Take care of family: let's help the
Vigil House.
The Paulinian Global Foundation is cordially inviting everyone -- regardless of batch or alma
mater -- to help the residents of the Vigil House, the home for ailing SPC
Sisters presently located at 3rd corner Hemady Sts in Quezon City, while a new
one is being built in Taytay, Rizal. If your class, organization or company
would like to know how you can help, please email PGFI board member Mary Ann "Shankee" Sancianco-Miranda HS’76 at ashankee@yahoo.com
or PGFI webmaster Chona Dizon Freedman at webmaster@paulinianglobalfoundation.org. Thanks!
|
One Night with Basil
Valdez, 23 Oct, Trump Marina (new venue), Atlantic City,
NJ: The Paulinian Global Foundation invites Paulinians and friends to attend dinner-dance-concert to benefit SPC Vigil House. Also performing: veteran Blackgold/Vicor artist Mae Cendaña HS'75. For
Resorts Hotel room discount and show tickets, email PGF Secretary Chona Dizon Freedman HS'80 at webmaster@paulinianglobalfoundation.org.
More info detailed in PGFI President Soledad Balda
Ilagan’s invitation. Read invitation to attend from Sr
Nieves Cueto. Press release: “Basil Valdez
croons for a cause”, Philippine News article by Romina D. Saha HS’77, 13 Oct 04. Important
Announcement: Due to the Atlantic City
strike, the venue of the 23 Oct “One Night with Basil Valdez”
dinner-dance-concert has been moved. Instead of Resorts Hotel, it will now be
held at Trump Marina Hotel Casino, Huron Ave and Brigantine Blvd, Atlantic
City, NJ 08401, tel (609) 441-2000 - (800) 777-1177. Everything
else remains the same except for concert venue. For people staying at
Resorts, do not cancel your room reservation; there are no rooms available at
the Trump Marina or other hotels due to the strike. Resorts will provide us
with shuttle buses to take us to and from Trump Marina, Any questions, please
call Chona Dizon Freedman @ 2017500942 or 2017903858 (email webmaster@paulinianglobalfoundation.org ) or Dr Cristy Garcia Pamaar @ 973 9940872 or 973b095182. We
apologize for the inconvenience! Thank you.
(Posted on 16 Oct 2004 at www.PaulinianGlobalFoundation.org ) |
||||||||
|
News articles
on SPC Vigil House and Paulinian Global Foundation: “Do nuns go
straight to heaven?”, INQ7.net, 20 Feb 03 – “Alumnae foundation
to help retired nuns, poor approved“:
Philippine News (26 Mar - 1 Apr 03, pg 1) – both authored by Mina delos Reyes Saha
SPCM HS’77. |
||||||||
|
2004 Southern Cal
Inter-Paulinian Fellowship: 10 July 2004 (Sat), 2-5 pm, The British and
Dominion Social Club, Bridgecreek Business Park, 12882 Valley View St., Building
8, Suite 10-13, Garden Grove, 92845; ph 714-898-6733. |
||||||||
|
Paulinian Global Foundation
Fundraisers: 26 Sep, Arlington VA: Saint Paul East Coast alumnae held first inter-Paulinian
dinner-dance reunion to benefit PGF
projects. Messages: Sr Magdalen Torres, SPC / Phil
Ambassador. --- 27-28 Sep, Bethesda MD. Carpet auction-fine furniture
sale! Parvizian Masterpieces donated part of proceeds to PGF
and Feed the Hungry. Coordinator: Sol Ilagan HS'65. Recap. |
||||||||
|
St Paul College Alumnae Association -
Southern California chapter fundraisers: Jul 18 Luau at
Sequoia Center-Buena Park – Nov
22 dinner-dance. Proceeds went to Paulinian Global Foundation
projects. For upcoming activities, please contact SPCAA-SC President
Irene Dumawal Alzate HS'65 at Handaan Restaurant, 9777 Chapman Av, Garden Grove CA; 714-636-8431 / irene12132@yahoo.com. |
||||||||
|
9 Aug
2003, Atlantic City: PGFI Pres Sol Balda-Ilagan HS’65 speaks at 2003 St Paul College of Iloilo Reunion – attended by 300
Paulinians! |
||||||||
|
31 Mar 03:
The cornerstone of new SPC Vigil House was laid. Sr Mary Magdalen Torres
thanks everyone for our continued support. Message. More
updates at www.PaulinianGlobalFoundation.org
-- PGF’s new official site created and maintained by Chona Dizon-Freedman HS’80. |
||||||||
Basil Valdez croons for a cause
Romina D. Saha, Oct 13, 2004
Source: Philippine News (13-19 Oct 2004)
http://philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=34f0c5ccbb0ef16946802bd96c598a8ev
Aug 2004: Basil
Valdez and SPCM HS alumnae visited the SPC Vigil House. Standing: Sr Mary
Philip Galeno, Lorie Mumar HS’80, SPC Philippine Superior Sr Magdalen Torres,
Chona Dizon HS’80, Basil, Sr Bernadette Racadio, Sr Nieves Cueto, Ruby Dizon
HS’80, and Agnes Dizon HS’83. Click for more Aug 04 photos from www.PaulinianGlobalFoundation.org.
PHILIPPINE balladeer Basil
Valdez will croon for a cause this month when he headlines a dinner-dance-concert
to benefit aging and ailing Catholic nuns in Manila.
Valdez, known for his powerful
renditions of emotional ballads in both Tagalog and English, will lend his
famous voice to raise funds for the St. Paul of Chartes (SPC) nuns' Vigil House,
a retirement home equipped with healthcare facilities.
Valdez began his music career in
the '70s as a member of the Circus Band. As a solo performer, he was launched
to stardom when his album "Ngayon at Kailanman" hit the top of the
charts.
Still hugely popular and much
imitated among male singers, Valdez in recent years has incorporated
inspirational and spiritual songs in his repertoire.
In a visit with the Paulinian
nuns in August, Valdez met some of the residents of the current Vigil House in
Quezon City, Philippines.
The current Vigil House,
designed to accommodate only 40, has 75 residents and is ill equipped for the
elderly nuns' living and health needs.
The new Vigil House, now under
construction in Taytay, Rizal, will be a four-story building with medical and
geriatric facilities, a chapel, and an elevator.
It will have enough room for the
elderly nuns as well as for younger nuns assigned to care for their retired
sisters.
As more funds are needed to
complete the construction, the Paulinian Global Foundation, Inc. (PGFI), a
nonprofit established to support SPC projects, is holding a
dinner-dance-concert on October 23.
The PGFI hopes all St. Paul
alumna will help support the project. Non-Paulinians who want to contribute or
make donations are also welcome.
The event, dubbed "One
Night with Basil Valdez," will be held at the Resorts Hotel in Atlantic
City, New Jersey.
(CHANGE OF VENUE: Because of the
unforeseen ongoing labor strike at Resorts Hotel, the dinner-dance-concert had
to be moved to Trump Marina located at Huron & Brigantine Blvd in Atlantic
City, tels 609-441-2000 or 800-777-1177. Shuttle buses will be provided to
bring concert-goers from Resorts to Trump Marina. Only the concert venue has
changed: everything else stays the same -- i.e., Resorts Hotel remains open for
gaming and room accomodations. )
More information and tickets are
available by visiting www.paulinianglobalfoundation.org or by contacting Sol
Balda Ilagan, PGFI president, at soledadilagan@yahoo.com or Chona Dizon
Freedman, PGFI secretary, at webmaster@paulinianglobalfoundation.org . Details
are also available by calling (609) 344-6000. Tickets, available at $80 and
$120, cover both dinner and show.
