By Armando Machado

BELLINGHAM — Although Belen Saturay immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines 30 years ago, she holds on with mind, heart and spirit to the richness of her native culture and its strong Catholic heritage.

“This is a very good way of making the Filipino Catholic culture known,” she said during the fifth annual Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz Celebration.

“He (San Lorenzo) was persecuted and tortured. They wanted him to renounce his faith — but he refused,” Saturay, 61, said of the 17th century Filipino martyr who died in Japan.

The married mother of five and grandmother of four was among several hundred people who attended the late-afternoon Mass at Assumption Parish last Saturday — a Mass that featured a San Lorenzo theme and was followed by a celebration dinner in the gymnasium of the adjacent Assumption School.

Saturay’s husband, Giovanni, said his prayers go out to the people of his beloved Philippines, who have had to endure many years of political turmoil and instability. “It’s a continuous struggle there,” he said.

Luzmelinda Quayle, another Filipino-born parishioner, also was at the celebration dinner.

“It’s beautiful — I love it,” Quayle said of the annual event, adding that she enjoys taking part in educating people — especially children — about the history of her native land and the importance of Catholicism there.

“Lord, we thank you for the gift of life and the gift of love — and for the gift of San Lorenzo,” Father Frank Schuster, pastor of Assumption, said in leading grace before the Filipino-style dinner. The food included lumpia, a type of egg roll, embutido, a type of meat roll, minodo, a mix of meat, potatoes and beans, and biko, a sweet rice — as well as lots of fruits and desserts.

During Mass, Father Schuster spoke of the significance of marriage and alluded to San Lorenzo’s reputation as a dedicated family man. “He was a married man — married people shine for us and help lead us to Christ,” he said.

 “I really want to thank the choir — can you believe that?” Father Schuster added toward the end of Mass, noting that choir members led the music of the liturgy in English, Spanish and Tagalog, the main Filipino language. His comment was greeted with applause for the choir.

A small, glass-encased statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz was on display at the altar during Mass — having been placed there by Shelly Finnigan, 15, daughter of Cris Finnigan, lead organizer of the post-Mass dinner celebration.

“Even though we’re here in America, we continue the traditions,” Cris Finnigan said of Whatcom County residents who celebrate their Filipino heritage.

She said she and other organizers always encourage people of all cultures to attend the various parish-based Filipino events, “because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.”

 Pope John Paul II canonized San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila in October 1987.

In the 17th Century, Lorenzo, who was sacristan and scribe for the Catholic Church in Binondo, Manila, was falsely accused of the murder of a Spaniard. As a way to escape, he accepted an offer by a Dominican superior to take part in a missionary journey to Japan.

 The Japanese Shogun, however, had forbidden Christian missionaries. The missionaries were later arrested and tortured. In September 1637, they were hung upside down inside a closed pit and died the following day.

In refusing to renounce his faith, Lorenzo had declared, “I will never give up Christ — that I will never do. And I shall die for God, and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I had to.”