Travels for the soul: 3 options for you

MANILA, Philippines – There is a kind of demand that shoots up during Lent, and it goes beyond the tangible and consumable: the nourishment of souls.

This demand drives pilgrimages. And those behind them have been innovating over time to see pilgrims make progress in their faith journey.

Three organizers say that if they can provide the spiritual handle, they can also infuse themes such as heritage and the environment to enrich the journey for others.

These are Green Faith Travels, the Marian Orchard, and the Lima Park Hotel via Bisikleta Iglesia.

Green retreats

Green Faith Travels is the 3-man team of Edwin Galvez, Judit Mangahis, and Larissa Bardos, servants at the Greenbelt Chapel in Makati’s Central Business District.

“We are all full-time professionals,” Galvez said. But it is out of their love for traveling and commitment to the Church that they facilitate two to 4 retreats a year:

• the Lenten Pilgrimages of Faith and Heritage in Bataan, Taal in Batangas, and Rizal, respectively (2013-present)
• the Healing Pilgrimage to Tarlac (2012, 2013, and 2015)
• the Feast of San Isidro Labrador and Pahiyas Festival (2012, 2013, and 2015);
• and the Marian Pilgrimage of Faith and Heritage in Pangasinan (2013-present).

On March 21, Saturday, they shuttled 90 pilgrims to Rizal – known as the “Cradle of Philippine Art” – in their version of Visita Iglesia. Deriving from the season’s trademark, the church rounds in Antipolo, Baras, Morong, Pililia, and Tanay allowed for a serious reflection on the passion and death of Christ with the province’s culture as backdrop.

“We noticed that people are drawn to the architecture and beauty of the churches – especially the old models – and at the same time they long for spiritual guidance, learning, or appreciation. [So] very, very consciously, we incorporate the local flavor, the local culture,” Galvez said.

Mangahis said that during the retreats, “some go just for sightseeing of places and churches, but through our chaplains, they are always reminded of the true meaning of pilgrimage.”

Most of the participants are baby boomers who come in groups, like barkadas from the parish. Gen Xers and millennials are also well represented, usually signing up solo, as a couple, a team, or a circle of friends.

Depending on the package, a retreat costs P2,000 ($44.71) to P2,500 ($55.90) and accommodates one to two buses, or 45-90 pilgrims.

Green Faith Travels recently announced on its Facebook page the return on April 18 of the Tarlac pilgrimage, which centers on the veneration of the relic of the True Cross of Jesus Christ in San Jose’s Monasterio de Tarlac.

Galvez clarified that they are not a travel agency per se, thus they have limited resources to put together trips to choice pilgrimage sites like Italy or Jerusalem.

Catholic theme park

There’s another reason to not go far, though. The Marian Orchard of Balete in Batangas is a sprawling green land that has been preserved since it was purchased in the late 1980s.

Founder Larry Katigbak said they expect about 20,000 pilgrims during the Holy Week.

Visitors in the past claimed not having seen anything like the 5-hectare property where they could spend time praying, take a breather from the daily grind, and find (or lose) themselves in God’s creation.

Ka Larry prefers to describe it as a Catholic theme park, as it has its own depiction of the Stations of the Cross, a shrine, a grotto, and life-size statues of the apostles.

A replica of Christ the Redeemer also stands amid flowers that could trump King Solomon’s splendor. The highest point of the orchard offers a sweeping view of the Taal Lake and Volcano Island.

The Marian Orchard became open to guests after Ka Larry realized that he should be following Christ’s call to evangelize. He was off to a good start as the land already contained his collection of trees from around the world, including the fig and olive trees that figured in the Bible.

At present, there are about 10 to 100 people taking a day tour on ordinary days. Ka Larry noted that they usually come as a family, couples, or in groups.

“Next year, we can assure the public that the [facilities] will be much, much better,” he shared.

He added that his partnership with Saturnino Belen of First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH) has paved the way for some areas to be fixed for lodging purposes.

Pedalling pilgrims

In nearby Malvar in Batangas, the Lima Park Hotel has a modern, more mobile take on the Visita tradition: Bisikleta Iglesia, which is for flexing physical and spiritual muscles alike.

The Lenten pilgrimage on wheels is part of the Bisita Batangas tourism program. In its sophomore year on March 28, the organizers said there were around 70 participants, a 3-fold increase from 2014.

The bikers’ route included the hotel as the beginning and end point; churches in Balete, Malvar, Sto. Tomas, and Lipa City, also called Little Rome because of its numerous shrines and churches; and the Marian Orchard.

Those who joined were “sporty people who have interest in religious traditions, culture, heritage, and the countryside. [It was] great, too, for environment warriors,” the organizers shared.

They hope that interest in the event will spread because of its obvious benefits to sports aficionados, adventurers, and pilgrims. It also promotes biking as an energy-efficient form of transit.

Lima Park Hotel seeks to attract more pilgrims through its Bisita Batangas Weekend Getaway Package, an overnight stay in a superior room for 4 that costs P3,999 ($89.43). A representative added that “for a minimal fee, they may opt for a half-day heritage tour that will take them to the Marian Orchard and at least a couple of shrines within Lipa.”

In and out of season, guests are bound to catch the Batangueños’ religiosity and enjoy an abundance of food, fruit trees, and fresh air.

As one biker from last year’s Bisikleta Iglesia said: “It feels good to pray this way. I’ve never visited so many churches in one run, and I didn’t realize that praying this much can give a different kind of high.” – Rappler.com

 

A freelance business writer, Shadz Loresco follows stories on entrepreneurs, technology, and finance. Her background includes 5 years of writing and editing for online business-to-business (B2B) marketing and reputation management.


$1 = P44.72