"It will be an evening of
entertainment, warm memories and meeting new friends," says Ilagan. The
event begins at 7 p.m. and will run until midnight.
Sr
Nieves invites you!
Aug 2004:
Basil Valdez and SPCM HS alumnae visited the SPC Vigil House. Left photo
(clockwise): Sr Bernadette Racadio, Agnes Dizon HS’83, Sr Nieves Cueto, Lorie
Mumar HS’80, Sr Mary Philip Galeno, Basil, Sr Magdalen Torres, Chona Dizon
HS’80, Ruby Dizon HS’80. Shankee
Sancianco-Miranda is in right photo.
Photos from www.PaulinianGlobalFoundation.org
.
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 14:16:27
From: "Sr
Nieves Cueto spc"
Subject: Appeal to all Paulinians
My dear Paulinians,
This is Sr. Nieves de Marie
making an appeal...
Please attend the reunion which
will be held on October 23, 2004 at Resorts Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
This has been organized by the
Paulinian Global Foundation, Inc. Take
this time to reminisce your happy, youthful days in St. Paul... I hope it will
be a welcome break for you. Make this
an opportunity for you to catch up with your long lost buddies or friends...
You might have many things to share with each other by now... at the same time
enjoy Basil Valdez' songs as he serenades you all.
The organization is making this
reunion a way of helping out the old sisters of the congregation. The proceeds
of this will be for the old sisters of St. Paul of Chartres who in one way or
another were known by you and had been part of your formative years.
The amount raised will be of
great help to complete The Vigil House that had been started for the retired
sisters.
Thank you for taking this time
to come together if not to enjoy yourselves...to help our old sisters... God
bless you all...and all members of your families and loved ones! I remember you all in my prayers...
In St. Paul,
Sr. Nieves de Marie, SPC
23 Oct 04: One Night with Basil
Valdez!
June 15, 2004
Dear Fellow Paulinians and Friends,
Almost two years ago the Paulinian
Global Foundation, Inc. was established to unite the graduates and friends of all
schools run by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. It has the goal of uniting
us all under one organization regardless 
of our
geographical origins as well as to help the Sisters with their major projects.
We are pleased to inform you that we have a core group of dedicated members and
we invite you to join us.
This year, our major fundraising and
social event is a Dinner Dance to be held at Atlantic City, New Jersey on
October 23, 2004. The highlight of the event will be a dinner concert by Mr.
Basil Valdez, one of the foremost singers from Manila. It will be an evening of
entertainment, warm memories and meeting new friends. Tickets are priced at $80
and $120. This fundraising will benefit the Vigil House, a building for the
elderly and infirmed Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. The hotel has also
reserved a limited number of discounted rooms for us at a special rate of
$150/night for single/double accommodation, $160 for triple and $170 for
quadruple for October 22 and 23. Reservations may be made online at
www.resortsac.com before September 27, and please use the password PAUL.
For more information, you may contact
the following people:
- Sol Balda- Ilagan ( St. Paul Manila,
HS1965) Tel. No. 808-322-4969 / email soledadilagan@yahoo.com
- Nina Reynoso (St. Paul Manila,
HS1965; BSN70) Tel. No. 703-532-0583
- Cristy Garcia Pamaar MD (St. Paul
Iloilo,BSN 1980 ) Tel. No. 973-994-0872
- Chona Dizon Freedman ( St. Paul Manila,
HS1980) Tel. No. 201-750-0942 / email webmaster@paulinianglobalfoundation.org
Visit our website at www.paulinianglobalfoundation.org.
Please extend this invitation to all Paulinians you know and their
family and friends. We look forward to have you on this occasion.
Thank you for your support to this cause. God bless.
Sincerely yours,
Soledad Balda-Ilagan
President, Paulinian Global Foundation
Inc.
2328
Deckman Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20906
Email: soledadilagan@yahoo.com
SPCM HS76’s
Christmas Vigil House Visit ‘03
From : Agnes Cayco Haw
Sent : Sunday, December 21, 2003
1:59 PM
To : All Paulinian Friends and
Family
Subject : SPCM HS76’s Annual Christmas Vigil House Visit
Hello everyone! Here's an
update. We had a great time yesterday, Dec. 20, 2003, with the nuns at
the Vigil House. From Batch '76, Tavi (with her kids), Shankee (with her
whole family including her mom), Eva, Celbeth & me (with my husband).
Joy! Joy!! Sunny Escareal (Batch '75) & her sister Chiqui
(Batch '79) joined us! Thank you so much, Sunny! But most
surprising of all....Ate Sol of the Global Foundation was there, too!!!
Grabe! Galing Shankee, for seeing to it that she joined us!
Funny thing happened.
Sunny brought along a magic mic but the nuns don't have a karaoke
machine. While we were at a lost on how to entertain them (the
nuns)....along came this "band" of carollers right at the front gate
of the vigil house. In short, the "band" ended up playing
something like 8 songs & being our sole "entertainers". We
had a rousing time dancing with the nuns (to the tune of the current Pinoy
favorite "Otso-Otso"). The only thing that truly saddened us
(& made it kinda hard to keep up with the party atmosphere) was the
situation of Sister Dolores. She's had cancer of the bones for quite some
time now & it has gotten so bad for the past yr. & a half. Our
laughter was punctuated with her loud screams of pain from the infirmary.
The nuns said that she does this numerous times daily to try to alleviate her
pains, but to no avail. Pain killers don't have any effect on her anymore.
It was more painful for us to hear her since we felt so helpless. Only
Shankee (& I'm sorry, but I didn't see who went with her) was brave enough
to go by Sis. Dolores' bedside to pray with her.
All in all, the 2 & a half
hours with the nuns was once again, a success. Thanks you so much for
those who sent their donations like Rossi Revilla & her sisters, Baba,
Shankee & her family, Tavi, Ate Sol, Sunny & Chiqui (if I forgot
anyone, I'm truly sorry, pls. notify me). Thank you once again for your big
hearts & for sharing yourselves, which is what the true Christmas spirit is
all about.
Merry Christmas & a
peaceful & joyous new year to all of you & your families!! God
bless!!
Agnes
PGF
Inter-Paulinian Sept Fundraisers… a huge success!
26-28 Sep
2003, Metro Wash DC
Inter-Paulinian
Reunion at Ft Myer in Arlington VA, 26 Sep. Ate Sol is 5th in middle
row, Dr Cristy Garcia is 2nd from left in middle row, Ate Nina is
rightmost in back row. (More ID’s, please email to spcm_hs75@hotmail.com. Thanks!) Check out more photos at Chona
Dizon-Freedman SPCM HS80’s www.PaulinianGlobalFoundation.org.
Message from PGFI President:
From: Sol Balda-Ilagan
Date: Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:59 pm
Subject: PGFI East Coast Reunion and
Carpet Auction Fund-Raising Update
First of all, let me thank all
those who prayed for the success of last weekend's fund-raising of the East
Coast Paulinians sponsored by the Paulinian Global Foundation, Inc. (PGFI) -
your prayers were answered abundantly. From the bottom of my heart (and also
the Sisters') maraming, maraming salamat!
