More than 100 leaders of the Filipino community in Oregon and supporters gathered last month at the conference center of the Grotto in Northeast Portland for the official launching of Dambana: The Filipino Faith Shrine.
The shrine is a collaboration between the Filipino community of Oregon and the Grotto, the National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother, in Portland.
It will be built on the upper gardens and feature the image of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), as well as the Blessed Mother and San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, as all three are symbols of the community’s cultural affinity with these intercessors. Dambana — the Tagalog word for shrine or altar — is envisioned as a sanctuary that blends Filipino faith and culture. It is a symbol of the community’s unity and dedication, and will serve as a legacy to future generations.
“This is our Filipino dream in Oregon – to build the Dambana, as a testament to our strong and involved community, grounded in its faith and values, and dedicated to serving each other,” says Pia de Leon, one of the organizers of the project.
Read more of Filipino community to build shrine at Grotto










The worshipping community of Mission Santo Nino de Atocha in Tecolote may be small, but their faith is strong. Nestled in the midst of mesquite trees and brush land about 10 miles north of Alice on Highway 281, a committed group gathered Nov. 18 for a community milestone, the ground breaking of their new church, Today is truly a wonderful day, said Johnny Vela, one of the original members of the faith community who began meeting in homes and even an abandoned dance hall in the 1980s.
The Dia de la Candelaria (Day of the Candles) is a big feast in Mexico. It differs from the Candle Mass in the United States because during this Mass not only the Candles get blessed but also the Baby Jesus from the crib. In Mexico this has been celebrated since the Colonial times. This celebration also changes according to every ethnic group and region who gives the Celebration the characteristics proper to their culture.







This little statue has been my favorite since I found it three years ago. It came to me in a jumbled box lot from an estate sale. Look at it closely and it is a reassembled puzzle glued together after a bad break. The neck and the base and back have been repaired. The statue was quite dark with dirt when I found it, but has been cleaned just this side of falling apart. It is Portuguese and the eyes are made of glass, giving it a kind and sympathetic countenance. It sits on top of my desk in my writing space in the basement.