The Seven Things I Love About M.U.K.H.A. A.D.

article written by Kat Buenaflor

It was a cloudy Sunday morning. I have finished hearing Mass at Santo Domingo Church, then went for my customary personal talk with Mama La Naval behind her shrine. As I walked along the corridors to go home, my peripheral vision detected a man clothed in Dominican habit, who I presumed based on his looks, was a student-brother.

Having frequented Santo Domingo Church in Sundays and random weekdays for almost eight months, I still never got to accustom myself at the sight of young men walking around in habits. They never fail to make my heart skip a beat or two whenever I see them. Not because they’re good looking ha, it’s because…well…I was scared of them.

I was getting nearer and nearer, and then boom. He was now in front of me, smiling and then, to my disbelief, spoke to me. Perhaps it was because of the alleviating feeling that I get when I’m finished hearing mass, but thank goodness I still retained my composure and dignity during that oh-so-sudden encounter with this brother. At the end of it all, he got me to sign up for a group whose objectives and interests I have failed to comprehend at that time. This happened five months ago, and the rest is history.

After graduating Level 1, now I shall impart to you 7 truths about this group. For my fellow MUKHA ADers who might read this, here is my seven simple reasons why I just love being with you - against all odds.

1.     We’re different, but we click. 

I had lots of hesitations about joining this group, especially after the 1^st session. Majority of my batchmates were college classmates, and there were very few whose age were the same as mine (Hello, Alex and Carol).  I wondered if I could somehow get along with the members who already have their circle of friends, or those who may not understand stuff about my course, or even with the brothers! I’m not really good at starting conversations with strangers, or with people that I’m scared of.

But look, after 5 months of sessions and activities, we got along pretty well. Despite our differences, we had one common aim: to get to know our faith and our God better. It is with this that we started getting along, and now you’re my buddies!  Definitely not just on Sunday afternoons.

2.     You didn’t really ask for much from us.

I remember back when I was about to attend our very first session after all that hoopla during the grand opening. I was already in front of the doors of the seminary and unlike the previous Sunday, it was closed. It seemed like there was nothing going on behind the doors. I tried to open it several times and moved every movable part (it has no doorknob…wala sa bundok yun) and thought it was locked. Panic rising, I rushed to the guard roaming nearby and asked, “Kuya, san po yung MUKHA AD ngayon?” He led me to the very same door and simply pushed the door.

Just the same, you didn’t really ask me to do much. You never asked for a registration fee, or a filled-up registration form, not even a 1x1 ID picture. All you wanted was for me to come as I am, push the door, take in what you wish to share, hoping that it will shed some light as I head out again to the real world.

3.     You’re simple yet sincere.

I love simple things, and six days of complicated academic work could make a laid-back person go mad. Sobrang sabaw, ‘ika nga.

Going to MUKHA AD office at the Dominican Studentate is my secret sanctuary within my favorite sanctuary. The simplicity of the people, the sharing that comes after every session, and those small talks over merienda is what makes me go back every Sundays. Don’t expect to eat KFC food in here every Sunday (although that could happen…hahaha!) or get grand prizes when you join the games before the session starts – what you get is simple, but priceless joys of meaningful talks and budding friendships. And I wish to be nowhere else.

4.     You never fail to make me smile.

Yes, another main reason why I attend the sessions whether I come from Malate, Manila or from Sta. Rosa, Laguna; whether I have a forthcoming avalanche of exams or not. The funny thing is you don’t really make people laugh on purpose. It just happens spontaneously. You never run out of stuff to share and laugh about. Even when attending a session with a recently-badly-broken-heart, I manage to leave you guys with a light heart, and a smile on my face. That’s how much fun it is to be with you.

5.      You make me do things I never had the chance to do.

It is with you that I have found an avenue to put my faith into action. Things like Taize, worshipping thru singing rock-ish songs are stuff that’s very novel, and definitely something I’ve never tried before. It is also with you where I experienced my very first Team-Building Activity, and volunteered for my first ever charity event, the annual Aliw Bata. Because of you, I felt that I could live this life worthwhile, by giving the very same gifts of belonging and smiles to kids in need.

6.    I just loooove our post-session prayer.

After every session with MUKHA AD, we had to sing the 13^th Century Dominican Blessing, and I just loved singing this with all of you. I love the prayer on its own, but I love the melody as well (I even have an mp3 of its piano instrumental on my phone).  It reflects the simplicity and sincerity of this group to show the face of God to the youth in the context of modern times. Here’s how it goes:

May God the Father, bless us

May God the Son, heal us

May God the Holy Spirit enlighten us

Give us eyes to see with

And ears to hear with

Hands to do God’s work with

Feet to walk with, a mouth to preach

The Word of Salvation with

And may the Angel of Peace watch over us

May he lead us at last by the Lord’s gift to the Kingdom

Amen.

7.      There’s no such thing as hierarchy – only friendships.

One thing that sets MUKHA AD apart from other groups or orgs is that it’s very personal.  Which is perhaps why they did not have those personal information sheets – they wish to get to know you by chatting with you – whether on ICs (individual consultations), faith sharing, even online via Facebook chat. I promise they don’t pry.