Friday, September 26, 2003 -
Paulinian Dinner-Dance at Ft. Myer:
Nina was right, the evening was
nostalgic, it was like we all were back in school attending one of the yearly
school fairs which we had back then, we sang our Paulinian Hymn, danced,
talked, reminisced, shared stories of our lives, watched the "Welcome to
the 2004 SPC Centennial" tape which Ching Llagas Marbella (thanks Ching,
and also to the SPCMHS75 for creating this tape) had kindly fedexed to me - but
most of all, we all came together with one purpose, to be committed to help our
dear St. Paul College alma mater. Yes, the Paulinian spirit is still so much
alive!
I would like to thank all of
those who came and showed support, both fellow Paulinians and non-Paulinians,
those who couldn't make it but sent in their donations, those who came and
brought fellow Paulinians with them, those who came after they had seen the ad
in the Manila Mail (a Filipino-American newspaper) and the World Bank/IMF
Bulletin Board, Chona Dizon-Freedman (SPCMHS'80 and PGFI Secretary) for helping
me with the Souvenir Program, Maria (Babes) Cariaga-Banatao (SPCMHS'63, BA'67)
and Christina Garcia Pamaar (SPC Iloilo BSN'80 / UST MD'86) for sending in
their grand benefactor ad donations, Delia Hernandez Alladin (SPCMHS'65 and
PGFI Treasurer) for handling the registration, Nina Galang Reynoso (SPCMHS'65 /
BSN'70) for emceeing the event, Marcia Andres (SPCMHS'65) for assisting in
selling raffle tickets, Mercedes Balda-Buhain (SPCMHS'63) and Carmen
Balda-Cajulis (SPCMHS'54) for the decor and set up of the place, Alma Conty (a
very good friend of mine who helped in logistics and seating arrangements as
well as decor and setup) and most of all, my husband, Lito for being there to
support me from start to finish, and the list goes on....
From the dinner-dance event
which includes the ads for the Souvenir Program, PGFI was able to reach it's
goal of netting at least $3,000 (donations are still coming in). This is a good
outcome considering that there were around 100 guests. Again, without the
prayers offered, I don't think we would have achieved this so thank you once
again. I also know that Sister Nieves alerted all the Sisters to pray as well.
Saturday and Sunday - September
27 & 28, 2003 - Carpet Auction:
It is from this fund-raising
that PGFI made the most earnings. PGFI shared its earnings 50/50 with Feed the
Hungry. This auction was attended by several Paulinians including Cristy Pamaar
(SPC Iloilo BSN'80 / UST MD'86), Mitzi Hocson Ambion (SPCM HS'75), Delia
Hernandez, the Balda sisters and the rest are our friends from the
Filipino-American community. For those who came because they just recently
bought a house (they were the also the ones who contributed to the success of
this auction) - thank you. As I explained in my welcome remarks, the purpose of
their being there is dual - to make there homes beautiful and to help the less
fortunate countrymen and the ageing sisters back home. Here, I would like to
thank of course, Mr. Abdi Parvizian, the owner of Parvizian Masterpieces, who
accommodated PGFI and FTH and donated a percentage of his gross earnings to
these 2 charities. Thanks also to Cristy Pamaar and Marides Buhain who
purchased exquisite handmade Persian carpets for their homes.
All in all, these events
achieved what it intended to achieve; camaraderie and raising of funds for the
good causes of our dear Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres. Once again, many many
thanks to all those who contributed to its success.
I would also like to mention an
important achievement of PGFI - last Saturday I received the approval from the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on the tax-exemption application, PGFI is now
officially a tax-exempt organization. All donations (regardless of amount)
would be tax-exempt. Here, Sr. Mary George Siriban and Sr. Nieves Cueto and
Lito Ilagan (and again, prayers) helped me with the preparation of the
application papers for tax exemption. We truly are blessed!
Take care all of you and God
bless, pictures will be forthcoming.
Sol
Message from PGFI Vice-President:
From: Nina Galang-Reynoso
Date: Mon Sep 29, 2003 7:22 am
Subject: Inter-Batch Reunion....... A
Huge Success
just to let you know, (Sol will
come out with it officially), the first inter-batch reunion held last Friday,
Sept. 25, 2003 at the Fort Myers Community Center was a huge sucess.
About 100 plus folks came to
dance, dine and help raise funds for the foundation. The attendees were
Paulinian grads from elementary, hs and college. Some came all the way from New
Jersey and New York. Some were graduates from SPC Iloilo, Paranaque, and Quezon
City and all came to bond as Paulinians.
We viewed the tape that was
sent to Sol and it was a night of nostalgia.. All of us felt proud to be
Paulinians. no borders nor boundaries (regionally), we were all one in the
Paulinian spirit.
We were able to raise quite a
bit of cash, even the raffle winners donated back their cash prizes...
Paulinian din ang mga ito. Anyway, Sol will relate to you the details of the
event.
Delia, Marcia, Sol and I
represented our batch. The food was great, the music ranged from the twist to
rhumba and the folks who danced were all ballroom habitues, so you can just
imagine, the dance floor was always puno.
we hope to get together and
grow as our prez said, multiply to fulfill our goals and commitment...
We might decide another event
next spring.
Nina
PGF Pres
speaks at 2003 SPC Iloilo Reunion
9 August
2003, Atlantic City NJ
Paulinian Global Foundation
President Sol Balda-Ilagan HS’65 was recently invited by officers of the Saint
Paul College of Iloilo East Coast Alumni to grace their reunion held at the
Sheraton Hotel in Atlantic City last 9 August 2003. With 300 Paulinian
attendees, Ate Sol talked on the objectives of the PGFI and its continuing activities.
Washington
DC, 29 July 2003: PGF President Sol Balda Ilagan HS’65 with Sr. Mary Magdalen
Torres (SPC Philippine Provincial Superior, rightmost), Sr. Fe Villanueva (SPC
Provincial Bursar / sister of Toronto’s Patsy V Fargas HS’65) and Sr.
Merceditas Ang (a lawyer) at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The
Sisters were on a US business trip, coincidental with a teleconference with
Paulinian Global Foundation board members. (Photo from SPCM HS’65 website.)
Below is the text of Ate Sol’s
speech (as posted in www.geocities.com/spcm_hs65):
Fellow Paulinians, Ladies and
Gentlemen, good evening “maayong gabi sa inyong natanan”.
As your Paulinian Global
Foundation, Inc. President, I am here tonight to talk to you about this
Foundation, how it came about and what it’s plans are for the future ahead of
us.
But first, let me congratulate
the organizers of this event, you have done a great and fantastic job! Congratulations also to each one of you for
coming together tonight, thus confirming the commitment you have for your alma
mater, St Paul College, and of course, for each other and for your respective
classes. I am honored to be invited to
this memorable event and wish that there would be many more of this kind in
other SPC schools to follow what you have started.
The birth of the PGFI came about
in September of last year when our class (SPC Manila HS 1965) held our first
USA reunion ever in Washington DC.
Coincidental to this reunion was the visit of the SPC Provincial
Superior, Sr. Mary Magdalen Torres. She was accompanied by Sr. Zeta Rivero (who
is here with us tonight) and Sr. Eva Maamo.
