Dying while the Rosary was being prayed

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery was being prayed by the family members, as former Pres. Cory Aquino breathed her last. Now it makes sense why she didn't pass away last week. The timing (1st Saturday, plus the time she died at 3:18AM -- also happens to be the hour of the Divine Mercy), reminded me of Pope John Paul II's passing (eve of the Feast of the Divine Mercy).

TV HOST SAYS : Cory gave ‘last deep breath’ as family prayed

By Maila Ager

INQUIRER.net

Posted date: August 01, 2009

MANILA, Philippines — Her family was praying the Rosary when former President Corazon Aquino gave her "last deep breath," popular TV host Boy Abunda told reporters on Saturday.

Abunda said all five children of Mrs. Aquino, and her close friends and relatives were present when the former leader passed away at exactly 3:18 a.m. Saturday.

"Bago siya pumanaw nandun ang kanyang mga anak. To be very exact, they were praying the Sorrowful Mystery, yung pang limang misteryo," he told reporters outside the Makati Medical Center.

"Doon huminga ng kanyang huling…Her last gasp. They were praying around the bed, the children were around the bed praying the Rosary when she passed away," he said.

After that last breath, Abunda said, Mrs. Aquino's children quietly cried.

"Malungkot. Tahimik na nag-iiyakan. Tahimik, except for Kris who was very quiet," he said, referring to the youngest daughter of Mrs. Aquino.

"Kris was very quiet. She was displaying such courage pero noong dindadala palabas mga labi ni Tita Cory... because you have to remember that Kris was in the hospital, Kris was by the side of her mother since July 20 hanggang sa mga oras na yun. Hanggang ngayon si Kris ay nasa tabi ng kanyang ina," Abunda said.

He said a Mass, officiated by Fr. Catalino Arevalo, was held after Mrs. Aquino's death.

Abunda said Arevalo is a very close friend of the former leader and had been officiating a Mass for her at the hospital.

A family driver of the Aquinos was seen loading stuff into a white Toyota Hi-Ace van parked at the back entrance of the Makati Medical Center. He said the boxes and luggage belonged to Kris who left the hospital early Saturday morning. With a report from Nina Calleja, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Goodbye, Tita Cory

The Philippines has lost an icon of democracy. Former President Aquino died on a 1st Saturday, August 1st, 2009 at 3:18 AM (Hour of Divine Mercy) no less! I'm reminded of how Sister Lucia (Fatima visionary) once told Jaime Cardinal Sin to tell President Cory that "You, Corazon, are a blessing for the Philippines". An interesting story about President Aquino and Sister Lucia can be found here.

She will be missed!

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Cory Aquino dies

By Maila Ager

INQUIRER.net

First Posted 05:18:00 08/01/2009

Filed Under: Health, death notices, Cory Aquino

MANILA, Philippines -- Former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino has passed away.

She was 76.

Her son Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III confirmed that she died of cardio respiratory arrest at exactly 3:18 a.m. Saturday at the Makati Medical Center.

Mrs. Aquino has been diagnosed with colon cancer early in 2008 and has been confined at the Makati Medical Center for more than a month.

Mrs. Aquino, widow of Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., will be remembered as an icon of democracy, having led a military-backed popular revolt in 1986 that ousted a dictator who ruled the country for 20 years.

St. Philomena's Feast Day (High Mass)

9th Annual Celebration in honor of

St. Philomena (Virgin and Martyr)

Five Wounds Portugese National Church

1375 East Santa Clara St., San Jose, CA 95116-1251 (map)

Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 6PM

Celebrant: Rev. Fr. William J. Stout, SJ

Confession at 5:45PM

by Canon Jean-Marie Moreau

(Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest)

High Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin Mass)

Litany of St. Philomena

Rosary procession

Veneration of her 1st class relic

The St. Philomena devotees sincereley thank the Pastors and

parishioners of the Five Wounds Portugese National Church.

Jesuit to offer the Mass of Ages (Extraordinary Form)

From the Monk's Habit blog, a very interesting news from the Philippines:

My friends and I attended the traditional latin high mass yesterday at the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy at Sikatuna, Quezon City. The officiating priest was Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo. In his homily, Fr. Zerrudo announced that this Friday, 31 July 2009, the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, he invited a Jesuit to celebrate a Traditional Latin low mass at 8 a.m. The Jesuit’s name is Fr. Timoteo (Tim) Ofrasio, S.J.

Fr. Zerrudo said that Fr. Tim was a professor in theology and an expert in liturgy after Vatican II. Fr. Tim is also composer. Fr. Zerrudo sang a few lines (I forgot the lines) and he said that was the song Fr. Tim composed. (The other songs I found from OPM were “Paghahandog sa sarili” and “Panalangin sa Pagiging Bukas Palad”). Fr. Zerrudo said that the interest of Fr. Tim on the Traditional Mass is itself a story of grace.

