On Oct. 7th, a couple of weekends ago, we observed the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. Actually, the Catholic Church observes October as the month of the Holy Rosary. The date is also of special significance for me, it being the birthday of my late husband, Sergio, who passed away 21 years ago. That he was a public school teacher his entire professional life, coincides significantly with the fact that October now is also observed as Teachers’ Month.
Currently, the increased demand for public school teachers, with the implementation of the K to 12 system, has brought on the added problem paying for new teachers, and the upgrading of salaries for long-time teachers. It is sad to note that because of this, many good teachers transfer to better paying jobs elsewhere in the country or abroad.
That was a weekend when I attended an unusual number of Masses for my Sunday obligation: at the televised Mass from St. Peter’s Piazza in Rome on late Sunday celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI for the opening of the Synod of Bishops and for the Holy Rosary; at the Channel 2 televised Sunday from Manila celebrated by Rev. Joey Faller, SVD; the regular Mass I attended at our Alliance of Two Hearts Parish church which I offered for my husband; and surprise of surprises, at a special afternoon Mass at our monthly Cebu United Radio and TV Artists, Inc. (Curta) meeting at the Rizada residence in Tisa! It was in thanksgiving for the arrival of our chairperson Rose Rizada after a month’s visit to her children in the States.
The Mass celebrant in the Curta meeting was Fr. Crescenciano Ubod of the San Carlos Seminary, whose insightful homily on the married state, the current threat of secularism, and the current Reproductive Health bill, brought it all home to us with his touches of humor.
Then Thursday last week, Pope Benedict XVI marked the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. We learn that as a young priest, he attended those church meetings that brought the Catholic Church into the modern world, but whose true meaning is still hotly debated. At the Mass at St. Peter’s Square, the Pope was accompanied by patriarchs, cardinals, bishops and elderly churchmen who participated in the council. They greeted the faithful and reenacted the great procession into St. Peter’s that launched the Council in 1962. I was able to view this on the Church channel EWTN. The Mass also marked the opening of the Year of Faith.
Let me turn to more mundane concerns.
Last Saturday afternoon, we held our monthly Women’s Kapihan over Radio Station dyLA at the Mariners’ Court at Pier 1. It is organized by the Legal Alternatives for Women Center,Inc. (Law Center, Inc.) and the Cebu Women’s Network (CWN). The Women’s Kapihan celebrates its 14th anniversary this month, which I hosted at its first broadcast on Oct. 10, 1998, and continue to host every second Saturday of the month on dyLA except when I am out of the country visiting my children in the States. Our theme last Saturday was appropriately “Looking Back and Moving Forward: Empowering Women.”
Cebu Daily News fellow columnist Madrileña “Mads” de la Cerna reported at length on “Cebu Women’s Network Revisited” last Sunday. Thank you, Mads!
Our guests were seven women-survivor clients of Law Center, Inc, and the Cebu Women’s Network. Panelists present were CWN officers, board members and members, and together with our seven guests, we were crowded into dyLA’s announcers’ booth. And what an exciting session it was!
Thanks to the guests led by Marivic Elarcosa, including Sylvanna Pardo, Diosy Nunez, Victoria Teleron, Julieta Baylon, Bernalyn Rabor and Cheryl Pasaol, they openly shared experiences of physical, emotional, moral and support/financial abuse of women victims from their husbands/partners that could make real-life soap operas on radio and TV. Congratulations to them for their bravery and the kindness, concern and professional help which they sought and obtained from Law Inc, CWN, and solicited professional help, to help them overcome and resume lives “to move forward for themselves and their children.” One of our guest panelists was lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu, a strong women’s advocate.
Together with a spirited reaction and moral support from our panelists, I think we had one of the more actively concerned and supportive responses from our panelists. To conclude the affair, we went up to one of the function rooms on the third floor of the Mariners’ Court to party and celebrate our 14th anniversary with snacks prepared by the Survivors, and group rhythm dancing led by a guest dance instructor. And a good time I am sure was had by everyone who joined us.
When it ended shortly before 5 p.m., I had enough time to make it to the anticipated Mass in church that Saturday afternoon.
Last Monday, the 15th, the Church observed the Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, the patroness of Talisay City. Year earlier, we used to attend the town fiesta there, when the road leading there would be jammed with traffic. Now, with the South Reclamation Road and the improved roadways going there, it should be easier for traffic. The day before, Sunday, I tried to call up Annie Agudo, our former early dyRC colleague to wish them a happy fiesta, but she was out. Instead I was able to talk to her younger sister Rorie (Aurora) who was our first records librarian at radio dyRC in the late mid-‘40s (there I go showing the years again!). I wished her and Annie a happy fiesta, and shared memories of yesteryears.
Belated Happy Birthday last Oct. 8th to my Mare Yengyeng “Rosario” Villalon in Moalboal town.
Until next week then, my prayers for God’s blessing on us, one and all!