It was a beautiful, sunny morning on June 21, 2025, as we gathered once again for our Annual Family Funday and celebration of Philippine Independence Day.
We arrived at the picnic area at exactly 10:00 AM. The first to arrive were Ate Billy, Kuya Piet, Jenny, and Teun, warmly welcoming everyone with smiles while enjoying coffee. It was heartwarming to see the spirit of togetherness among friends who are like family through faith.
As more members arrived, Martin and the boys began setting up tents, a true display of Bayanihan (unity and cooperation). At 11:00 AM, Elpi Guttierez led the opening prayer, thanking God for bringing us together once again.
We then sang the Philippine National Anthem, Lupang Hinirang, with a beat led by Rena van Kleunen in honor of the Philippine Independence Day in the month of June.
We held football games for the children, refereed by Alex van Rhijn. Team Gio won against Team Lucas. Meanwhile, the adults enjoyed dancing and socializing.
There was an abundance of food, and we had lunch at 12:30 PM. Guests continued to arrive throughout the day, including a visitor from Hoofddorp and Fr. Marcel, who led the parlor games.
At 3:00 PM, we held the tombola raffle draw. Elpi Guttierez was recognized as the top seller and received a special prize. The raffle winners were:
1st Prize (€50 cash, #562): Imee
2nd Prize (Sack of rice, #601): Catherine Hartman
3rd Prize (Grocery items): Trini Ruiz
Consolation Prizes: Lita Henke, Eve & Pascal Kroeze, and Catherine Hartman
We also shared stories and life experiences, both joyful and challenging, highlighting the true meaning of family and community.
The event ended at 5:00 PM with clean-up and heartfelt goodbyes. It was truly a memorable day filled with love, unity, and blessings.
We thank everyone who helped make this event a success. Through your support, we raised €500 net. Special thanks to our volunteers, donors (including Joylyn Subtenente, FiHansieel, Jochella, Aziatisch Kleding Reparatie), anonymous sponsors, and all attendees. Even if you couldn’t be with us, you were in our hearts.
We look forward to seeing you next time.
Together, as one community under God, we continue to support each other and work towards our shared goals.
God bless our FCC-Gouda community! Thank you, Jenny Luna, for capturing these moments with all these photos.
By Fr. Marcel Uzoigwe, C.S.Sp. | (Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 34; 2 Timothy 4:6-8.17-18; Matthew 16: 13-19)
Dear friends in Christ,
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. These were the two great apostles who guided the early Church just after the time of Jesus. While Peter was one of the twelve who were with Jesus, Paul came after Jesus had ascended into heaven. Yet, we call him an apostle to the Gentiles because he is the one who consecrated his life to preaching to the non-Jews, bringing the message of salvation to them.
There are so many similarities between these two apostles. Both were converted in the process of doing something. While Peter met Jesus while doing his work as a fisherman (Luke 5:1-11), Paul was caught on his way to Damascus to arrest and imprison the followers of Jesus (Acts 9:1-19). Despite the mistakes they made in their lifetime, what unites them is their radical surrender to God. They allowed themselves to be shaped by grace, by the Holy Spirit. Peter became a shepherd, willing to give his life for the flock. Paul became a missionary, tireless in his travels, prisons, and letters, all for the sake of Christ. Their lives teach us that believing does not mean being flawless. Believing is daring to trust, even after your mistakes. It is daring to entrust yourself to God again and again, time and time again. Later, both men died as martyrs for the faith in Rome, during the persecutions of Emperor Nero in the early 60s, just thirty years after the death of Jesus.
