09 December 2016 — The Philippine Consulate General New York, in coordination with ten sponsoring Filipino-American community groups under the Coalition of Schools and ANCOP opened the nine-day Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado.
The main mass celebrant was Papal Nuncio to the United Nations, Archbishop Bernardito Auza and concelebrated by Fr. Ed Jocson. An overflow crowd packed the Kalayaan Hall and the Kalayaan Annex for the first night of Simbang Gabi.
Now on its 29th year, the Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado’s theme for 2016 is “MapayapangPasko Para sa Maunlad na Pagbabago” (A Peaceful Christmas Towards Progressive Change).
The Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado provides a venue for the Filipino-American community to continue celebrating Filipino Christmas traditions overseas as well as gives them an opportunity to collaborate, coordinate and work together to organize masses, salu-salo and other events like gift-giving and community Christmas carolling.
In her remarks, Consul General Theresa Dizon-de Vega thanked all the sponsoring organizations throughout the nine-day activity as it allows the different community organizations to work together for a distinctly Filipino Christmas tradition.
She likewise noted that while the Simbang Gabi is now on its 3rd decade, by opening our hearts to the genuine meaning of Simbang Gabi the ritual will remain fresh and meaningful.
In his homily, Archbishop Auza emphasized the significant role of the Filipino community in addressing the cultural challenges that migrants face in particular the transitions and gaps from one generation to the next. He thanked the community for sharing traditions like Simbang Gabi alive in New York and sharing it with the younger generation and mainstream US society.
The Couples for Christ Music Ministry provided the music for the first night of the Simbang Gabi mass.
Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado will be held at the Philippine Center until December 14. More than 50 Filipino organizations and five business organizations owned or headed by Filipinos will co-sponsor this year’s edition. END