here in Back Trails and hopefully uncover some details that would give more understanding on their relationships to the places and people they have administered. For now, I hope you would enjoy the views of the interior of the church.

* one of the huge passageways inside which I really want to have in my future house

* the imposing retablo* part of the church’s organ

* view of the dome from the inside

* the Mater Dolorosa

And before I forget, I want to share an unusual event that I experience inside. As I was taking pictures of the place, someone approach and asked me if I could help her to fulfill her wishes to go to a place which, although I forgot the exact name, pertained to a shrine or a devotee’s place. The woman kept following me and it sort of annoyed. She did not look like a beggar and I could discern that she was not trying to hoodwink me or anything like that. What we did it end (we gave her some money) did not really satisfied our curiosity about her. In less than two minutes after getting a small bill from us, she walked out of the church to go the place she mentioned. I can still remember her full name but I rather not mention it here, as it may prove unhealthy for her image if someone would see her name here.