Old St. Mary's
Old St. Mary's Cathedral right in the middle of San Francisco's Chinatown and right along the city's financial district.
Ever since I moved to San Francisco, I have been coming to this church for Sunday mass. There were times in the past when I attended church services elsewhere but this church really is my choice. I feel at home here and this is without any doubt my real parish. It is the closest Catholic church to my residence.
This is how the church main altar normally looks.
Today, I was surprised to see it decorated with statues of the Virgin Mary in shadow boxes and in attractive colors at that.
Here's a close up of the shadow boxes with the statues of the Virgin Mary in them.
Just like many churches the world over, it is surrounded by stained glass windows. These windows do come very much alive on sunny days when the bright sun shines on them.
The quiet corner where I pray all the time.
I am not by any means very, very religious. I actually feel I should be more so. I do pray the rosary every morning right after I wake up.
I went to an all boy Catholic school in Manila and it was quite religious. Back then we were told to stand up every hour day after day all throughout the school day to recite a decade of the rosary right before we began every class and subject. At first, I found it overkill and something not so like me.
After doing it for four years throughout high school, little did I know I wouldn't feel complete and safe every time I left the house without my rosary in my pocket. It's been decades since I graduated from Marist High and I carry on with this tradition. I am very glad it stuck.