THE SANTO Domingo Church unveiled last Dec. 14 its newly restored pipe organ, ushering in a revival of sacred music in the shrine of Our Lady of La Naval.
As a result of several projects initiated last year, the mother church of Filipino Dominicans was able to restore the pipe organ which last played in 1980.
Among the fund-raising efforts were the “Adopt-a-Pipe” and “Pinggan para sa Pipe Organ.”
“In less than a year, [naipon na ‘yung funds]. Marami kasing deboto ang ating Birhen ng La Naval,” said Fr. Guiseppe Arsciwals, O.P., prior of Santo Domingo Convent and rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Naval.
The pipe organ was made in Rosaryhill, Hong Kong on Nov. 24, 1935. After the closure of St. Albert the Great Priory Chapel, the center of religious formation and studies of the Dominican Province of the Holy Rosary, the more than 1000-piece pipe organ was transferred to the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City in 1954.
Cealwyn Tagle of Diego Cera Organbuilders, Inc. was tapped for the restoration.
Photo exhibit on La Naval
Coinciding the blessing of the pipe organ, photos of the feast of Our Lady of La Naval were highlighted in an exhibit at the Santo Domingo Church Museum from Dec. 14 to Jan. 30.
Arsciwals blessed the exhibit titled “La Naval: Honor of Faith.”
The convent prior commissioned Mark Heinrich Go, president of Fotomasino, to lead in the exhibit of the photos taken during the procession of Our Lady of La Naval last Oct. 14. Fotomasino is the photographers’ guild of UST.
Some of the pictures displayed were “Santo Domingo de Guzman” by Go, “The Roaming” by Jericson Jabar, “Faith and Light” by Paul Quiambao, and “St. Joseph” by Neil Chua.
Karl Bautista, Fotomasino marketing consultant, said about 50 pictures were chosen from more than 300 that were taken during the procession.
Among the themes of the exhibit were “Sanctuary of Faith,” “Professions or Traditions of Faith,” and “Visuals of Faith.” Gervie Kay S. Estella