Both Peter and Paul did a lot to keep the unity of the Church. During the early years of the Church, it was the Jews who accepted the faith and formed the early Church. The Bible records that during the persecution that followed the death of Stephen, the believers who fled Jerusalem preached to their fellow Jews in the towns and villages where they ran to (Acts. 11:19). As time went on, with the conversion of Paul, the Gentile world began to accept the Gospel message so much that the number of Gentile converts outnumbered the Jewish believers. It was Paul who championed seamless inclusion of the Gentile believers. This is vital for us who live in a time when division sometimes seems stronger than unity, even within our Church. Peter and Paul show us a different picture. They had differing approaches to ministry, particularly regarding the inclusion of Gentiles in the early church (Galatians 2:11-14). But they remained united in their faithfulness to Jesus. They knew that their difference did not have to be the end of the community. Their unity was rooted in the one Lord, one faith, one baptism. And that is a powerful testimony for our time. Our Church must acknowledge diversity, but must always seek a new path to reconciliation and unity.
Both Peter and Paul had it very tough and rough, yet they were determined to push through all their difficulties. The first reading recounts the arrestation of Peter by Herod with intent on killing him to please the Jews. Meanwhile, the church prayed intensively for him, and God heeded their prayer. A night to the day that Herod had planned to publicly kill Peter, God sent his Angel to miraculously free him. The chains holding him captive fell off, the guards never knew what was happening, and even the gate of the prison opened on its own to let Peter out of prison. That experience speaks volume about God’s deliverance, prayer, trust in God’s unfailing love and care for his own. Peter had watched Jesus arrested, falsely accused, crucified, died and rose from the dead. He knew that life goes beyond the grave. That experience enabled him to grow beyond the old version of him that denied Jesus out of fear during his trial.
Paul, on his part, described the Christian life as a fight to discipline the self, overcoming temptations from the world and triumphing over the devil. Such battle requires us to put on all the amors of God (Ephesians 6:13-18), and to be spiritually alert. His difficult experiences of betrayal, persecution, imprisonment, shipwreck and bodily torture are described in his letters. In his second letter to Timothy which forms our second reading, Paul, having spoken of the Christian life as a fight and race, reassured himself of the crown of glory that awaits him and all who looks forward to the appearing of the Lord.
The examples of Peter and Paul is a wakeup call for us to reexamine our commitment to God. There is so much we can learn from them. The story of the transfiguration recounted in the Gospel indicates that the Father is the one who has chosen us in Christ to be his people. Just as Jesus said to Peter, “Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my heavenly Father”, it is the heavenly Father that reveals Jesus to us, and require of us to commit to this beautiful life of God. Jesus himself said in John 6:45, “Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.”
Indeed Christian living often emphasize following the narrow path, making the least popular choices, and carrying the cross, fighting (wrestling) against the flesh and its cravings, running from sin and moving towards God; but it is more of living a life of deep connection with the Holy Spirit. When we are connected with God in the very depth of our being, his light shines through us, changing our perception of life, the world, and people, and we go beyond living out our Christian call only when it is convenient.
Let us always remember that God does not call the perfect, but perfect those he has called. This is important because human weaknesses has a way of hindering us from responding to the call to bear witness to Christ. It is evident in the lives of Peter and Paul that they were not the most qualified for the post to which God called them. Peter was not well educated, an erratic fisherman whose weaknesses showed up here and there, and Paul started off on a wrong footing. Yet, Jesus said to Peter, “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.” As Paul would acknowledge in 1 Corinthians 15:9, “For I am the least of the apostles, and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”. What God wants of us is to trust in his strength, and daily seek to faithfully live in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Remember the words of Paul in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of these two great apostles today, let us ask God to renew our eagerness to serve him truly despite whatever challenges that may come our way. May His grace always keep us positive about His saving plans in our lives. Amen.
On May 25, 2025, the Filipino Catholic Community in Gouda and its Surrounding (FCCG) came together to celebrate a double joyous occasion: the traditional Flores de Mayo and birthday of Fr. Marcel.
The festivities began with the traditional Flores De Mayo celebration, a beautiful prusisyon (procession) where members offered flowers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, followed by a heartfelt mass.
Flores de Mayo, which translates to ‘Flowers of May,’ is a cherished tradition in the Philippines. It’s a month-long celebration honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, where devotees offer flowers, prayers, and participate in processions (prusisyon) and masses.
The tradition symbolizes the Filipinos’ devotion, gratitude, and reverence for the Blessed Mother. The culmination of Flores de Mayo is often marked with a grand celebration, like the one held by the FCCG.
