A Woman of Courage

2014 has been named the Year of the Laity by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). With the theme "Filipino Catholic Laity: Called to be Saints...Sent Forth as Heroes!", the pastoral exhortation written for this occasion calls on all Filipino laity to "choose to be brave".

To become a saint, let alone become a hero is indeed a daunting aspiration.  And yet, that's our calling according to our faith.  How does one become brave in the midst of the many trials we Christians have to face?

I have been engrossed with promoting the late Aurora Aragon-Quezon's cause for beatification and canonization  lately.   Reading through Doña Aurora's life, here's her qualities of how it is to be brave:

Awareness.  I think this is the backbone of how it is to be brave.  Doña Aurora was aware of the issues that were happening during her time. Take poverty for example. It has been said that having been orphaned at a young age she did hard work such as fetching water, washing clothes, and planting in the rice field. When her husband became President of the Commonwealth from the mid-1930s to the early 1940s, Mrs Quezon didn't stay in Malacañan Palace very often and preferred to reside in a nipa hut nearby or in her farm in Pampanga.  For me, this was perhaps her way of staying "on the ground". How do we get out from our ivory towers?

Understanding.  With awareness comes understanding.  By her own personal experience and her encounters with the less fortunate, Doña Aurora understood how it was to be poor, marginalized, and downtrodden.  So much so that she did everything in her power to tackle poverty, injustice, and suffering through education, women's right to vote, and charitable works. According to the late Fr James Reuter, SJ: "She looked upon all the poor as her special children".  Do we truly know where those in need are coming from?

Righteousness.  Mrs Quezon was an upright woman.  When Philippine Congress voted to grant her a pension worth PhP 1,000 per month after her return from the States following the death of her husband, she declined the offer citing the many war widows and orphans who were more deserving of such help. How is our sense of sin nowadays?

Openness. Doña Aurora was a woman of prayer.  Apart from daily Mass she was also a devotee of the Virgin Mary.  Mrs Quezon's gentleness and patience reflected how she opened herself up to God.  Being rooted in the Lord, she bore much fruit - her family remained strong in spite of the many challenges and trials, the Philippine National Red Cross became an independent Red Cross organization, churches ravaged by the war were rebuilt, Mount Carmel College of Baler was established, etc. She also showed such quality when she and her daughters volunteered as nurses for the Red Cross in California while waiting for their return home.  Does the Holy Spirit still have an influence in our lives?

Respect. Fr Reuter wrote: "President Quezon was so occupied with official affairs that he sometimes left a little to be desired as a husband. But Doña Aurora never uttered one negative word of criticism. Not a syllable. She was his pillar of strength, always".  Indeed, President Quezon publicly praised his wife, recognizing her as "my friend, companion and partner".  How do we deal with those on the other side of the fence?

Aspiration. It was said that Doña Aurora wanted a national period of prayer in honor of the Blessed Mother and spread her message of peace.  Sadly, she died a violent death.  And yet, her dreams continue to make their presence felt in the country and in the Church.  Evil forces may attempt to thwart these, but for as long as there are people who are willing to continue Mrs Quezon's legacy, her dreams will take flesh.  What is your dream for our country and for the local Church?

As we commemorate Doña Aurora's 126th birth anniversary today, let us strive to follow her lead. Like her, let's choose to be brave!

Doña Aurora, pray for us, your kababayans, your fellow laity. Amen.

***

Once again, I would like to invite our dear readers to please support us in our online petition to Bishop Honesto Ongtioco asking him to open the diocesan process for Mrs Quezon's cause for beatification and canonization. The more people sign it, the better our chances to be heard:

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/petition-to-open-the-diocesan-process-on-the-cause-for-beatification-and-canonization-of-aurora-aragon-quezon

Also, please join our group page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/118643504977298/

Thank you. God bless us all through Doña Aurora!

