The Journey Continues

Our parish played host to the celebration of Msgr. David Forde's 60th sacerdotal ordination anniversary last 17 June 2016. Msgr. Forde was our parish priest from 1999 to 2007. Bishop Patrick McKinney presided over the Mass. A handful of priests from the Diocese concelebrated with him.  Among them were Fr. Gerry Murphy, our Parish Priest;  Fr. Paul Newman, our immediate Past Parish Priest; and Fr. Anthony Dolan, a retired priest who was baptised and ordained at Our Lady's Church.  Of course, Msgr. Forde was there!

Looking at the booklet for the Mass, I was touched to read how Monsignor's parents made sacrifices so that he could go to secondary school and then to college.  On another part of the testimony, I read how he discerned God's calling for him to be a priest and his ministry in the Diocese. Migrating from Ireland to evangelise other people is no joke.  During our rosary group's Christmas Party in 2014, Monsignor was our guest of honour. In his brief message, he identified himself with us being part of the ethnic minority in England.

After the celebration in church, as I was getting ready to sleep, I realised that this date marked my 13th year of living in the UK.  My life here has been a bundle of happiness, sorrow, challenges, triumphs.  During those first few years, I met Monsignor. He comes across as a supportive parish priest. I enjoyed listening to his homilies which always ends with a punch line. "Each of us received a blessing. Let us be a blessing to others" (or words to that effect) and "Enjoy your wealth, but don't let it control you" come to mind.  I admire him that in spite of his old age, he is still serving. I heard from a fellow parishioner that our parish was at its low point when their parish priest died. Until Monsignor came. Indeed, there were moments when I feel low when, all of a sudden (as I go to church), I would see Monsignor smiling at me or giving me a pat at the back.  In one Mass where I was about to read the Prayer of the Faithful, he asked people to pray for Filipinos affected by the eruption of Mayon Volcano (I felt ashamed because, until that Mass, I never knew of this tragedy in our country). Small gestures that meant a lot!

Retired from active ministry for almost 8 years, Monsignor continues to serve the Diocese whenever he is needed. For many times, he has provided cover when Fr. Paul or Fr. Gerry were away. During special occasions such as Holy Week and Christmas, he lends a helping hand in presiding at some of the Masses either at Our Lady's or the Infant of Prague (Both parishes share the Parish Priest since 2005) or even in other parishes in the Diocese. I guess, the journey continues regardless if one is just a day or 60 year old in one's vocation.  Monsignor Forde comes across as one shining example. 

Thank you, Monsignor, for your prayers and paternal support through the years. May God bless you more and more!

***

Speaking of journey, my sister Nicola and her husband Dominic begun their journey as a married couple almost a year ago.  Last Sunday, that journey reached a milestone when Nicola gave birth to a baby boy whom they named Thomas Dominic. Named after his grandfather Thomas and his father Dominic, Tommy (my nephew's nickname) shares the same birthday as his dad. Incidentally, his grandfather's birthday is on the following day. For the Samaniego-Albano Clan, Tommy is the third grandson.

Congratulations, Nicola and Dominic! Prayerful wishes for both of you and your family. May Tommy grow to be a healthy, holy, and happy boy. May he follow the example of Saints Thomas Aquinas and Dominic de Guzman, constantly at the service of Jesus who is the Truth!

Life is Like a Tire

Last Sunday was quite a busy time for me.  After going to church with Chiara, we headed home for lunch and then, while she was watching TV, I was on Skype to talk to a cousin in the Philippines.  Later on we went to a neighbour's home for a children's party.  Chiara had a great time with the other kids.  I also enjoyed meeting new faces and getting to know more about our neighbours and other guests.  Conscious that I need to prepare our dinner and fetch Nidz from work, we thanked our generous hosts and left.  

It was 20 minutes to 8.  I told Chiara that it was time for us to fetch her Mommy.  As I was driving I heard something different.  "This is the first time I felt the car this way!", I told myself.  Because I was in a hurry, I just carried on driving.  Nidz's workplace is not that far from us anyway.  We arrived at the hospital after about 5 minutes. There was a parking space available (my usual spot) so I headed in that direction.  Chiara, surprisingly, was fast asleep. It has been a long day for her.  I went out of the car to check what's going on. My suspicion was that one of the tires needed more air.  It was more than that. One of the rear tires was deflated!

When Nidz arrived, I showed her what happened. "Daddy, you can't drive like that!", she said.  I tried to call breakdown service twice, but they were not available.  I sent a text message to Meng, a friend and Chiara's godfather, who lives nearby asking for help.  He later phoned me up to ask what's the problem.  In a few minutes, he arrived.  He first tried to use a small pump, but it didn't work.  I was getting nervous.  I felt like the day was going to end in a low note.  He went back to his car to get something. It was Tyreweld, a cylinder container whose contents would not only inflate the tire, but also get the puncture sorted.  In a matter of a few minutes, the tire was good as new!  We left the place with unending pasasalamat to Pareng Meng.