In this visit, a forum was organized wherein the Sisters each gave a
talk about their outreach programs to help the poor and the disadvantaged in
the Philippines as well as the need to improve the environment and care of the
Sisters in the Vigil House. They talked
about:
1. the planned construction of the New Vigil House
2. the Pastoral Center in Quezon City which would cater to the
elderly women and street children
3. the Health and Counseling Clinic in Baguio City
Of these three projects, there
was an overwhelming support for the Vigil House from our class. Sr. Magdalen mentioned that from the
meetings she had here in the US, Paulinians preferred that their donations be
tax-deductible just as when they give a donation to their own charities. And this is the reason why the Paulinian
Global Foundation was formed. That same
evening, an election of officers of the PGFI was held which explains why most
of the current officers of PGFI belong to the class of SPCMHS’65. With me tonight is another officer, the
Paulinian Foundation’s treasurer, Ms. Delia Hernandez-Alladin.
Sr. Magdalen’s trip was
followed by the visit of Sr. Nieves Cueto and Sr. Mary George Siriban (in
November 2002). They assisted the
officers in preparing incorporation papers and application for a not-for-profit
organization. They also visited various
cities here in the USA to campaign for support of their outreach program. We are happy to let you all know that PGFI
had been approved as a not-for-profit organization. Presently, we are awaiting approval from the IRS of our
application for a tax-exempt status. By
the way, aside from the 4 officers, the Foundation has 8 Paulinians who serve
as Board Members for a 2-year term.
With still 2 positions open for in the board, Sr. Magdalen has appointed
Ms. Dolly Kochoa who is your Vice President and who has accepted the position.
Thank you Dolly.
As you may already know, the
present Vigil House is located in SPC Quezon City. This House was built in the early 1960s to accommodate at that
time some 20 aging sisters, our mentors, who no longer have the strength and
stamina to continue on with nursing and teaching or other worthwhile activities
– remember, the sisters retire to the Vigil House only when they are no longer
able to be of service (most nuns are active up to when they reach 70 or some
even older). Now, there are about 75 of
them cramped in a space good for only 40.
And several more in the provinces are waiting their turn once some space
would be made available for them. This
is why the much-needed new Vigil House was considered. A lot in Taytay, Rizal, is now envisioned
for this new Vigil House. (’75 note:
The latter was moved from the earlier Pasig location because the latter was heavily
flood-prone.) Last month, they had a ground-breaking to start
construction. Fellow Paulinians, a lot
more needs to be done. Donations of
medicines, medical equipment/supplies and non-perishable food for the Vigil
House are most needed. Doctors have
already committed to support this endeavor and donate their services to these
ageing sisters.
The other two projects are
self-explanatory – one is for the Pastoral Center for battered and abused women
and children. This Center will be
located in Quezon City at the same place where the present Vigil House is. This will only be operational as soon as the
building for the New Vigil House is completed.
The other project is the health and counseling clinic for the elderly
and the poor in Baguio City. This
project is now on-going and operational, nevertheless it still would need your
support for its subsistence.
May I invite you all to read
the hand-outs which will be distributed to you about the Vigil House. I would also like to encourage you to visit
the PGFI website. This is also
indicated in the hand-outs. I
personally would like to appeal to your kindness and generosity – to help our
ageing Sisters and mentors.
Once again, thank you for
affording me the opportunity to speak about the Paulinian Global Foundation,
Inc. This is our alma mater’s
foundation – let’s take good care of it.
(SPCM HS’75 note: please visit http://www.geocities.com/spcm_hs65/VigilHouse2.html
for more info on SPCM HS’65 Vigil House activities. Thanks!)
New SPC
Vigil House breaks ground
9 AM, 31
March 2003, Barangay Palatiw, Pasig City.
Message from Sr Mary Magdalen, SPC
Philippine Provincial Superior:
9 April 2003
"Rejoice in the Lord . .
.!"
Dear Paulinians,
Let this greeting from our
Patron, St. Paul, echo in your heart as it does in ours. Indeed, there is a cause
for rejoicing. On March 31 at 9 o'clock a.m., the blessing and the laying of
the cornerstone of the new Vigil House were celebrated in simple rites. It was
a simple family affair attended by about 60 Sisters from around Metro-Manila.
Rev. Fr.
Dari Dioquino, the officiating priest at the ceremony, looks on as Sr. Mary
Magdalen Torres breaks ground for laying the Vigil House cornerstone.
This was made possible because
of your generosity and support of the project. The initial contributions you
have made upon the setting of the Paulinian Global Foundation Inc. last
November-December 2002 have helped a great deal in this particular event. You
will find attached some pictures.
We are confident that this
project will find completion as scheduled. We have been receiving contributions
from some of you and there are some pledges, too. We pray that the Provident
God who began this work in and among you will continue to bless you.
We would like to also take this
opportunity to thank those of you who accepted to be members of the Board of
the Foundation. We understand that some of you are kept from involving
themselves directly in the Board because of your busy schedule. But we know
that you will always be there in support of it.
Very sincerely yours in Mary
and St. Paul,
Sr. Mary Magdalen Torres and
the SPC Philippine Provincial Council
(Sr
Magdalen’s message was sent through Paulinian Global Foundation President, Sol
Ilagan HS‘65. It’s also posted in www.paulinianglobalfoundation.org and www.geocities.com/spcm_hs65. The new Vigil House location was
moved later in 2003 from the Pasig location to Taytay
because the former was heavily flood-prone.)
SPCM HS'65 Vigil
House / Antipolo Tour
SPCM HS'65
Paulinians visited the SPC Vigil House and Our
Lady of Chartres Convent (SPC
Novitiate) in Antipolo on 27 Dec 2002. They visited the Vigil House again on 4
Jan 2003. For a complete coverage of the '65 tour, please visit http://www.geocities.com/spcm_hs65.
Breakfast at the Vigil House -- SPCM
HS'65 guests (l-r): Nancy Guevarra, Angie Hernandez, Dottie Lucasan (a favorite
'75 teacher), Nora Ebro, Sylvia Mesina, Beth Pineda, Carolle Chan, Mila Almeda.
Not in photo: Sol Balda.
"We were all teary-eyed
upon seeing our dear sisters helpless and really wanting for attention. Sr.
Josefa would not let go my hand and kept asking me to come back to visit her. I
had a hard time fighting back tears as I remember how she was when she was our
Dean of the Commerce Dept. I strongly suggest to all of the Paulinians to plan
at least a half day to visit the Vigil House whenever they visit Manila. You
will understand and see the reason why it really is important to work together
and build the new Vigil House." -- Sol Balda-Ilagan HS'65
"What is it about
Paulinian nuns that make them genuinely thrilled to see their former students?
They doted on us like we were kids. Sr. Nieves says she keeps forgetting that
most of us are lolas now. The nuns at the Vigil House seemed really happy to
see us. Beso-beso, chika-chika when we arrived and then more beso-beso,
chika-chika as we were about to leave. We reminisced about old times.
Paulinians who studied at SPCM since kindergarten had more stories to tell and
share with former mentors. We were served a simple breakfast of puto, cuchinta,
orange juice and coffee. The stronger, healthier nuns hovered around like we
were VIPs. The frail, elderly ones looked on and smiled. The three nuns in
wheelchairs joined us at the courtyard but they really looked sick and
frail." -- Nancy Guevarra Narciso HS'65
At the St Paul Antipolo museum which
has an exhibit that details the almost 100-year history of the St. Paul de
Chartres Congregation in the Philippines (clockwise from left): Nancy Guevarra,
Sol Balda, Sr Nieves, Sr Mary Magdalene, Sylvia Mesina, Carolle Chan, Sr Mary
George, Beth Pineda, Nora Ebro.
"The primary purpose of
the visit to Antipolo was to brief Sr. Magdalene, the SPC Provincial Superior,
on the progress of the Paulinian Global Foundation which is being formed in the
US. I reported that the application for Incorporation has already been filed.