Declare Aurora Quezon a Saint

In a previous article (http://pbsa3.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Alfredo%20Verzosa). I have expressed my hopes that Mrs Aurora Quezon, the first Filipina to be called 'First Lady of the Philippines' (the honorific title was still unknown during the time of President Emilio Aguinaldo), would soon be counted among the country's canonized saints.

This July 16, the feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, I launched a petition imploring Bishop Honesto Ongtioco (Diocese of Cubao) to open Mrs Quezon's cause for sainthood. That celebration inspired me to do so because, reading the life of this great woman, I found out that she invited Carmelite priests to establish the Mt Carmel School (now a college) in Baler, Aurora.

The process of proclaiming someone a saint in the Roman Catholic Church involves 3 important steps (http://pahina3.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/5-points-on-proclaiming-saint.html):

1. Examining the life of a candidate for sainthood
2. Beatification
3. Canonization

Why make a petition?  A petition would trigger the process. 

Who makes the petition? A group of people who agree that the person in question has indeed lived a life of sanctity.

To whom should the petition be made?  The bishop of the locality where the candidate died or was buried. In Mrs Quezon's case, Bishop Ongtioco is the local ordinary where she is buried (i.e. Quezon Memorial, Quezon City).  The bishop, acting on the petition, gives permission to open an investigation into the virtues of the candidate (a.k.a. 'cause').

I would like to make an appeal to you, dear readers.  Please sign the online petition.  You can also locate from the online petition further information on why Mrs Quezon's holiness deserves recognition by the Church and other related materials are included. Once you've signed, do share this too with others. Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/catholic-church-through-most-rev-honesto-ongtioco-dd-bishop-of-cubao-declare-aurora-aragon-quezon-a-saint?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_created

Remember: there is power in numbers. Thanks and God bless!

When Heart Speaks Unto Heart

The alarm clock went off at 1:30 that Sunday morning (19th September). I got up slowly and made my way to the kitchen to get some breakfast. I later got myself fixed. As I was tidying up the kitchen, someone was knocking at the door. “It’s Bridget!”, said the lady in a very soft voice. Bridget Casey was our parish pilgrim coordinator who kindly offered me a lift to Becket School where all coaches in our diocese would be making their way to Cofton Park. It’s in this park where, hours later, the Holy Father would preside in the Mass and Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

It was obviously dark; the pavement was wet and it was cold. On the car was Mary Harris, a Eucharistic minister. We drove to Our Lady’s Church to meet fellow pilgrims who have been congregating in front of the church. Bridget went out to make a final check. She brought another fellow parishioner to her car, Pauline who lives “4 minutes away from the church” as she told us.

Becket School grounds were being filled up with cars, people, and coaches. I saw more fellow parishioners like Rita Connell and son John, her sister Jean Durkin, Maureen Hancock, Sr Francis, etc. The parish has been well represented; sadly Fr Paul was unable to make it being a Sunday.

Marshals have been deployed on almost all areas guiding people, announcing which buses have arrived, etc. We rode on Bus 8. Bridget introduced herself and welcomed all passengers – we shared the coach with parishioners from the Cathedral and Hucknall parishes. There was a Filipino couple on the same bus as I was.

An hour and a half or so, we arrived in Cofton Park. People from various parishes and dioceses across the country were processing to the venue – some where carrying their parish banners. I met a couple of Filipinos – who were in their jovial mood ready to see the Pope.

After passing through security checks, our group settled on a spot to the left of the aisle leading to the main stage – another stage has been allocated for some singers who soon led us in a handful of praise songs. Bishops too were at hand to lead us in prayer and in reflecting on some of Cardinal Newman’s writings. We may have been wet and feeling cold during that time, but our spirit was not dampened! From time to time, a priest (I would imagine) would go to the podium and welcome or motivate people in preparing for the Pope’s arrival and for the Eucharistic celebration. There were a number of big screens which showed what’s happening on stage as well as monitor the Pope’s travel to the park.