I suddenly remembered a similar situation way back in September 2012 during our visit to New York.  After seeing our relatives in Staten Island, we headed back to Manhattan where we were staying. Nidz and my mother travelled with a cousin and went ahead of us.  While Nicola, Chiara, and I were on my aunt's car. My father was with us.  My aunt and godmother Ninang Joji drove us.  As we entered Battery Park Tunnel (which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn), all of us felt as though we were all bouncing, as though we were passing through potholes.  As the tunnel has 2 lanes with vehicles moving on the same direction, drivers from the other lane were signalling to us, pointing at one of our tires.  Ninang Joji stopped the car.  Although there were barriers separating the 2 lanes, the vehicles at the back sensed the problem and managed to overtake when it was safe to do so. (The barriers, by the way, are made of thin plastic so cars can just pass through easily.)

In spite of how busy these lanes can be, I was surprised and touched that other drivers would stop for a few minutes to check on us and even offered to contact New York Police Department (NYPD). My aunt and father thanked them for their kindness.  A few minutes later 2 policemen arrived and told us that one of the rear tires (the one near to where I sat) was severely punctured.  The car had to be towed outside the tunnel.  We have to ride NYPD cars.  Chiara, Ninang Joji, and I were on one car while Papa and Nicola were on the other.  Chiara kept on talking to the policeman.  At one point she told the cop how handsome he was!  The cop graciously told her "Thanks, sweetie. Unfortunately I cannot fix your car".  He later asked where Nidz was and Chiara told him that her mom is a nurse.  "My wife is a nurse too", quipped the officer.  (Incidentally, Pareng Meng's wife is also a nurse.) He told us that at that moment his wife is working in the hospital. All throughout that ordeal, the cops were reassuring.  We were grateful for all their help. As it was getting late, Nicola, Chiara, and I took a cab to my sister's apartment.  Papa and Ninang Joji stayed for almost an hour for breakdown assistance to replace the tire before returning to Staten Island.

There's this Filipino saying that goes "Ang buhay ay parang gulong. Minsan nasa ibabaw ka. Minsan naman nasa ilalim ka" (Freely: Life is like a tire. Sometimes you are on top. Sometimes you are at the bottom.).  These two incidents made us feel that we are at the bottom. And yet, these were also moments when men of goodwill uplifted us.  They give deeper meaning to the 'salt of the earth and light of the world' which Jesus mentioned in this Sunday's Gospel.  They showed us how it is to love and be loved.

Arriba In My Veins

I note that you used to study in Letran. What has Letran impressed on you? - Placido Penitente

During Anluwage's heydays in Gagalangin, I couldn't relate with my colleagues whenever they talk about school - most of them studied in the local high schools. I studied elsewhere, at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran where my Dad and his brothers studied.

Letran has impressed quite alot on me. First is the devotion to the Holy Rosary. When I was in sixth grade (I was then a transferee from Kawit, Cavite.), our class adviser Ms Carmelita Lopez used to check if we all got our rosaries. The rosary forms part of our school uniform. Ms Lopez's style of checking was 'name and shame'. Every row has a leader who'll do the checking and then report to the whole class by saying "I'm happy to tell you that all my classmates are in complete uniform." It's when the "I'm sorry to tell you..." that makes the reporting interesting. Once the teacher hears these words, she'll ask who's got incomplete uniform and what is it that's missing, e.g. rosary, ID, black leather shoes, etc. Till now I make it a point to have my rosary on my breast pocket.

Another is team work, for example cleaning the room to organizing activities for the class and for the whole department. I can never forget the times when we have a drama in Filipino and English and some of us have to play the female roles - during that time Letran elementary and high school departments catered exclusively for boys.

I almost didn't become a Letranite when I constantly failed in the Math entrance exam. Thanks goes to my late grandmother who patiently taught me prior to my last exam, which happened on my birthday ages ago. I later found myself in a school that isn't only known for being sports-minded but is also excellent in the academics like Mathematics. Through the numerous Mathematics I was taught - Algebra, Basic/Analytic Geometry, and Trigonometry - I was able to love this subject which would later form part of my Chemistry degree.

There are still some more lessons I've learned from Letran from building friendships to meeting students of the opposite sex, from helping each other to learn the subject to deciding what course to take in college.

For all that Letran has done for me, I can only sing the following lines from the Alma Mater Hymn:

Orgullosos de ti y tu historia
Nuestras almas desde hoy juraran:
Conquistar por tu honor nuevas glorias
Y jamas olvidarte, Letran!

(We are proud of you and your history
Our souls pledge from now on:
To conquer new glories for your honor
And never forget you, Letran!)

***

This week, I’ve go two loved ones who have celebrated or are celebrating their natal days and I’m taking this opportunity to greet them:

Nicola, my younger sister (Nov 8) – when she was born I was so excited to see her that I missed the school service and hit my head accidentally twice. When I started teaching in UST, she was already a Med Tech student there. Her college was just 1 floor beneath ours so I was able to keep an eye on her. I miss you so much, dear sister. Hope you’ll have your dreams fulfilled and, at the same time, we’ll see you soon.

Bob, my first cousin (Nov 15) – because I didn’t have any older brother to look up to, he is definitely and rightfully called “Ang Manong ni Manong”. I have worked side-by-side with him when he was Musical Director of the “Panunuluyan” as well as the “Hosanna” and “Salubong” events in Kawit, Cavite. Thanks for the confidence you have given me, cousin. Looking forward to see “Heritage” a part of every Filipino home.