SINAJAÑA COMMUNITY KEEPS FAITH AND TRADITION ALIVE
The lukao (procession)
For many years, the people in San Diego with roots in Sinajaña have held a very successful Fiestan San Jude, usually one of the biggest Chamorro religious events in California. Don't forget that, after the war, Sinajaña, together with Barrigada, was one of the most populated villages on Guam. Check the Guam censuses of the late 1940s and 1950s and you'll see that. Evidence of this is still seen in the large church that was built in 1962, and the fact that Sinajaña still has a Vice Mayor, even though it has been surpassed in population today by many other villages.
The Choir sings "Ayudånte gi Chinatsaga"
It's interesting how a melody takes on unique features village to village, sometimes choir to choir. Here we see how a tune changes slightly after crossing the Pacific Ocean.
In San Diego, they still pray the Nobena - in Chamorro! Commendable!
There was a lot of pride, too, in being an alumnus/alumna of Saint Jude Thaddeus School (SJT). What is now Bishop Baumgartner Memorial School was founded in the mid 1950s as a parish school, run by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (La Crosse, Wisconsin).
Beloved Father Kieran, long-time pastor of St. Jude, was coming every year to San Diego to celebrate the festal Mass until travel became more difficult for him in recent years. He lives in Wisconsin.
No comments:
Post a Comment