We will be applying for tax-exempt status in order to avail of the tax
deduction for donations within the US. We also discussed the follow up
activities. Also included were the report on the successful visit to the USA of
Sr. Mary George and Sr. Nieves. Sr. Magdalene gave us some guidance on how to
proceed with our pending activities." --Sol Balda-Ilagan HS'65
Left: "This is the small
clinic of the present Vigil House. Even the sick nuns were so sweet and readily
smiled for pics. The present VH has become small. It houses more than 70
retired nuns and there are almost just as many still residing in the different
SPC convents all over the Philppines. There is no more room for them until the
new VH is built in Pasig. Many of the sick nuns stay in ward type rooms with
only a cloth curtain separating their beds to give them some privacy." --
Nancy Guevarra Narciso HS'65
Right: "Here's Sr.
Mechtilde at right with Sr. Illuminada. Sr. Mechtilde made us promise to ask
all the Paulinians who studied at St. Paul Paranaque to come and visit her...
No one visits the Vigil House without being moved. The AB '69s who were with me
were also enthusiastic about helping to raise funds. I agree with SJO
(Houston's Susan de Jesus-Ongoco) and Patsy (Toronto's Patsy Villanueva-Fargas)
that a visit to the Vigil House and to Antipolo should be part of every
Paulinian balikbayan's sked." -- Nancy Guevarra Narciso HS'65
(Photos and excerpts from http://www.geocities.com/spcm_hs65 and Mrs
Carolle Chan-Agbulos '65. Thanks!)
BLD and Sen Pimentel join '76 Vigil House Xmas
14 Dec 2002: Eva Asuncion, Baba
Arellano, Tavi Villapando, Shankee Sancianco, Agnes Cayco, Celbeth Cabrera.
Morning-after recap by Agnes
From: "Agnes Cayco-Haw SPCM
HS'76"
Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 17:56:04 +0800
Subject: Vigil House visit account
Hello everyone!! I'll try to give you all an account of the vigil
house visit last Dec. 14.
First off, super thanks to the
batchmates who came....Tavi, Shankee, Eva, Baba & Celbeth. Tavi, Shankee
& Baba came with their children. Shankee's husband (and mine) came. But the
true "hero" of the day was really Shankee. Oh man!! Bilib talaga!
Shankee single-handedly arranged for the Manila chapter of the BLD (Bukas Loob
sa Diyos) community (a Catholic charismatic community)...some 60-man/woman
strong.....to come & share their songs & prayers with the nuns &
us. Ang wow! They also brought bouquets of flowers, packs of fruits, a very big
pot of lugaw, & disposable diapers. Shankee also arranged with McDonald's
(although we ordered their packed meals) for free mascots. Oh wow! You guys
should have seen the joy & excitement of the nuns when they saw Grimace
(tama ba?), Hettie & Hamburglar. 4 of the nuns na uugod-ugod na even danced
with these mascots! Hamburglar was the darling 'coz he really went around the dorm....dancing,
hugging & kissing all the nuns, especially the bed-ridden ones in the 2nd
floor!!
Special mention lang.....I was
so touched & so very proud of Shankee's daughter, Gina. Hosme! Naiyak-iyak
ba naman ako?!! Gina spent almost the whole time with the oldest bed-ridden nun
(whose name escapes me at the moment). I watched Gina, feeding, caressing &
just chatting with this nun. Gosh, Shanks!! Trulily! Naiyak ako!
Thank you so much, too, for the
batchmates who sent their donations. Special mention to Christine Reyes-Garcia,
Janette San Juan-Hernandez, Eva, Baba, Rossi Revilla-Reyes....Shankee, Tavi,
paki-dag-dagan na lang, coz I don't know the others. Pero, super thanks to you
all!!
The account wouldn't be
complete if I don't mention the very special guest that came early on. This
also courtesy of Shankee (wow talaga!). Senator Nene Pimentel came to hobnob
with the nuns & us, not to mention that he gave his personal donation pa
& handed it over to Sr. Josephine. I will be sending the pictures soon (to
follow na lang ha?).
I know that we visit the nuns
at least twice a year, but everytime, it's always the same for me. It never
fails to touch me to see the joy in the nuns' faces. Each time, I leave the
vigil house infused with the warmth, love & joy that our visit brings to
these nuns..........and man! It feels good!!
Thank you one & all!! Merry Christmas and God bless!!!
Agnes
Acknowledgments by Batch '76 President
From: Tavi Villapando-Limos SPCM HS'76
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 11:32:04 +0800
Subject: [spcm-hs-1976] Thank you!
Thank you, Agnes, for that
email. We all could feel your enthusiasm. And it really was overwhelming. The
nuns were so pleased to see that there were so many of us....actually yung team
ng Buklod (Bukas Loob sa Diyos ang madami dahil 5 lang kami from our batch. And
the "Body of Christ" song of Buklod was so cute. All the women wore
pink shirts, the men, red, the kids yellow, the male teens blue, and the female
teens green. Shankee really deserves a crown for gathering so many friends and
goodies - and that she did through her apostolate of asking. O, she got turned
down more often than she got yes answers to visit the nuns or donate. But boy,
did she get some real yes answers! There were many donations of food and drinks
(Baba got for us sugar-free Snapples for the nuns). Senator Pimentel actually
visited and donated a 5-figure amount. There were loot bags, sacks of rice,
pansit, mineral water, cakes, sweet corn, lugaw, fruits, balloons, etc.
And Shankee, please continue
asking...Who knows where God would lead you next? Guys, did you know that
Shankee met someone in a wake that owned a Care Giver Center. She asked
outright if they could give their services to the nuns. And the answer was YES!
That Saturday, the Directress came and in her speech, made a commitment that
next year, she will be sending her students to give their servicces for free -
each student for 2 weeks. Isn't that something? And guess what? She mentioned
in her speech that she is also a PAULINIAN! Coincidence, you think? She said
she will start gathering her batch and ask them to visit the nuns as well. Eva
was so amazed at the outcome of Shankee's efforts. I said, "Well, she has
been asking donations for years. Now she is a pro." And Shanks, we love
you for it! Thank you so much.
Gosh, come to think of it, I
think St. Paul is paving the way for Paulinians to get together and meet to
strengthen this cause we have. This is something God wants us to do as our
apostolate....to really take care of our old nuns. There are no coincidences in
life. We are all part of a big, big puzzle. We move, things happen, we move
again. We might not be the persons needed to be there at that time, but we
might be the link to persons who will help. But if we do not ask, how could
they give? Only good can come out of asking. If we are turned down, it is very
good for our humility. It is really fantastic how God works through us in this
world.
Well, I've been pretty quiet
all year. Please allow me to thank all of you who have been one with us all the
way both physically and in spirit. May God continue to bless you and your
families. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you.
And to the other Paulinians out
there, please continue to live that burning spirit in your heart. LET THIS
MISSION SPREAD TO ALL YOUR BATCH AND BEYOND. The other batches are already
doing their own activities for the Vigil House.
And to those who joined us in
the spirit of charity like Buklod Sa Diyos, thank you so much to you and your
families. May you prosper a hundred times more for every generous gesture you
make! And yes, this charity work is spreading even as I speak. Other Buklod
chapters will be joining us. I invited another team, perhaps, in our Valentines
visit next year.
