Eulogy for Grandma

Lola Ruperta was laid to rest last friday, June 10. To the friends of the family, thank you for the memories.

First, we thank you for coming. This is very nice… a record gathering of relatives and friends of lola Ruperta. Pang Guiness Book of World Records for the largest get-together of oldies!

Another nice thing about this gathering is that there really is nothing sad about it at all. Its like another family reunion with lola here in front smiling at us.

We were all lucky to have known such an amazing person, our lola Ruperta. We joke about us all being oldies, but with our balding heads, graying hair, wrinkling skins, most of us can correctly claim that we have indeed spent a significant part of our life with lola Ruperta.

To us, she's nanay. To some, she's Entang. Lola Ruperta was born Ruperta Alejandro Cruz in June 7, 1922. She passed away last September 5, 2010, at the age 88.

Let me give you 88 things we remember lola Ruperta by:

1. She was the beautiful daughter of our great grandfather Montano Cruz (+)…
2. …and our great grand mother Florentina Alejandro (+).
3. She was crowned Ms. Malabon in her teen years…which speaks well of our pedigree!
4. She was a supportive sibling of Ate Benita Alejandro Cruz (+)…
5. …and a very faithful wife to one great man, lolo Mario C. Bernardo.
6. She was a great mother of nine:
7. Baby girl 1 (+),
8. Sari
9. Celia (+)
10. Baby girl 2 (+) [I was just told that there was a 3rd]
11. Mike (+)
12. Edna
13. Nick
14. Obet
15. …and Gloria.
16. Lola Ruperta was a very strong woman who endured the death of four children.

17. She was a wonderful grandmother of eighteen:
18. Maricel
19. Martin
20. Aileen
21. Raffy
22. Rosalie
23. Jay
24. Tammy
25. Anthony
26. Aimee
27. Joey
28. Kat-Kat
29. Nicoy
30. Jun
31. Elizza
32. Rondic
33. Eric
34. Suzette
35. …and Nino

36. She was even a cool great grandmother of 14
37. Reese
38. Rielle
39. Rielly
40. Robyn
41. Nikki
42. Yana
43. Jamil
44. Tin-tin
45. Ivan
46. Nicolette
47. Gabby
48. Andy
49. Ralph
50. …and Issa

51. Forever boss of Conrad…
52. Irma…
53. Lili…
54. …and nurse Gelyn. Baka po meron kailangan ng nurse, driver at cook, lumapit lang po sa akin mamaya.

55. We remember very well our Baguio summer vacations with lola and the cousins, in lolo's DODGE van.
56. Our weekend Pansol trips with the whole family..
57. her daily 5AM trips to Clover Leaf market…
58. the smell of lola’s Lauriat feasts…
59. …morning…
60. …lunch, and…
61. …dinner…
62. …EVERYDAY.
63. The frequent kare-kares…
64. Kaldereta…
65. Kutsinta…
66. Barbeque…
67. Home-made Pancit Malabon that is better than Rosy’s…
68. And her incredible baked goodies.

69. Our grandparents had a great life together. The greatest love story on the black and white screen.
70. They travelled the 4 corners of the globe…
71. …by land…
72. …on water…
73. …by air.
74. We love lola and lolo because they will always bring home pasalubongs for us…
75. …and they can scold our parents!

76. Lola ruperta was a full-time housewife, and …
77. …Full-time mother…
78. …who supported the many bisyos (albeit good) of the children.
79. When lolo Mario died in November 16, 1985…
80. lola Ruperta became a full-time grandmother…
81. …who supported the many many kalokohans of the grandchildren..especially Joey!
82. And she was very generous too…
83. Jollibee…
84. Eh em…or SM with the apos.
85. Oh, and we so love the fat Christmas envelopes. We can say that the old saying is true. When you give more, you receive even more. We love you lola. Muuuaaaaahhhh


86. We are witness to her deep faith in God…
87. Her May Antipolo church panata…
88. Her service to Saint Gabriel Parish Church as a Mother Butler…


There’s more to it than 88, but being good Catholics, we need to cut this short so we can toast our super lola…and start tonight’s drinking session.

Seriously, 5 years ago, lola Ruperta was in very good health…until she had a bad fall that fractured a hip. Though we wished that our lola would reach a hundred, maybe it was God’s way of pulling the family back closer together. We made more time for her and the family.

Beneath those smiles, we are very sure that you are all grieving with us. But we are all sure that wherever she is now, with whom ever, that she is very, very happy.

Lola, even though we forgot to send you your hearing aid, we hope you will hear this well:

Till the next time we meet, thank you for being always here for OUR family. We love you more than words can ever describe, and we will always treasure every moment with you and lolo Mario.

Thank you so much, lola. God bless you and all of us.

Cremation

I just had the amputated leg of lola Ruperta C. Bernardo blessed by Fr. Benedict  at Saint Gabriel.

Carrying the leg in a small wooden box was a little creepy. But its lola's.

After going through the interment requirements with an Eternal Garden staff, we decided to have the leg cremated.

Learned a lot. Now I know that a leg will require the same procedure and documents as burying a whole body. And we cannot open the niche inside the mausoleum by ourselves. We need to ask assistance from Eternal Gardens.

I was asked to bring:
1. cemetery lot title
2. certificate of ownership
3. agreement with Eternal Gardens
3. ID of the owners of the cemetery lot
4. special power of attorney authorizing me to transact with Eternal Gardens
5. authorization letter from lola to bury her leg, and her ID

After completing the requirements, we need to go to the Health Department at City Hall to get an interment permit. When that's issued, we can have the interment scheduled at Eternal Gardens in one or two days. 

