Slide show and Story By Lindsay Armstrong

More than 250 people crowded into St. Brendan’s auditorium on a recent Sunday evening to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the church’s Filipino parish.

Lumen Castaneda, a former resident of Norwood, founded the parish in conjunction with St. Brendan’s in 1994. The church offers a monthly mass in Tagalog, the Philippine native tongue.

Head pastor, Father George Stewart says the group is a vibrant part of the larger church community. “This is a very ethnically diverse parish. We have 48 nations represented and they all add to the experience,” Stewart said. “We’re very excited for them.”

Following a mass in Tagalog and a procession honoring San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, event organizers Pennie Badana, Rosie Prado and Lucy Villalba, invited current and former parishioners to a night filled with music, dancing, and lechon, a traditional roast pork dish.

“We invited a lot of organizations from the Bronx, Connecticut, and Westchester. Each organization will have a presentation,” Badana said. “We’re excited because this is the first time this has been done here.”
Eleven groups took to the floor on Oct. 9, performing songs and dances reflecting the diversity of influences in the Philippine culture.

Dressed in intricately woven skirts, two dancers from the Kinding Sindaw ensemble fluttered fans in a dance representing Mindanao’s culture. Mindanao, the southernmost region of the Philippines, has a significant Islamic presence that has influenced the culture.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, a troupe from Folklorico Filipino held bibles and twirled in gowns fit for Spanish royalty. Their dance celebrated the relationship between Philippine women and the Catholic catechism.

Ilona Legaspi, one of the dancers, came to the U.S. when she was six years old. She said that performing with Folklorico gives her a sense of cultural pride.

“Not everyone knows where the Philippines is or who we are. It feels great to promote our culture,” Legaspi said. “And for us, growing up in America, it is a good way to connect.”

That sense of connection is exactly what brought so many people to the 17th anniversary celebration, even those who left the Bronx long ago.

Dolores Tolentino moved to Rockland County in the ’90s but returned for the anniversary because the Filipino parish at St. Brendan’s holds a special place in her memories.

“My sister was married here. My friends were married here. My daughters were baptized here,” Tolentino said. “St. Brendan’s is special to us. It’s more like home.”