Monday, April 02, 2007 Soul refuge: private chapel By Jenara Regis Newman
IN THE heart of Mandaue City, not too far from the parish church and the city hall, is the haven of Dr. Mae Mendoza, her home and adjacent to it, her chapel. She always had a prayer room in her old house. When she decided to build another in 2005, the chapel was part of her building plans.
The central figure of the chapel is a life-size Santo Entierro placed on an ornate stand and draped with an elaborately embroidered red velvet cover, for Dr. Mae believes everything has to be the best for the Lord.
His crown of thorns and nails are placed behind the head, under the figure of a resurrected Christ beside which are the figures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, all close to life-size.
On the walls along the side are hung the 14 Stations of the Cross, made of some kind of opaque material and lighted from the back. Here is where Dr. Mae prays the rosary every nine o’clock in the evening, along with all in her household and their families.
In this room, Dr. Mae finds peace of mind. When she feels troubled, or a friend comes to her troubled, she or they only have to look at the Santo Entierro to realize how miniscule their sufferings are compared to His.
Elsewhere in her compact house, there is a room reserved for visiting priests, where she has placed her collection of rosaries from all over the world, of stones she has collected from the various places in the Holy Land which she has visited, some altar and priestly accouterments.
The chapel is always open to anyone in her household who may want to pray there at any time of the day.
It is, as well, open to Mae’s friends who may want to commune with the Lord along with Mae who considers all she has as a blessing from above.