As the mass concluded, the community shifted gears to celebrate a very special milestone, that is, the birthday of Fr. Marcel. The festivities were filled with vibrant performances, including captivating dance numbers by Maylynn Den Boer and by Gold with her sister. Gold also treated the crowd to a soulful song performance.
The FCCG choir members stole the show with their harmonious rendition of ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ and a special Happy Birthday song, filling the atmosphere with love and camaraderie.
The celebration wouldn’t be complete without delicious foods. The venue was filled with an array of mouth-watering dishes, and as the celebration continued, the dance floor came alive with a fun-filled disco.
The double celebration was a demonstration of the strong bond and sense of community within FCCG. It was a day filled with faith, joy, and gratitude, honoring both the Blessed Virgin Mary and Fr. Marcel’s special day.
Since February 2025, Monsignor Jan Thomas Limchua of Cebu has been the charge d’affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature on Carnegielaan 5 in Den Haag. The Apostolic Nunciature serves as the Vatican’s Embassy in the Netherlands. In recent months, Monsignor Limchua has been getting acquainted with the Catholic communities in the Randstad by saying Mass for the FCC Rotterdam and FCC Dordrecht.
On 31 May 2025 he invited representatives of the various Filipino Catholic Communities (FCCs) to a Meet and Greet. FCC Gouda e.o. was represented by Amor van Os, Mary Jane Streefland, Jenny Luna, and Mary Lynn van Dijk.
A beautiful 19th-century building houses the Apostolic Nunciature, which in Monsignor Limchua’s words is where the Holy Father will stay when he is in the Netherlands. There is a wide and long graveled driveway on the right (from the street) leading to a smaller building where a chapel is located on the first floor. A curved pathway connects the main building with the chapel building. The entrance to the beautiful main building is on the side (not facing the Carnegielaan), and both the main building and chapel building are surrounded by well-maintained lawns.
The FCC Gouda contingent arrived on time, and met the FCC Dordrecht representatives, Marissa van der Graaf and Glenda Huisveld. Agnes van der Beek of the FCC Den Haag, who contacted the various FCCs, also arrived at the same time.
Marissa pressed on the doorbell of the main building, and it was the Monsignor himself who opened the door for us. We could not help but be impressed by the stately interior. He led us to a formal dining room on the right where a long table with a pristine white tablecloth had already been laid, not by himself, he said, but by the nuns. At one end of the dining room was a corridor where a shorter table with a white tablecloth had been prepared for the food we brought with us. After arranging the food, and lighting the tea lights to start warming up the food, we went into the dining room. On one smaller table were bottles of water and soft drinks, and on another, close to the corridor, cutlery and dishes. Then we were led to the beautiful chapel which had dark wood paneling, a beautiful painting of the Holy Family behind the altar, a beautiful painting of St Pope John Paul II on the left wall and windows on the right. To one side of the altar was an almost-life sized statue of the crucified Jesus.
There was to be a Mass at 17:00 and dinner would follow afterwards. As the Mass was an anticipated Mass, the readings were for the following Sunday, Ascension Sunday. After he read the Ascension Sunday Gospel of Jesus taking leave of the Apostles and ascending to heaven, for his homily Monsignor Jan talked about leaving, the pain of leaving, and in Jesus’ case, that He had to leave as He was preparing rooms for His disciples in God’s home in heaven, and so that the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, could descend on the Apostles and guide and strengthen them on their task of evangelization. This task is a task we all Catholics have, to share our faith, to live like Jesus did. Monsignor Jan also said that we Filipinos have very good traits, but we also have some bad ones. We need to make sure that we let our good side rise above our not-so-good habits or practices.
This was the third time Jane and I had heard a homily from Monsignor Jan, and we felt that it was not too short nor too long, but it was to the point, and inspiring, too. We found ourselves agreeing with what he said.
Since Ambassador Malaya was also present, the Monsignor asked him to say something.
