Today, July 19, marks the 55th anniversary when the present church of St Joseph de Gagalangin Parish was blessed and inaugurated. The four corners of this church as well as its neighbouring edifices (parish hall and formation center) were filled with the song and laughter of a beloved friend who passed away 2 days ago, Mrs Eliza "Ate Liza" Manzano-O'Leary.
I first met Ate Liza twenty years ago when all youth and Marian organizations were busy preparing for the birthday celebration of Our Lady. I learned that she was a nurse from PGH, has a daughter named Pam, and was a member of the Catholic Youth Movement (CYM). CYM leads in the singing in church every Sunday at 6pm.
I think Ate Liza got a break when she sang solo Fruto Ramirez's Ave Maria during the Harana kay Maria, a night of serenade for Mary during her birthday celebration in 1997. The late Tita Baby Buenaventura was the pianist.
Another shining moment for her was when she acted in a play staged by the group in late 1998.
There was one incident that almost snatched Ate Liza from us all. She was sat in one of the pews midway of the church, watching us as we were rehearsing for a Christmas concert. Workers where then moving a scaffolding in the aisle when they unintentionally hit one of the chandeliers. The chandelier instantly fell to the ground just a few inches from where Ate Liza was. She stood unscathed.
Apart from being friendly and cool, our group saw a female version of Big Brother in her. Although she wasn't the type who will be on our case if we become mischievous. WYSIWYG. That's Ate Liza. It's funny that she calls me 'Manong', but I am not bothered as I maintain that that word of endearment is not as hierarchical as 'Kuya' or 'Diko', etc.
When Anluwage was disbanded in the mid 90s, she became involved in the Singles for Christ, a renewal group under the umbrella of the great Couples for Christ Ministries. When Nidz and I decided to join Singles, Ate Liza was Nidz's facilitator and later household leader. She was very supportive of us.
During Anluwage's revival in 1996, she was named Executive Secretary, the lone woman in a pack of barakos in the Board of Directors.
Ate Liza migrated to Ireland about the same time when we moved to the UK. I'm glad that we continued to get in touch. It was heart-warming when we contacted her on Skype and showed Chiara (when she was still a baby) to her.
We visited her in Ireland early this year and she didn't change a bit! In spite being afflicted with cancer, she showed courage, patience, and grace. Before leaving, I told her to stay strong, ending with the words "Samaniego ka 'ata!" (I discovered early on that her mom's middle name was Samaniego. Although my maternal grandfather and his brood were from Cavite, they once told us that we are related to those in Bulacan having the same family name).
It is truly sad to know that she is gone now, but felt consoled that she left us all happy - happy to be reunited with Pam (who also graduated from college this year), happy to be wed to Paul who loved her unconditionally, happy to have served the Lord through the sick and through the church choir.
It wasn't only the church or any other building for that matter that was filled with her life. More importantly, it was God's People, the Church!
Thank you, Ate Liza for the love and concern you showered us. Rest now where there is no more pain, only consolation; where there is no more sorrow, only happiness; where there is no more worry, only peace; where there is no more sunset nor sunshine, only perpetual light shining on you! We love you!
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