IT'S ADVENTURE TIME: SUNDAY MASS!
Hi Jake! It's good to see you again for one last time, buddy!
Today, we aren't going outside for an adventure.
But rather, I will story tell one of my most consistent and awesome adventure!
IT'S ADVENTURE TIME: SUNDAY - CHURCH DAY!
By: ~Finn (Nicole Nathalie Tan)
Jake, I forgot to tell you that I am a Filipino, and I am a Roman Catholic as well that is why I am always out on Sundays to go to church.
In the Philippines, 80.5% of the total population is Roman Catholic based on the October 2015's statistics of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
In Australia, 5,439,257 of its total population, which is 25.3%, is Catholic based on the Australian National Census in 2011.
With that being said, the ratio of the Catholics in Philippines comparing to Australia is 2.5 folds more.
But roaming around Sydney, I have been able to go to different churches and hear different masses from different Parish Priests as well.
But one of the most favorite Church I always go to is at St. Mary's Cathedral Church.
As I walk by in Town Hall to get to the said church, I get this surreal feeling of being close to home.
The green trees, the green grass, and the people that come and go to the church; seeing how familiar everything feels like, how everything looks like, makes my heart warm.
Being away for 4,435km away from home is so hard to cope especially how different the lifestyle here is in Sydney, Australia. So seeing how I see my fellow countrymen or as we call it in Filipino, my 'Kababayans' makes the sadness and loneliness go away for sometime.
Catholic churches, in my mind, in my heart, and in my soul, is my main home. Whether there's something good or bad that has happened to me, you'll find me going there to pray. 'For better or for worse,' that is where you will find me.
In my first visit in St. Mary's Cathedral Church, I kneeled and cried so hard. I don't know why, I don't know how, but all of a sudden, I saw myself in tears.
The sensation I felt as I entered the big gates of this church made me have butterflies in my stomach.
People of different races, praying. Gathered in one place. The blessings, the chances, the challenges that everyone's facing, I could not help but cry while praying for everything. To Thank Him; to seek forgiveness.
Everyday would not have been possible for me without Him.
And with my mantra in life: Tria Haec - Faith, Hope, and Love, I learned to give value of everything around me and to respect other people's culture, race, religion, gender, and beliefs.
So to everyone who is reading this, I am sending my love and respect to every single one of you!
And to anyone who is suffering depression, I may not know your life's full story, but there is one thing I can say... BELIEVE AND LIVE.
No matter what happens, believe in your principles. Believe in the people around you. But most especially, believe in YOURSELF and LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH NO REGRETS.
No matter how many times you feel like the world has betrayed you, or the world has turned its back on you; never stop believing in goodness. Goodness is never lost as long as the belief remains strong.
You might find 99/100 reasons to hate your surroundings, but never stop looking for that 1 remaining reason to love. And hold on to that.
NEVER STOP BELIEVING.
NEVER STOP LOVING.
Love comes from within.
And love will always be the sweetest reason to live and fight the challenges in life.
This will be my last post as Finn.
I hope you enjoyed our adventures together, Jake!
See you around everyone and watch out for my future personal blog soon!
F I N
~Finn
Today, we aren't going outside for an adventure.
But rather, I will story tell one of my most consistent and awesome adventure!
IT'S ADVENTURE TIME: SUNDAY - CHURCH DAY!
By: ~Finn (Nicole Nathalie Tan)
Jake, I forgot to tell you that I am a Filipino, and I am a Roman Catholic as well that is why I am always out on Sundays to go to church.
In the Philippines, 80.5% of the total population is Roman Catholic based on the October 2015's statistics of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
In Australia, 5,439,257 of its total population, which is 25.3%, is Catholic based on the Australian National Census in 2011.
With that being said, the ratio of the Catholics in Philippines comparing to Australia is 2.5 folds more.
But roaming around Sydney, I have been able to go to different churches and hear different masses from different Parish Priests as well.
But one of the most favorite Church I always go to is at St. Mary's Cathedral Church.
As I walk by in Town Hall to get to the said church, I get this surreal feeling of being close to home.
The green trees, the green grass, and the people that come and go to the church; seeing how familiar everything feels like, how everything looks like, makes my heart warm.
Being away for 4,435km away from home is so hard to cope especially how different the lifestyle here is in Sydney, Australia. So seeing how I see my fellow countrymen or as we call it in Filipino, my 'Kababayans' makes the sadness and loneliness go away for sometime.
Catholic churches, in my mind, in my heart, and in my soul, is my main home. Whether there's something good or bad that has happened to me, you'll find me going there to pray. 'For better or for worse,' that is where you will find me.
In my first visit in St. Mary's Cathedral Church, I kneeled and cried so hard. I don't know why, I don't know how, but all of a sudden, I saw myself in tears.
The sensation I felt as I entered the big gates of this church made me have butterflies in my stomach.
People of different races, praying. Gathered in one place. The blessings, the chances, the challenges that everyone's facing, I could not help but cry while praying for everything. To Thank Him; to seek forgiveness.
Everyday would not have been possible for me without Him.
And with my mantra in life: Tria Haec - Faith, Hope, and Love, I learned to give value of everything around me and to respect other people's culture, race, religion, gender, and beliefs.
So to everyone who is reading this, I am sending my love and respect to every single one of you!
And to anyone who is suffering depression, I may not know your life's full story, but there is one thing I can say... BELIEVE AND LIVE.
No matter what happens, believe in your principles. Believe in the people around you. But most especially, believe in YOURSELF and LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH NO REGRETS.
No matter how many times you feel like the world has betrayed you, or the world has turned its back on you; never stop believing in goodness. Goodness is never lost as long as the belief remains strong.
You might find 99/100 reasons to hate your surroundings, but never stop looking for that 1 remaining reason to love. And hold on to that.
NEVER STOP BELIEVING.
NEVER STOP LOVING.
Love comes from within.
And love will always be the sweetest reason to live and fight the challenges in life.
This will be my last post as Finn.
I hope you enjoyed our adventures together, Jake!
See you around everyone and watch out for my future personal blog soon!
F I N
~Finn
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