St. Joseph’s Cathedral, led by Father Troadio ‘Troy’ delos Santos, and Brother Rommel Pangilinan of Katolikong Pinoy sa Abu Dhabi (KPAD), have extended warm invitations to the Filipino Catholic community for the upcoming Simbang Gabi 2023 celebrations. The festivities are scheduled from December 15 to December 23, with each night’s celebration starting at 8:00 pm.
Father Troy, Assistant Parish Priest at St Joseph’s Cathedral Abu Dhabi, expressed his excitement for the festive season.
“Malamig na simoy ng hangin, magagandang palamuti, makukulay at masasayang mga ngiti, tunay ngang ramdam na ramdam na ang diwa ng Pasko,” said Father Troy.
Brother Rommel shared the community’s collective anticipation, stating, “Ang Simbang Gabi 2023 ay inaabangan na sa Abu Dhabi at mga karatig na lugar sa UAE. Excited na lang lahat para sa sama-samang paglalakbay para sa isang layunin ang pagsalubong sa Araw ng Kapaskuhan ang pagsilang ng Dakilang Manunubos.”
As a special gift to fellow Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are far from the churches in the UAE and unable to attend physically, Br. Rommel announced the continuation of the live stream for Simbang Gabi. This allows Filipinos in distant locations within the UAE and homebound individuals to join the celebrations virtually.
He encouraged everyone to visit the Katolikong Pinoy sa Abu Dhabi Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/katolikongpinoysaabudhabi) to participate in the festivities remotely.
The chosen theme for this year, “Liwanag ng Pasko gabay sa sama-samang paglalakbay,” resonates with the Filipino community, emphasizing the significance of Christmas as a guiding light in their collective journey.
Filipino Catholics are encouraged to heed the joint invitation, come together in unity, and celebrate the joyous occasion of Simbang Gabi at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. For those traveling to join the night masses, the church is located at 19 Al Soula’i St – Al Mushrif – W24-02 – Abu Dhabi.