Regards,
Tavi Villapando-Limos
Invitation by Eileen
From: "Eileen Niguidula-Redoblado
SPCM HS'76"
Subject: Annual Xmas Visit to the
Vigil House
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 19:09:08 +0800
Batch 76 will visit the nuns at
the Vigil House on Saturday, Dec 14 at 8:30 am. The Batch is extending the invitation
to all Paulinians. We will prepare a program. Loot bags will be given to the
nuns. Donations for the loot bags are welcome - toiletries (soap, powder,
shampoo), adult diapers, rice, oatmeal, milk, etc. More than these, our
presence is most important.
Am pasting here part of Tavi's
message...... "As for December 14, kindly start pledging in your donations
- kahit ano. But foremeost, I wish you could all join us in the visit (for
those in Manila). That is the most important part. You see, when we are there,
there is not enough of us to go around and talk to the nuns. They are so eager
to have someone to talk to on a person to person basis. And between arranging
your donations on the stage, the mini show, and the food, naku, wala nang time
to go around. And their need is so simple, they just want to have a little chat
with us on how they pray for us, how they are so eager to see us, how they are
so happy with our visit... It is really about the simple joys that bring us
together as one family of Paulinians. The real spirit of being a Paulinian
really comes alive each time we go there. I guess it is the holiness of the
nuns spreading to all of us.
And so it is: Saturday :
December 14 8:30am-11:30am. If some of you can wrap some teeny things for the
nuns, that would be great! It is not so much the amount but the thought. It
will be pure joy for them to unwrap a gift this Christmas. Individually wrapped
little things would be good for them since they don't usually have individual
gifts. I hope we can do this.
LET'S ALL JOIN IN, HARKING PAULINIANS!!!!!
Eileen
Summer 2002
Events
19 Sep 2002, Washington DC:
SPCM HS'65 grand reunion attendees met with Sr. Mary Magdalen Torres (SPC
Philippine Provincial Superior; seated in the middle); Sr. Eva Fidela Maamo (Foundation for Our Lady
of Peace Mission President; right); and Sr. Zeta
Rivero (SPC's Cebu Perpetual Help Hospital Administrator; left). The SPC
Sisters were visiting US cities from 6 Sept to 3 Oct to solicit help for SPC Foundation's three major
undertakings:
1. construction of a more
healthful Vigil House in Pasig; 2- set up of an outpatient clinic with
counseling center in Baguio; 3- establishment of a pastoral center for abused
children and women at the current Vigil House when vacated.
SPCM HS'65 Paulinians
unanimously opted to support the project to build a new Vigil House. Voted to
head the '65 Vigil House assistance committee were: Sol Balda Ilagan
(President; 2nd from left), Nina Galang Reynoso (VP; rightmost), Susan de Jesus
Ongoco (Secretary; leftmost) and Delia Hernandez Alladin (Treasurer; 2nd from
right).
SPCM HS'65 Paulinians are
encouraging everyone to join them in helping build and equip the new Vigil
House. For more info on how you can help, please contact Mrs Sol Balda Ilagan
c/o spcm_hs65@yahoo.com. For the latest updates on the new Vigil House, please
visit http://www.geocities.com/spcm_hs65/VigilHouse.html.
For more info on the projects
of the SPC Foundation (a non-profit organization run solely by Sisters of Saint
Paul de Chartres), please visit the congregation's website at www.paulinianglobal.com.
28 Sep 2002: SPCM HS'80 reps
(l-r) May Domingo, Ruby Dizon, Marie Manalo and Becca Ragodon visited the Vigil
House and brought with them goodies for the retired and sick nuns. Ruby wrote
it was an eye-opener for all of them and vowed to continue helping out. Their
batch's next project is to donate a washing machine. SPCM HS'80 is accepting
donations (no amount too small) from the Paulinian community and friends. For
inquiries, contact SPCM HS'80 Silver Jubilee 2005 co-chairs Ruby and Chona
Dizon at chona@chonad.com, or visit http://www.chonad.com/vigilhouse.html.
Shankee Sancianco, Eva Asuncion and
Rissa Yapchiongco with ailing SPC Sisters.
From: "MARY ANN S. MIRANDA"
To: "Saint Paul College of Manila
High School Class of 75"
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 02:08:29 +0800
Thanks for extending the
invitation to your batch, our ATE's. Right now the St. Paul Vigil House has 30
bedridden nuns and 40 ambulatory cases. Their place is just good for 40.
Sardinas ini na sila sa rooms.
I was exposed to these nuns
when my grandaunt - Sr. Eusebia was billeted there due to her terminal cancer.
There I discovered what the VIGIL House is all about. When you say, vigil, you
watch over, right ? and wait.... Well, that's what they exactly do - watch over
the sick nuns who are in their twilight months, who are in the departure area
of this world, before they face our Creator.
Their expenses for medicine and
hospitalization have escalated and so have their funeral bills with so many St.
Paul nuns coming from all around the Philippines. Their food budget sometimes
is eaten up and the grocery items too. So what our batch has been targetting
are donations for grocery items such as milk, sugar, toiletries, quaker
oats...pang breakfast man lang or merienda. We know we cannot foot the medical
bills.
Our task is more of cheering
them up, lightening their burden, and why not? They have served GOD so
righteously. My Lola Sister served in the Palawan Culion Leper Colony for 30
years. Sr. Leonor was in SPCM for so many years. Sometimes, I get to think, as
dying nuns, they rather pray as a morphine for pain, than go through all those
expensive medicines.
When my Lola Sister died, so
many nuns kissed and held me and asked - will you still visit us even though
your Lola is gone? Others point blank asked - will you visit me when I die?
Yikes, ayaw ko na sana, the end na ito with Lola's death, but somehow, thank
God, even my classmates have felt the urge to go back, so here we are,
pabalik-balik doon thinking of ways how to make their last months on earth as
happy, if not painless. We have invited Sr. George and Miss Lucasan, our other
balikbayan classmates, even Mae Cendaña has joined us once.
And please, Ana, don't mention
na lang about this as my brainchild. In fairness to my classmates. I think God has
made us to be instruments to expose the plight of our Lola Madres. I am glad,
that after last year's homecoming, the batch of the Coral jubilarians had a
party for the nuns.
I talked with Sr. Bibiane, the
sister-in-charge and she said sira na ang 3 wheelchairs nila. So they need
wheelchairs. DIAPERS are badly needed too. Toiletries such as Johnsons baby
shampoo, baby cologne, not lotion daw, toilet papers, shampoo. We will be doing
lootbags for these needs.. with the help of you all.
Yes, I do hope some other
batches can adopt time with the nuns...that would be great! A medical mission
would be great, most doctors and nurses who visit them are on a voluntary basis
lang. Entertainment numbers are most welcome. And yes, a kitchen showcase
siguro.... hanggang ngayon they cook with old wood scavenged from kung saan
saan. Mahal daw the LPG tanks.
Their biggest desire of course
is a new vigil house, I just don't know what has happened. I know there were
monetary constraints here. They are super crowded and the place is polluted na.
CIAO and GOD BLESS!
SHANKEE
SPCM HS'76 Vigil House Visit, 9 Feb 2002.
Eileen Niguidula, Shankee Sancianco,
Agnes Cayco, Baba Arellano, Carina Carpio, Lillian Obillo, Celbeth Cabrera,Tavi
Villapando, Lui Galvez, Christina Lorenzo, Eileen's sis Nadine '79, Shankee's
cousin Carol Ragan '77, and families -- taken with VH nuns during their 9 Feb
02 visit.