After the Mass, the Ambassador suggested that we have our photograph taken in front of the altar. We eagerly took our places. The Ambassador then suggested that a second photograph be taken on the front steps of the main building. We moved out of the church, into the curved walkway connecting the chapel with the main building. On the front steps, we took our places, and had our smiles preserved for posterity. Both photographs can be seen on the FB page of the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands.
Then we queued up for dinner in the formal dining room. On a table by the windows were delicious empanadas and tacos which the nuns had made especially for us.
While people ate, people talked with each other. After dinner, Monsignor explained just what it was his reason for inviting the Filipino Catholic Communities (FCC) to the Apostolic Nunciature. As with his homily, he wanted us to live the faith, and do what Jesus commanded His disciples to do when he said goodbye to them. We were to work together. We would not just make sure that there were Masses for Filipinos in the Netherlands to attend but also make sure that we take care of each other spiritually.
He would request the Dutch Bishops’ Conference for a full-time Filipino priest to be hired to provide us with pastoral care. Take for example the Italians, he added, who have three communities in the Netherlands and get together and have a Mass said in Italian regularly. Perhaps the Filipino communities could set up a joint Santacruzan, or Simbang Gabi.
(Note: This year, the organizer invited FCC Gouda to join the Santacruzan in Hoofddorp, but since the fourth Sunday of May coincided with Fr Marcel’s birthday, we had our very own modest Santacruzan. After the Mass, we helped Fr Marcel celebrate his birthday with Filipino food, songs and dances. In the past two years, the various FCCs arranged for each FCC to organize one of the Simbang Gabi masses. FCC Gouda took care of the Simbang Gabi mass on 18 December 2024. This year, too, a number of FCC Gouda e.o. members went to Haarlem to participate in the Divine Mercy mass the Sunday after Easter.)
Later on, he asked each of us to introduce ourselves and to mention when the community we belonged to, held Mass. It turns out that most Masses were held on the fourth Sunday, and as it is the Sunday when we have our Mass in Gouda, we will not be able to attend Mass at other FCCs. But FCC Rotterdam schedules their Masses on the second Sunday while FCC Dordrecht holds theirs on the third Sunday. FCC Den Haag has Masses on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. So it is possible for some of us to attend Masses on the other Sundays, either in Rotterdam, Dordrecht or Den Haag.
Amor explained that at FCC Gouda we facilitated baptisms, we had preparation sessions for First Communion, we also gave assistance to bereaved members for when their (usually Dutch) partners passed away, and also provided assistance to families back home, when parents, children, or siblings died, or were victims of fires or natural disasters. We also held Recollections, and community-wide events such as the Family Fun Day in June.
Marvin Martin of FCC Rotterdam talked about the community holding a Retreat, and activities like the Family Sports Day, in addition to the monthly second Sunday Mass. FCC Rotterdam also had programs to assist seamen, and au pairs having difficulties with their employers or guest families, as well as the Filipino elderly (and those from other nationalities) in Rotterdam who needed food and other assistance.
(Note: In April, there was a very sick seaman who needed spiritual guidance and care. The group was able to avail of Fr Gilbert Razon, SVD, to go to Rotterdam and minister to this ailing seaman. For that reason Fr Gilbert was not available to say the Mass in Dordrecht but Fr Nico who had lived in the Philippines for many years and who speaks very good Bisaya was able to concelebrate that Mass with Monsignor Limchua.)
Ambassador Malaya took the opportunity to reply to these concerns of our fellow FCC-ers in Rotterdam. Regarding the seamen who stay in Rotterdam for a very short time (usually they disembark in Rotterdam from their latest assignment, stay a day or two before boarding another ship for their newest assignment) the Embassy had considered requesting that a full-time Labor Attaché be assigned in the Netherlands. But it was determined that the Attaché would be needed only half the time, so they decided that any problems with the seamen can be referred to the Labor Attaché in Berlin, Germany, or to the embassy in Den Haag. On the problems some au pairs are having, the Ambassador said that the embassy was aware of the problem and the government is considering whether to end the au-pair program. He assured us that in case of problems of seamen and au pairs these can be referred to the embassy which has resources to provide assistance.
