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!

Restart

I watched Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” on Easter Monday. Mind you, I didn’t choose the day to view it – it’s the TV channel which strangely scheduled that movie after Holy Week! Anyway, one scene caught my attention. It was when the Blessed Virgin Mary met her son on his way to Calvary. As the mother approached her wounded and battered son, he said to her “Mother, I will make all things new!” or words to that effect.

The following weekend, I mowed the lawn since it was sunny. Having completed my task, I started to bring the mower and the electric cord extension back to their storeroom. I struggled to roll back the cord extension as they got so much twisted. It was a hot day and I was due to do some other ‘homework’, that I didn’t have the whole day to untangle the cord. I told myself, “If I leave this for now, I will definitely have to make time to get this sorted soon.” So I stayed put. “Pull this way, pull that way! Oh no, the other way!” I was getting impatient. I was cursing. Suddenly I remembered the word “restart” which, in a way is synonymous with the words Jesus spoke (in that movie) which stunned me.

I suddenly felt the urge to remain calm and focused. I looked at the entangled cord and slowly removed the twist completely! I sighed a relief.

At Eastertime, we are reminded of how Jesus made things new. The once fearful followers became courageous proclaimers. The once divided people were transformed into a community of believers. The once living-in-darkness have come into the light. The once afflicted with hurt and failures have been made whole.

Easter conveys to us that message of hope and of perseverance. If we have failed in the past, now’s the time to rise up and pick up from where we have fallen or even start all over again. If we have not succeeded previously, in spite of our efforts to remain good, now’s the chance for us to have another go at what we are aspiring for. If we have sat on (and even slept on) what we should have done ages ago, now’s the moment to act.

“I will make all things new”, says the Risen Lord. Geared in faith, hope, and charity let’s move on and be that “new creation” which our world, our Church, our society, our family and friends, and our very selves long for!

***

I am happy that the late Pope John Paul II has been beatified recently. I am blessed to have joined millions of Filipinos in welcoming him in his second visit to Manila for the World Youth Day celebration in January 1995. This is the first time I have known someone who lived during my lifetime being beatified. May Blessed John Paul II continuously intercede for the Church in these troubling times!

***

Talking about the recent beatification, I cannot help, but notice how some people have been so particular with titles. One several occasions, I’ve read “Blessed Pope John Paul II”. I had a similar observation when people address another renowned person as “Blessed Mother Teresa (of Calcutta)”. Ditto for “Pope St Pius X”, “St Padre Pio”, etc. Sadly even some calendars have used a similar scheme. With all due respect to holy men and women’s former role in the Church, I think mentioning their role together with their title (i.e. ‘Blessed’ or ‘Saint’) gives wrong impressions such as 1.) that holiness was obtained because of someone’s role in the Church and 2.) that in heaven (where the holy are now) there is a special place or rank for those who were popes or heads of religious congregations, etc.

It would be best to simply address them as “Blessed John Paul II”, “Blessed Teresa of Calcutta”, “Blessed John XXIII”, “St Pius V”,etc. This is how missals and some calendars have presented these holy people. To further help readers as to who these people were, their role in the Church is indicated after the name (e.g. St Pius V, Pope; St Dominic of Guzman, Priest; St Augustine, Doctor of the Church; St Margaret Alacoque, Nun; etc.).

Mind you, St Peter (Jesus’ apostle) was the first pope, but never have we addressed him as Pope St Peter!