I do not know Fr. Tim personally, nor I have ever seen his face. But I shall definitely be there at Sikatuna this Friday to see a rare and beautiful sight: a Jesuit celebrating the traditional latin mass on the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This is the mass St. Ignatius and his companions knew and defended with their lives from the attacks of the Protestant reformers who denied the sacrificial nature of the mass and the reality of the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, as taught by the Council of Trent (hence the name Tridentine Mass). This is the mass that Magellan heard when he set foot at Limasawa, at the start of the colonization of the archipelago and the conversion of our forefathers to the Catholic Faith. This is the mass the Jesuits celebrated 150 years ago when they set foot again in the Philippines after their suppression and founded Ateneo Municipal de Manila, which later became the Ateneo de Manila University. This is the mass Jose Rizal heard in his youth in Ateneo and in his cell in Dapitan and in Fort Santiago. So what could be more apt way to celebrate the Ateneo de Manila University’s sesquicentennial than for a Jesuit to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola?

Hoping more of our priests and bishops will do the same! :)

Seminary Society 2nd Annual Picnic

The Seminary Society of St. Margaret Mary's (Oakland, CA) just had it's 2nd Annual Picnic held today, Saturday (July 25, 2009) from 11AM to 4PM at the lovely Cull Canyon Park (Castro Valley, CA). The Seminary Society was established as a means of providing material and spiritual support to the seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. The international seminary (St. Phillip Neri Seminary) is located in Gricigliano, Italy. What has become an annual picnic, is also becoming to be an annual advance birthday party for Abbe Joel Estrada, who's now an upcoming 3rd Year seminarian. Abbe Joel was a parishioner of St. Margaret Mary, prior to entering the seminary. During the summer months, the Institute sends off many of its seminarians (including Abbe Joel) to help in its various apostolates around the world.












More pictures can be found here.

7th Sunday after Pentecost

Canon Moreau is back at St. Margaret Mary's (Oakland, CA), after being gone for a few days in Hawaii where he assisted Bishop Silva of Honolulu to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. He was accompanied in the journey by Abbe Joel Estrada, an upcoming 3rd year seminarian of the Institute in Gricigliano, Italy (also a parishioner of St. Margaret Mary prior to being a seminarian).

5th Sunday after Pentecost Homily

This was the only Sunday (July 5, 2009) I was able to attend the traditional latin mass at the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy (PLDM) at Quezon City during my short vacation in the Philippines a few weeks ago. The Sunday before and after I was in Oakland. Fr. Zerrudo reminded the congregation that the upcoming July 7 was the second anniversary of Pope Benedict's motu propio "Summorum Pontificum" -- two years has passed and yet there appears to be so much apprehension coming from the ranks of the bishops and the priests (especially in the Philippines!).

Prayer need: Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino

Pope Prays for Dying Filipino Leader
Sends Message to Corazon "Cory" Aquino

MAKATI CITY, Philippines, JULY 23, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is assuring former Filipino President Corazon "Cory" Aquino of his prayers as she goes through a critical stage of cancer.

Aquino is currently in a serious condition and is under 24-hour surveillance at the Makati Medical Center, after battling colon cancer since March 2008.

The apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Edward Adams, wrote a letter to Aquino, conveying the Pope's message sent through his secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

The Pontiff affirmed that he is "spiritually close" to the former president in her suffering.

The letter continued: "The Holy Father has asked that you be informed that he is remembering you in his prayers.

"At the same time he invoked upon you the blessing of Almighty God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in pledge of healing and comfort."

Archbishop Adams promised the continued prayers of the apostolic nunciature community, affirming that they are saying Masses for her.

The Filipino bishops' conference reported that their chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, Henrietta de Villa, personally delivered the letter to Aquino Wednesday.

Consolation

De Villa, also the country's former ambassador to the Holy See, noted that the former president was "deeply consoled."

Inside the hospital room, a Mass was held with family members, medical staff and friends. She has also received the anointing of the sick.

De Villa stated: "The Mass is her sustaining comfort now.

"It was such a privilege sharing the Eucharist in her presence. Even in her sick bed looking so incredibly weak, she exuded an aura of a peaceful yet powerful presence -- the presence of the simplicity of absolute goodness."

The ambassador added, "Even now there seems to be no sacrifice that is so great that she has not offered to God for our country, that she continues to offer to God."

On Sunday, Aquino's family announced that her condition had deteriorated, but that she had decided to cease chemotherapy.

Born in 1933, Aquino was the first woman to serve as Filipino President from 1986 to 1992. She is known for and has won numerous awards for her support of religion, peace and democracy.

Feast of the Visitation Homily

As mentioned on my previous post, I spent the first couple of weeks in the Philippines early this month, and was blessed to attend daily traditional latin masses at the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy (Sikatuna Village, Quezon City). Here is the sermon of Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo for the Feast of the Visitation (July 2, 2009).

4th Sunday after Pentecost Homily

Feast of Birth of St. John the Baptist Homily

July 2009 Ordinations (Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest)

Last July 2, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICRSS) had their ordinations held at Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano (Florence, Italy). Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, ordained three priests — Canon Jason Apple (United States), Canon Raphael Ueda (Japan), and Canon Frederic Goupil (France).

More pictures can be found at the Institute's French and English websites.

Blogging from Manila, Philippines!

I'm currently in Manila, Philippines enjoying a very short vacation (my sister got married yesterday -- hence the main reason for my short visit). So far, I'm blessed to attend daily traditional latin mass at the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo (picture above) offers daily mass in the extraordinary form.