At Monsignor’s statement that he would be asking the Bishops in the Netherlands for a full-time Filipino priest to serve the Filipino Catholic Communities, Marvin said that for now, hopefully Fr Gilbert can remain as de facto Filipino pastor. Fr Gilbert says the Masses in Dordrecht, and when there are other Sunday Masses, like on a fifth Sunday, he also officiates the Mass in Rotterdam. He also serves as Retreat Master.
Marvin added that FCC Rotterdam members (and in the past, FCC Gouda members, too) have also attended workshops, the first of which is “How to Be a Church Volunteer”. This workshop had always been offered by the Bisdom (Diocese) of Rotterdam, albeit in Dutch. Our late Fr Dan Ceballos, msc, gave these workshops in English, although he used the printed Dutch-language material the Bisdom provided. Marvin said that these days it seemed that the Rotterdam Diocese was going to hold these workshops in English.
There were two Filipino couples who were the people behind the Couples for Christ organizations in Amsterdam and Den Haag; they, too, also organize masses. In June because we celebrate Philippine Independence Day, their monthly mass would be held on a Saturday. Also present at the Meet and Greet were representatives from the FCCs in Tilburg and Nijmegen.
Now Agnes had asked everyone who attended to provide the FCC where he/she belonged to, and their mobile phone number and e-mail address on a form that was passed around. Ambassador Malaya said that this list could become a database, the beginning of inter-FCC activities and mutual cooperation. He asked if Agnes, who had contacted the various FCCs to the Meet and Greet, would act as coordinator. She would.
Ambassador Malaya also mentioned that during his assignment in Malaysia he organized activities and one of the FCC representatives would be the chair and assisted that year by a representative of another FCC who would be co-chair. The next year, the co-chair of the previous year would become the chair, and a member of another FCC would be co-chair, who would be chair the following year, with a co-chair from yet another FCC. This way, the program could be continued with the co-chair gaining valuable experience the previous year to use as chair the following year.
Monsignor Limchua repeated that he would like to see the FCCs get together and plan joint activities, with the aim of following Jesus’ footsteps. There are Masses in the chapel on Mondays and Tuesdays in English at 07:30, on Wednesdays at 08:00, and from Thursday to Saturday the Masses would be said in Spanish. On Sunday the Spanish-language Mass will be at 10:00. Everyone was invited. At that, our Meet and Greet ended, and we went to put away our dishes and rechauds. There was plenty of leftovers some of which were taken home and some left for the nuns to enjoy. We said our goodbyes and thanked the nuns, too. By the way, Ambassador Malaya’s assistants cleared our plates for us.
By Marcel Uzoigwe, C.S.Sp. (Acts 5: 12-16; Revelation 1: 1-11; John 20: 19-31)
Dear friends in Christ,
On this second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the Divine Mercy. The Church designated this second Sunday of Easter as the Feast of Divine Mercy following the various messages of Jesus to Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska detailing his desire to bring the message of his mercy to mankind. It is a great opportunity to reflect on God’s loving mercy for us, and how we should respond to it. The readings give us insight on how God handles our failures to understand, and lack of faith in what he does in our lives.
The resurrection of Jesus is essentially linked to his great mercy and desire to give us new life, which is the fruit of his Passion. That is why, in his appearances after his resurrection, Jesus showed his hands pierced by the nails, and his side torn open by the soldier’s lance from which flowed out blood and water. That was enough to convince those of his disciples, especially Thomas, who were yet to recover from the shock of his Passion and death, and therefore, doubted the joyful news of his resurrection. While it might be easier for us to believe in the resurrection on account of the Gospels, it remains an obstacle to those who apply human reasoning to divine mysteries, given that the resurrection of Jesus does not lend itself to material order or human consideration. It is clear that some of the people who left the Church or have difficulties believing in God do so on account of the difficulty in understanding the existence of God in the context of the human experience, such as human suffering, which their concept of God could not explain. The experience of Thomas is a reminder that God’s ways are not ours.
