Accents
FACA get-together for faith and food
Redding, California, USA—The members of the Fil-Am Catholic Association or FACA of the St. Joseph Parish in Redding, got together in true Filipino fashion last Saturday, Nov. 22. The place: the residence of our daughter and son-in-law, Raileen and Nixon.
First and foremost (for emphasis, let me be redundant), FACA has the full support of B.A.N.C. (the Bayanihan Association of Northern California). Instead of naming the officers at the end of this piece, I'd like to put forward these prime movers of Pinoy activities in this part of America: Jose Yusta, president; Brenda Hansen, vice president; Joseph Vegas, secretary; Thelma Lacanilao, treasurer; Celso Paler, auditor; Jane Lee, pro; Jaime Calloway, social event coordinator; Celia Mayer, membership coordinator; and Mary Jane Rulon, fundraising coordinator. Not to forget Rossana Roman, editor of the B.A.N.C. Newsletter. Most of the officers were present in the FACA get-together.
Foreigners, invited guests, and Filipinos of different sects were of respectful silence in the celebration of the Mass and in the lengthy prayers that followed, to wit: Opening Hymn and Prayer, Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, the Rosary Prayer, Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Act of Consecration to the Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Prayer for Youth, A Prayer for Priests, Prayers to San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, Prayer to St. Michael, and Prayer to Sto. Nino. Amazing Grace, the song, concluded the religious portion of the gathering.
After finishing off with the particulars of the faith, finally the food, sumptuous food. Ah, the long-awaited "stomach development." But wait, the blessing of the well-laden table must come first. Mindful of the hungry flock, young Fr. Jovito, the Mass celebrant, made snappy blessing of the food. Fr. Jovito Rata, who hails from Bohol, is the priest of the St. Joseph Parish which has a membership of about a hundred Catholic families in the city of Redding.
Filipino cuisine was never more savoury and, oh, so filling. In the starring role, what else but the inimitable lechon—skin crispy and the meat lip-smacking to the bone. Ilonggo Jonathan, the chief cook, deserves special mention with his delectable bistek, umba, mushroom in oyster sauce, sweet-sour tilapia, and chicken binakol a-float with coconut meat. In addition to the jasmine rice, pancit canton and the malagkit valenciana amply supplied the carbs. Yummy-yummy! Gush, aren't we hungry already?
What's a Pinoy get-together without the sweets? An array of delicious desserts donned a side table: cassava cake, buko pie, leche flan, banana turon, palitaw, and fruit salad the way we do it in the Philippines (an attractive mix of fruit cocktail, cherries, sweet kernel corn, pineapple chunks, cubed cheese, kaong, nata de coco, you name it. Had to make do with the bottled macapuno strings in the absence of young coconut meat, so abundant in our country.)
Culture went into play. Three or five guests who got time for some home-cooking contributed a dish, the potluck way. Then there's the "take-home" custom, so very Pinoy. Alas, there was no food left for guests to wrap and take home. 'Twas like a hurricane had "devastated" the platters. Folks had their fill in a feast that was a culmination of twenty-two days of novena and prayers in Nixon and Raileen's home. Bits of chika-chika followed the kainan. And a business meeting, too, including discussions on FACA's ennobling charity work.
Although FACA is a separate entity, it plays a major role in the B.A.N.C. where most of the members are Catholics. The camaraderie is simply great. You can bank on B.A.N.C. for a deposit of goodwill, and earn a bounty of the Bayanihan spirit.
(Email: lagoc@hargray.com)