A moment of hush followed after. I closed my eyes and remembered my loved ones and everyone else who were not present in that occasion. Later I saw priests garbed in white marching down the aisle to the main stage. People were anticipating that the Holy Father would also pass that way. I had my camera ready and while waiting had a chat with or a smile at fellow Filipinos who came from other parts of the country. I saw banners and flags of various colours including a huge Filipino flag. There were two interesting banners. One said “B16 (short for Benedict XVI) es Petrus (literally “Benedict XVI is Peter” highlighting the Pope as St Peter’s successor.) Another one said “Omnes cum Petro” (“All with Peter”).

No sign of the Pope. Growing impatient, I went back to where our group was when suddenly the big screens showed the Pope riding on the Pope mobile which made its way on another route! People started to clap their hands or wave their flags. We saw how babies were brought near the Pontiff who in turn kissed and blessed these. As these things took place, one thing was noticeable – the drizzle stopped, the clouds gave way to the sun!

Mass followed shortly. When the Pope declared Cardinal Newman as “Blessed”, his portrait on stage was unveiled. The proclamation was met with a great round of applause. One of England’s sons has been raised to altars!

I was delighted to see Deacon Jack Sullivan proclaiming the Gospel that Sunday – his recovery from a debilitating illness was a miracle obtained from Cardinal Newman’s intercession, the miracle that has made Newman eligible for beatification.

The Pope’s homily began by underscoring that day as the Lord’s day, “when our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead and changed the course of human history for ever…” He then moved to cite what is more ‘local’ – the remembrance of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The Pope could relate very well with this occasion having “lived and suffered through the dark days of the Nazi regime…” Finally, he mentioned Cardinal Newman’s beatification as “…another, more joyful reason why this is an auspicious day for Great Britain..."

The Pope delved on Blessed John Henry's motto Cor ad cor loquitur ("Heart speaks unto heart" which is the theme of his state visit). He said that this motto "gives us an insight into his (Blessed John Henry's) understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into communion with the Heart of God."

The Holy Father cited a reminder from this new blessed that faithfulness to prayer gradually transforms us into the divine likeness. The Gospel that Sunday conveyed that no one can be the servant of two masters. Benedict XVI told his listeners that Newman's teaching on prayer explains how faithful followers of Christ are taken into the service of our Lord. He went on by on quoting Newman: "I have my mission. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do his work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place...if I do but keep his commandments and serve him in my calling."

Recalling the Pope's homily vis-a-vis Blessed John Henry's life and teachings, I kept asking myself: "When was the last time I really prayed from the heart?" I may have said prayers a hundred times, but have all these been 100% from my heart? I may have attended many Masses, said a thousand rosaries, but my mind might have been somewhere else. If I don't pray from the heart, I am like a withered plant deprived of water and all the nutrition I need!

And because prayer prods us to serve, I asked too: "When was the last time I really did something good out of love?" I may have given monetary contributions to charities or shared my 'excess goods' with those in need or participated in any parish celebration, but may have done so because of fame or false pride or just being 'one of the good guys'? (Incidentally, during the Papal visit I saw a huge and strange poster which said something like "You don't need God to be good".) if I serve without love, I'm like chaff that when ignited easily burns up! (Ningas-cogon as a Filipino cliche goes.)

I'm glad the Pope presented Cardinal Newman not as a theologian and an intellectual, but as a priest, as a pastor of souls. By doing so, he made it clear to all that holiness is achievable even in the most simplest of activities.

The Mass concluded with everyone felt being blessed to be in that once-in-a-lifetime event. For me, this was the first beatification ceremony I attended. The celebration was followed by song numbers from a Catholic secondary school in Birmingham to the audience's delight. I recall "Sway" and "Twist and Shout" to name a few. This occasion was a real fiesta for this archdiocese and for the whole of England!

I'm pretty much sure that we all went home refreshed. Life goes on. Our mission continues - as individuals and as a community - inspired by Blessed John Henry, a man who was tested just like you and me, yet had a fruitful life. A man whose heart always sought God's very own.