In today’s Gospel, we see the first disciples discouraged and terrified after Jesus’ death. They are locked in a room. Suddenly, Jesus stands among them and says to them, “Peace be with you,” and breathes the Holy Spirit on them. They are sent out in the power of the Spirit to offer others the gift of forgiveness. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven…” Notice that Jesus did not reprimand them for deserting him during his passion, nor reminded them of their weaknesses. Rather, he focused on empowering them to bring His forgiveness to mankind because forgiveness in itself is empowering, and creates new opportunities. That is a great lesson to our human societies that often label people, getting them stuck in the mistakes that once made. We often hear the saying, “Once a thief always a thief”. But God sees potentiality for goodness even in the thief and gives him the opportunity, through forgiveness, to bring out that goodness to the world.
What Jesus gave to his disciples is both a gift of forgiveness and a mission. That gift and mission are also given to all of us who have been baptized into the risen Jesus. Reconciled to the Lord, we are all sent out as servants of reconciliation. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is of course a privileged moment of reconciliation, in which we once again receive the Lord’s forgiveness and pass that forgiveness on to those who have hurt us. But there are other moments of reconciliation: the daily forgiveness of our brothers and sisters; the courage to say “I’m sorry” and the gracious acceptance of another’s offer of apology. In these moments, Jesus is among us to help us get out of situations that can be debilitating for all involved.
The Gospel tells us that Thomas was not with the other disciples when the Risen Lord appeared to them. He might have been devastated by the events of Jesus’ Passion and death and had withdrawn to deal with the pain. Thomas’ absence from the community of the disciples when Jesus came depicts the withdrawal approach taken by some people when they felt hurt. The second appearance of Jesus to the disciple during which Thomas was present teaches us the importance of community even amid crisis. When we cut ourselves off from the community of believers, we lose a great deal. Despite all its faults and shortcomings, the Church is the place where we encounter the Risen Lord. It also teaches us compassion towards one another. Jesus had to come again for the sake of Thomas. Let’s not forget that when Jesus wanted to go raise Lazarus from the dead, and his disciples were afraid that the Jews would kill Jesus, it was Thomas who encouraged his colleagues, saying, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11: 16). One good turn, they say, deserves another. In whatever we do, let a day of sorrow not becloud the years of sunshine we have shared with whoever it might be.
Further on Thomas, the other disciples reached out to him. They shared with him their discovery – their experience of the Resurrected Jesus. “We have seen the Lord”, they said, seeking to convince him. The action of the disciples reminds us of our call to continue to look out in faith for all those who, for whatever reason, have drifted away from the community of believers and no longer meet with us. We may indeed receive the same sort of negative reaction that the disciples received from Thomas. But even if our efforts fail, we know that it remains the will of the Father that no one gets lost. In the parable of the shepherd that left the ninety-nine sheep in search of the one lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) Jesus showed us the love and mercy of God for all his creatures. When Jesus brought Thomas to faith, we have one of the greatest expressions of faith in all the Gospels come out of the mouth of the skeptic: “My Lord and my God.”
Thomas Merton wrote in his book Asian Journal, “Faith is not the suppression of doubt. It is the overcoming of doubt, and you overcome doubt by going through it. The believer who has never experienced doubt is not a believer.” Unlike some Christians who profess Jesus in the church but deny him in public places, Thomas was very honest. He did not pretend to believe when he did not. He needed certainty to make his fundamental option for Jesus. Once he got it, he gave it everything. The Gospel suggests that such honesty is never far removed from authentic faith.
Let us recognize today that just as the risen Lord addressed Thomas’ discontent, he is always ready to address our discontent and that of every human being. We are simply people who have been wounded by injustice and marked by various life experiences, both good and bad. But as baptized followers of the crucified and risen Lord, let’s be marked above all by the forgiving peace of Christ. He is our living Lord and our God, who was crucified, died and rose for us so that we can truly learn to live and forgive in his name. That is why he also says to us today: “Peace be with you!”
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Livestream recording of the mass can also be viewed HERE.