And you’re not just friends with your batch mates. You can be friends with everyone here, and this does not just go within the walls of the MUKHA AD office. I go to mass with my batch mates during the La Naval festivities (partida, wala pa akong mga cellphone numbers nila nun), go out for coffee with members from the previous batches, and occasionally bump into the rest of them at school or at the church. And there’s another thing: I’m not that scared of the brothers anymore. They’re actually very fun to be with – and very much like the rest of us.

It’s really nice to have bonded with everyone in such short span of a time. And we have just finished Level 1. More memories will be added, and I’m sure that the bond we had created will be stronger in the weeks to come. Whether or not I’m present during the coming sessions, I hope that when I return, you shall accept me with open arms. But I know you would, and that’s another thing I love about you. Days and weeks will pass, but the fondness shall remain the same. I’m proud that I can be called one of you. Until now, I could not believe that I am actually part of MUKHA AD Batch 22. And I’m so proud. And I will miss you.

And may the Angel of Peace watch over us these holidays. Merry Christmas, MUKHA ADers! ♥

San Agustin Church: Beauty Ever Ancient and New

article written by Kat Buenaflor 

Last Sunday, November 27, 2011, I escaped the reins of my parents and rode a bus going to Manila (kids, do NOT do this at home :p ). It’s MUKHA AD’s 2nd session for the second semester, and for that afternoon, we were going to tour around San Agustin Church in Intramuros. At this point I will be honest enough to admit that initially, I wasn’t keen on going there to go sight-seeing. I have visited the church a couple of Christmases ago and I thought I’ve already seen what has to be seen on that place.  The real reason to my long overdue escapade was the fact that I have not seen my much-loved Sunday barkada for almost two months, I miss the sessions so badly, and it’s already clinically proven that these people could magically turn my sadness into happiness.

I went ahead to San Agustin Church and waited for them to arrive. I stood beside a white Jaguar car - at the time, there was a wedding ceremony going on inside. A tourist driver standing beside me asked me if I was one of the guests. I said no, telling him that I was waiting for my friends. He then told me that he pities the children who, despite the hot and humid weather, wore tuxedoes for the event instead of the more traditional and more climate-forgiving Barong Tagalog. I nodded in agreement, but then I can’t blame the wedding planner for having them wear such – the church has this “Royal” and very imposing aura, especially inside – owing to the fact that it’s a Baroque church. It’s elaborately yet elegantly decorated; its beauty ancient yet new – especially to us living in the modern times.

Minutes later I saw the MAD people arrive. I was so glad to finally meet everyone once again – I even hugged my batchmate Carol in the joy of seeing her once again. I wanted to say hi to everyone, but doing so would interrupt the tour that has already started. I also realized that I have forgotten the names of some of them that I’ve already talked to before. Nonetheless, I felt a sense of belonging, as if I haven’t gone that long. And it’s nice that some of them still remember my name. Hehehe. :p

So the guided tour began, courtesy of an archivist working in UST (I forgot his name…sorry.). We first entered the museum beside the church. Oh boy, why did I ever underestimate the Augustinian property?! At a glance, the adjacent building is small, but as we went in, I found out that it was a huge building housing an unimaginable number of antique art collected during the 440 years of the order’s presence in the country. It was a haven for art lovers, history geeks, and suckers for all things classical – like me.

There was a visual information overload – there were too much to see! Paintings and sculptures of various friars and images of Saint Augustine were all around the building. One particular painting that caught my attention was the painting of Saint Augustine with Jesus to his right, and Mama Mary to his left. When I saw the image of Nuestra Señora de Leche y Buen Parto a few years back, I thought it was unusual, because an image wherein she breastfed Jesus is, in my opinion, quite intimate for one to make a statue of. But on this particular painting of Saint Augustine, the artist portrayed Mary at its most unusual. I suppose it's a rare rendition.

There was this room full of religious images that I really, really enjoyed looking at. The hall, which was previously used as a place for the conventual chapter of the Augustinian friars, virtually reeked of gold because of the different images of Our Lady (smaller versions of the images of La Naval de Manila and Remedios were there), and other saints.

The church’s choirloft was another place that I liked. Perhaps a modern church’s choirloft is nothing but chairs with an electric keyboard or guitar on the side – but this one’s Baroque, and in the Baroque period, it’s all about excess! It’s the ancient times’ 1980s! The wooden chairs had very intricate wood carvings on them; the ceiling had these paintings that looked like they were bas relief sculptures. In the middle of the choirloft was a giant song book – perhaps the equivalent of the modern times’ overhead projector. Lastly, the modern times’ keyboard and guitar is no match to this church’s colossal pipe organ! How I wish I could hear how a pipe organ actually sounds. I also wish Sto Domingo’s pipe organ would be restored soon. Whether on its own or along with the voice of the Tiples…the music it will make must be grand.

There were so much to see (I think I said this already...didn't I? :p), and really, one afternoon is just not enough if you really want to fully appreciate what this place has in store. Here, you’d appreciate the church’s role besides being the mediator between man and God. In this case, it’s a preserver of art and history, an institution that has definitely withstood the test of time. 

I hope that after one sees the beauty within its walls, he or she shall remember San Agustin Church not as a tourist spot, or a sanctuary made for couples to have their grand weddings in the coming years. It's an institution that showcases the depths of human creativity and unsurpassed intellect, and ultimately, the greatness of its Creator. It's an institution attesting the Augustinians’ love for God.

Ain’t love grand? ♥