« on: September 11, 2007, 09:36:35 AM »
Several weeks ago, an envelope came addressed to me from a man with an unfamiliar address in Tarlac. I got a minor shock when I read the opening lines: “Honey, before the day I saw you, my world was completely different…” A male admirer I have? Presuming that the letter was addressed to me, I had not read the greeting. Now I read it, and it said: “My dearest Imee”.
Imee Cabrido and Ian Monte were married at the San Sebastian Basilica last Saturday, 8 September. Imee is research assistant of SSC-R graduate school. She met Ian in 2001 when they were studying MBA at our school. When Imee asked me, a couple of months ago, to deliver the homily at their wedding – she arranged a neat division of labor: School President Fr. Cachero presided the Eucharist, Fr. Selma officiated the wedding rite, Frs. Naranja and Palomar concelebrated – I in turned asked her and Ian to write me a letter why they were marrying each other, so the homily would have a personal touch. Ian’s letter came ahead of that of Imee, so I momentarily forgot about the arrangement.
It is a privilege to be a witness in the sacrament that binds together a young couple as they start a new life.
Earlier that day too, 97 Grade Three pupils began a very important chapter in their lives as they received Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion in a mass presided by Fr. Jorge Peligro, Vice President for Academics.
September 8 is, of course, the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary; it is also the natal day of Fr. Crisostomo Garnica, member of the San Sebastian religious community who at 85 is the oldest Recollect in the Philippines; and of myself, who turned 51.
I have plenty of reasons to celebrate life, especially this year. Last January I had a quadruple bypass operation, so I have been given a new lease on life. Last July 10, I celebrated my 25th anniversary in the priestly life. I wish to share today the “Thank you” speech I gave at the end of the Jubilee Mass; next week, I will publish my bypass blog:
“Although our names and pictures appear prominently in today’s affair, we all know that the center of this celebration is not us, the jubilarians, but God who is the author of every good. God has called us from the womb of our mothers even before we were born, has made his election known at a certain time in our young lives, and has sustained us in the priesthood throughout these 25 years. Today’s celebration is therefore a thanksgiving to God for the gift of life and the gift of vocation. So we give him our loudest applause.
Throughout the years God has made known his plans for our happiness by giving us persons who manifested his goodness in so many ways. Through our parents he gave us the basic gift of life, and in our families we received and nurtured the seed of the priestly and religious vocation. We thank our parents and relatives, some of whom have already died, for so much generosity.
Mentors and formators helped strengthen our vocation and guided us in the way of the Lord. We thank them for their discernment and dedication.
Our religious family of Recollect fathers and brothers, sisters and secular fraternity helped mold and shape our response to God’s call in the Augustinian Recollect way of life. We thank you all, represented by our Father Provincial Lauro Larlar and all of the Recollects gathered here. Mabuhay kayong lahat.
The people of God in the various ministries we have been assigned to: seminaries, parishes, schools, missions, from Baguio to Narra in Palawan, from Kamabai in Sierra Leone to Rome in Italy, have challenged and inspired us to be faithful to our vocation and to accompany them with generosity and compassion in their pilgrimage towards God.
God continues to show us his goodness through so many people, many of whom are here now and have made this celebration possible and joyful: we thank the guests who have graced this affair, and we thank the San Sebastian religious community and parish and school communities, from our prior Fr. Diony Selma, the parish priest and the school board down to the lay administrators, faculty, employees, students and student organizations – Bravo Baste!
Thank you, o God, for calling us to be here with this wonderful people”.