Recap dated 11 Feb 2002 by Agnes Cayco-Haw SPCM HS'76:
Hi everyone!! I would just like
to inform ya'll that the pre-Valentine party we had at the Vigil House last
Feb. 9, 2002 was a resounding success!! The following girls came with their
kids: Baba Arellano, Carina Carpio, Lillian Obillo, Celbeth Cabrera, Shankee
Sancianco....the others came with their friends & some family members: Tavi
Villapando, Lui Galvez, Christina Lorenzo, Eileen Niguidula (straight from
Bicol)....Nadine (Eileen's sis/batch '79) & Carol Ragan (Shankee's
cousin/batch '77) were also there. The magician's act (the magician's name was
David Aristorenas; that's him with his equally entertaining assistant above,
far right ) was met with much laughter & wonderment. You should have seen
the nuns (actually, all of us pala!) clapping with glee. Naku! Lalo na when
David ended his performance with "bubbles"...as in he had 2 plastic
rackets (parang tennis racket na laruan) & a wire contraption that he used
to make huge soap bubbles. Hayy!! Enjoy na enjoy ang mga madre pati mga kids!
Baba's kambal daughters danced. There were song numbers from Carol (galing her voice!),
Nadine, Carina, Lui & the whole group. Sister Bibian danced tango with
me....ay sus!! Ako ang humingal! I am now contemplating on opening a dance
studio & getting Sister Bibian as a dance instructor. Galing niya. In fact,
she was truly a dance instructor before she entered the convent. Boy! She truly
knows how to swing! We also distributed loot bags, balloons, chocolate
lollipops that are heart-shaped & we had Jollibee packed lunch.
Carol Ragan '77 entertaining the
Sisters.
I would also like to thank
& acknowledge those who gave/sent us donations in cash & kind: Kitkat
Bonnevie, Christine Reyes, Nadine, Eileen, Christina, Shankee, Carol, Marilu
Guytingco, Shankee's sister-in-law, Rossi Revilla & her sister Pita '75.
Special thanks to Shankee's mom & Carina who donated wheel chairs (God
bless!) & Shankee for her simply delicious sweet corn. Special
acknowledgement & thanks go to Baba for tirelessly soliciting some of the
toiletry products in the loot bags...the Hershey drinks...the min cee jellies.
(If I have forgotten anybody, magparamdam kayo, pls......supertaranta ako that
day & I might not have truly noticed you). Thank you all for sharing your
time & love with the nuns.
Sa dami ng i-ce-celebrate this
February, ito lang ang masasabi ko.....Kiong hee huat tsai everyone!! Happy
Valentine! Saka have a truly meditative Ash Wednesday. God bless!
Agnes
SPCM HS'76 Vigil House Visit, 29 Jan 2001.
Grace Domdom, Agnes Cayco, Baba
Arellano, Lillian Obillo, Eva Asuncion, Marissa Yapchiongco, Shankee Sancianco
and special guest, and Tavi Villapando.
The
following is a portion of the event recap from Eileen Niguidula-Redoblado, SPCM
HS'76 webmaster and eGroup moderator. Photos from SPCM HS'76 website at www.geocities.com/spcm_hs_1976. (Thanks!)
The devil, with all its
distractions, could not dissuade the Niguidula sisters and our mom to come and
visit the nuns together with our batch. We were there promptly at 8:30AM. The
Vigil House, the Paulinian sisters retirement facility behind Saint Paul
College of Quezon City, was gloomy since a sister passed away just that
morning. We paid our respects to Sr. Jude Paat even if we did not know her
personally.
Our batchmates came one after
the other. Early bird was GRACE DOMDOM. The others followed - CRISTINA, TECHIE,
ROSSI, TAVI, AGNES, SHANKEE, VALERIE, CHERRY, MARISSA, MS. DENG, SONJIE, BABA,
BELLAY, LUI, MARINA, Mommy LOU SANCIANCO, some of our kids.
The nuns welcomed us so warmly.
They've been waiting for us. They said they've been praying for Rossi, Lia and
Gina.
Sus, kisses and hugs left and
right. Nuns everywhere...... white habits all around...... Sr. Bibianne, Sr.
Bart, Sr. Mary Gregory, Sr. Gregoire, Sr. Chantal, etc....... This was my third
visit since 1997 and we quickly looked for the nuns we knew.
My Gr. 2 teacher, Sr.
SATURNINE, 88, now totally deaf and legally blind, walked with a cane but still
needed to be helped by another old nun, recognized me only when I wrote down my
name for her to read. At the top of her lungs, "Ay, Eileen!!!! Hindi ka na
lumaki!!!! Bingi na ako!!!!"
My Gr. 4 mentor, SR. BIENVENIDA
walked so gingerly, almost regally like a queen, despite being 86 years old.
She reminded me again that no one among her former pupils writes her anymore.
She showed me her broken shoulder, now healed bec. God has been good to her.
She recalled all her former pupils, particularly of our batch in Parañaque.
SR. CLAIRE SCOTT, one eye shut,
recognized us instantly. She took care of my dad as an infant when she and my
paternal grandmother were together at the home for half-Americans in Mindanao.
She told us that she was wondering how Sr. Saturnine goes to confession since
she practically shouts each time she speaks. Bingi nga eh. Everyone must hear
her sins daw. J
We proceeded to the ICU to Sr.
PETER of the CROSS, 86, my grade school principal in St. Paul Parañaque. I
remember being so scared of Sr. Peter bec. she was then so tall and big with a
booming voice. Now, she is so frail and thin and helpless. The other nun in the
ICU was such a sorry sight. She was sitting on her wheelchair with amputated
legs. (She's a diabetic.) She stared blankly. Her head was held up by a rolled
towel.
I saw 79-year-old, Sr. MARCELLE
REDOBLADO, my husband's aunt, looking at me. She used to be superior or
principal of St. Paul Pasig. But now, she seemed to have aged so much since I
saw her a year ago. She had another stroke and she has lost so much weight.
I made a new acquaintance, Sr.
MARY GREGORY MENDOZA, a Bicolana. She made sure she knew where to find me in
March when her nephew is ordained as a priest here in Albay.
Cristina finally found Sr.
JOSEFA of the Commerce Department. I don't know how many more of the girls
found old nuns they knew. Many of us just sat content sitting with the nuns.
And why not? It was such a tranquil atmosphere.
There were nursing and physical
therapy students helping the nuns out.
The stronger nuns helped the
other nuns. Talk about "sisterhood." The arthritic nun guiding the
blind.... The deaf walking with the old. The nuns were weak, old, sick,
maimed...... They gave us the best years of their life. And now, they are in
the Vigil House happy together, enjoying their sunset years. I can't help but
choke on my emotions, feel a tightness in my chest, fight back the tears which
longed to flow.
A short program followed. The
donations of the batch were given to them. The first-timers were asked to speak
to the nuns. Many cried again....... Rossi gave the microwave oven in behalf of
the Revilla sisters. My sisters promised to bring their batches to the Vigil
House also. Cristina and Tavi danced with two very old sisters who wanted so
much to dance. Sr.Bibianne surprised us all by dancing a mean boogie with
Agnes. And Sr. Bibianne was the one leading Agnes pa!
We all sang a Happy Birthday to
Valerie who was given a balloon and flowers......
We distributed fruit juices and
cuapaos made by Tavi's mom. I went up to the second floor with Grace, Cherry,
Valerie and Cristina and saw more bedridden nuns. Cristina was so touched by a
96-year-old nun who was so happy to have been visited.
