The reality was, however, that Nipawin was being invaded by immigrants from the Philippines. As they came we started to hear so many stories about the great faith of this Asian country. We heard about their martyrs. We heard about the seemingly endless number of baptisms that a priest in the Philippines would have to perform each Sunday (in some cases 300+ a day). The churches? Full past capacity. The seminaries? Full also. It seems that Nipawin was in for a much needed spiritual boost. It wasn't long after the initial wave of immigrants arrived that Nipawin was assigned a Filipino priest. "Hey" we all thought, "they could start a Filipino choir, and even have a Filipino Mass from time to time!" What exciting times. Finally a secular, materialistic, and empty society could encounter some real faith!
How does the song go?
The sun came up,
and the world turned around,
but I saw right through it,
it will go back down...
Hope and Ruin...
It just wasn't to be. We soon realized the truth. The sad truth. And nothing but the sad truth. They're no better than the rest of us. Original Sin did not spare the Philippines. We all are quite messed up.
We soon noticed a trend with the Filipinos. They were always getting together. Hey, no problem with that. Well, they were always getting together to party. Party. Party. Party. They got together and partied like everday was Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday.
Manny Pacquia fight? Party!
A child's 3rd birthday? Party!
A new fence? Party!
Parish fall supper? Skip it and go have a party elsewhere!
Yesterday during a special noon Mass in honour of the Immaculate Conception Becca and I kept hearing laughing and screaming during Mass. It turns out that a Filipino contingent was busy decorating the basement of the church for a special Filipino party to be held later in the day.
Serves us right.
A Filipino Mall
It's too easy to simply hope that a group of people will arrive and turn things around for you. What were we thinking? Life doesn't generally work like that. If you want faith where you are then you'd better lead the charge. Need a saint in your area? Well... what are you waiting for? (What am I waiting for?)
I think of the words of, I think it was, St. Theresa of Avila. She said that you are to find love wherever you go. If you do not find love there... then put love there, and then you will find it. And did not St. Paul say that we are no longer Greek or Jew, servant or free... Filipino or Canadian... we're all in Christ.
So there continues to be little or no faith around St. Eugene's in Nipawin, or pretty well the whole diocese of Prince Albert for that matter. No sense in complaining about it. I guess we should do something about it.
It won't be easy.
But if it's successful, can you imagine the party we'll have in heaven someday?