We needed fresh air - masyado
na ang emote-emote. We proceeded to the second floor where the rosaries,
bracelets and other stuff were displayed. Some of us bought. Sr. Bibianne
signed batch t-shirts in her beautiful Paulinian handwriting.
And then it was time to go.
Ayan na naman ang di matapos-tapos na goodbyes. It was as if they didn't want
us to go. It was as if I didn't want to leave. We left, not really knowing when
we would be back, and if upon returning, they would still be there. But life
goes on......
Lunch was at Sugi, a Japanese
restaurant in Greenhills. So sugod to Sugi kami. Siempre gutom and we again had
another get-together and sharing of kuwentos. Valerie, our birthday celebrant,
ended up treating us to that sumptuous meal. Sana si Cherry pero Valerie said
sya na lang. So sige,sa NJ na lang daw manlilibre si Cherry.
I finally said my goodbyes to
the rest of the group. I would be flying to Bicol the ff. day. This was it.
Point of no return. Perhaps saying goodbye is not totally correct. I was
actually just saying so long for now, knowing that there would be future
occasions for get-togethers and some. With the internet, cellphone texting,
long distance landlines and the ever-present snail mail, we could still reach
out to one another.
The Paulinian Hymn continues to
echo in my ears. The long weekend of the Homecoming is forever replayed in my
thoughts. I find myself smiling a lot of times, with each recollection. Soon we
would all be back to our own lives. Nothing will ever be like the Silver
Jubilee Homecoming. Come to think of it, nothing will ever be like the years I
spent in St. Paul College of Manila.
I thank you all for the
wonderful memories of yesteryears and I thank you, too, for the new memories.
Thank you for being a part of my Paulinian life. Thank you for the Paulinian
legacy.
SPCM HS'76 Vigil House Visit, 4 Dec 1999.
Mae Cendana (left) joined '76ers
Maritess Andal, Grace Domdom, Tavi Villapando, Lui Galvez, Shankee Sancianco,
Bellay Abelleda, Lilian Obillio, Dr Cecile Ramirez, Agnes Cayco, Celbeth
Cabrera and Becca Artadi's daughter, Selin, in their Dec 1999 visit to the
Vigil House. They were accompanied by Mr Yum (Jollibee mascot), Sister Bernadette
and Sister Severiana, and welcomed by Sister Bibian, VH Mother Superior. (from http://spcmhs1975.homestead.com/sharing.html )
Mae's message:
VIGIL HOUSE - The Batch '76
ladies invited me to join their Christmas visit at the SPC Vigil House located
behind SPCQC today, December 4. It was my first time to see how these ailing
sisters deal with age and death. Some were in wheelchairs; the others, unable
to go to the lobby, had to listen from their beds at the infirmary located in
the second floor. Donations were many and food was provided by Jollibee who
even sent their mascot to greet and dance with the nuns. Sisters Bernadette
Racadio and Severina were there to assist Sister Bebianna, the head of the
Vigil House. We sang Christmas songs, told our family stories, danced and
distributed gifts. It was truly an emotional morning.
This week, I found out that it
doesn't take much to make someone happy or to lend a hand. It's not the money
or the material things that matter most to people when they are down; rather,
it's the presence and care that one is willing to share. Hope the world can
share more during this holiday season.
Mae
SISTERS OF ST. PAUL de CHARTRES VIGIL HOUSE
3rd St. corner Hemady, New Manila,
Quezon City
63 Residents (as of 9 Feb 2002)
AGNAYAN, Sr. Saturnine (92) -- ANTONIO,
Sr. Josephine (68) -- ARCE, Sr. Bienvenida (86) -- ASTUDILLO, Sr. Julienne (88)
-- AGDEPPA, Sr. Felicie (86) -- BABARAN, Sr. Hortense (88) -- BANGALANDO, Sr.
Theodore (76) -- BALLESTEROS, Sr. Charles (71) -- BANI, Sr. Rosa (84) --
BERNALES, Sr. Amparo (91) -- CARIÑO, Sr. Amelie (90) -- CORTEZ, Sr. John (87)
-- CRISTOBAL, Sr. Franchoise ( 85) -- CRUZ, Sr. Philomene (96) -- CRUZ, Sr.
Theophane (89) -- DE LA PAZ, Sr. Juanita (94) -- DE LEON, Sr. Gregoire (91) --
DEL CASTILLO, Sr. Theresa (71) -- DE OCAMPO, Sr. Frances (79) -- DE DIOS, Sr.
Trinidad (91) -- DIAD, Sr. Michaela (86) -- DENOGA, Mo. Madeleine (89, +March 9, 2002) -- EDRALIN, Sr. Jane (93) --
FAGEL, Sr. Dolores (95) -- FAGEL, Sr. Marcela (89) -- FERI, Sr. Enriqueta (86)
-- FLETA, Sr. Eugene (93) -- FILLER, Sr. Beatrice (86) -- FRANDO, Sr. Angeles
(88) -- GABRIEL, Sr. Theresa (63) -- GARCIA, Sr. Albine (96) -- GRACIA, Sr.
Barthe'lemy (94) -- GREY, Sr. Josefa (89) -- GUIDOTE, Sr. Conception (98) --
JIMENO, Sr. Clara (89) -- LAZO, Sr. Esperanza (88) -- LUSICA, Sr. Bernadette
(98) -- MENDOZA, Sr. Gregory (80) -- MONTEVIRGEN, Sr. Cyprian (90) -- OBEN, Sr.
Esperanza (87) -- PACIS, Sr. Aloysius (89) -- PAREDES, Sr. Rebecca (85) --
PAREDES, Sr. Remi (87) -- PEPUA, Sr. Benigna (92) -- PENGSON, Sr. Miguela (88)
-- PIMENTERO, Sr. Marietta (84) -- PONCE, Sr. Marian Rosario (47) -- PRADO, Sr.
Mary Bibianne (64) -- RAMOS, Sr. Pura (85) -- RAQUEÑO, Sr. Celine (76) --
REYES, Sr. Corazon (90) -- REDOBLADO, Sr. Marcelle (82) -- REYES, Mo. Socorro
(96) -- ROCERO, Sr. Mamerta (86) -- ROTOR, Sr. Trinidad (80) -- SALARIA, Sr.
Concordia (72) -- SEVA, Sr. Mechtilde (77) -- SCOTT, Sr. Claire (81) -- TAÑEGA,
Sr. Eleanore (89) -- TESORO, Sr. Lidwine (87) -- TOMAS, Sr. Illuminada (87) --
VALDEZ, Sr. Helen (97) -- VILORIA, Sr. Germaine (87) -- VALERA, Sr. Tarsila
(81) -- YADAN, Sr. Sabina (90) -- XAVIER, Sr. Clement (84) -- YU, Sr. Gloria
(91)
2001
Homecoming Weekend: PAAM invitation. Batch 76 Dinner. Volleyball Fun Day. Lunch at the Quad. Live
at the Fleur-de-Lis. SPCM HS'76 Website - Recent '76 photos -- check them out!
Please send pictures to '75 Web Admin
at SPCM_HS75@hotmail.com .
Back to www.PAULINIANS.com or www.geocities.com/spcm_hs65 or www.CHONAD.com .
Latest page update: 10.16.2004
Saint Paul College of Manila High
School Class of 1975 Foundation Inc. All rights reserved. © 1999-2003.