Interment fees are P16,000 on weekdays and P18,000 on weekends. Expensive! Am sure lola is just as happy to have her leg cremated.

On the otherhand, cremation fee was P3,500 and the beautiful urn was P1,050. We needed just the report from the hospital to get the permit necessary for the crematorium to process our request.



Thank God its done.

Odd News: Ohio Jesus statue struck by lightning

Tue Jun 15, 2:55 am ET

MONROE, Ohio – A six-story-tall statue of Jesus Christ with his arms raised along a highway was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm Monday night and burned to the ground, police said.

The "King of Kings" statue, one of southwest Ohio's most familiar landmarks, had stood since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 in Monroe, just north of Cincinnati.

The lightning strike set the statue ablaze around 11:15 p.m., Monroe police dispatchers said.

The sculpture, 62 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the base, showed Jesus from the torso up and was nicknamed Touchdown Jesus because of the way his arms were raised, as though reaching out to catch a football. It was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame, which is all that remained early Tuesday.

The fire spread from the statue to an adjacent amphitheater but was confined to the attic area, and no one was injured, police Chief Mark Neu said. The fire department would release a monetary damage estimate Tuesday, he said.

Travelers on Interstate 75 often were startled to come upon the huge statue by the roadside, but many said America needs more symbols like it. So many people stopped at the church campus that church officials had to build a walkway to accommodate them.

The 4,000-member, nondenominational church was founded by former horse trader Lawrence Bishop and his wife. Bishop said in 2004 he was trying to help people, not impress them, with the statue. He said his wife proposed the Jesus figure as a beacon of hope and salvation and they spent about $250,000 to finance it.

Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_lightning_strikes_jesus_statue on June 15, 2010

Church Trip: Redemptorist, Baclaran

WEDNESDAY Novena Mass Schedule:

5:3a Novena/Mass Tag
7a Mass En
8a Mass En
9a Novena En
10a Novena En
10:45a Novena/Mass Ta
1:45p Novena/Mass Ta
3p Novena Ta
4p Novena En
4:45p Novena/Mass En
6p Novena En
7p Novena En

Confessions:
5:30am-12nn; 2-8pm

My cellphone CAM and I

Random shots using my trusty old cellphones -- the cameras of the Nokia N70 and HTC TouchPro2.

The first 2 pictures were taken using a Nokia N70 with a 2MP main camera. The other pictures, using an HTC TouchPro2 with a 3MP cam. All images were adjusted a bit -- Added more contrast and brightness.

The biggest difference is the color of the images. The Nokia appear to take more vibrant pictures. The HTC shots look serious. Or is it just the time of the day the pictures were taken?

Do I need a quick course on photography, or what? :)

Holy Week Activities - March 28 to April 4

Please come and join the activities.



PALM SUNDAY
March 28, 2010

5:00 AM - Procession of Parlms (Infront of Roots Garden)

6:00 AM - Blessing of Palms (at the Church Patio)

Twelve Apostles
1. F. Bartolome
2. J. Belza
3. R. Blanco
4. H. Carullo
5. A. Castro
6. A. Cho
7. B. Borabo
8. D. Nasayao
9. J. Diquiatco
10. R. de Guzman
11. B. ALfonso
12. M. Malolos

HOLY MONDAY
March 29, 2010
6AM Mass
6PM Mass

HOLY TUESDAY
March 30, 2010
6AM Mass

6PM Mass

HOLY WEDNESDAY
March 31, 2010
6AM Mass
6PM Mass

HOLY THURSDAY
April 1, 2010
7AM Chrism Mass (Our Lady of Grace)

530PM Mass of the Lord's Supper. Washing of the Feet (12 Apostles)
7PM Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament


SCHEDULE OF VIGIL
(7PM to 12MN)

7-8 CWL, AP, Greeters
8-9 MBG, UHCL, Birhen ng Barangay Alliance, HJM
9-10 SMW, Catechists, Charismatic, Altar Servers
10-11 CFC
11-12 SMHC


GOOD FRIDAY
April 2, 2010

5:30AM Station of the Cross
Assembly at the Church Patio. In-Charge: SMHC and SMW

12-3PM Seven Last Words

3PM Liturgy of the Word. Communion. Veneration of the Cross.

5PM. Procession


ORDER OF PROCESSION
Seriales Altar Servers Carozas:

1. San Pedro
Alice L. Kawachi and family, Area3

2. Maria Salome
V. Quito and family, AP and Greeters

3. Sta Jacobe
UHCL and MBG, Area 2

4. Sta. Veronica
Nene Torres and family, Area 4

5. Maria Magdalena
Ma. Isabel Mozo, Birhen ng Barangay, Alliance of the Two Hearts

6. San Juan
Sta. Maria family, Area 1

7. Santo Entierro
SMHC, 12 Apostles

8. Mater Dolorosa
Luz Garcia, CWL and Area 5, Music Ministry

Marshalls: Barangay Chairman and Tanods



EASTER VIGIL
April 3, 2010

730PM Easter Vigil Mass
Blessing of Fire. Blessing of Water. Renewal of Baptism.

Please bring your own candles.

EASTER SUNDAY
April 4, 2010
330AM Salubong at the Church Patio
Blessed Mother - Helen Puso and family
Risen Lord - Remy CHua and family. Conching Toral and family.

4AM Mass

Regular sunday Mass schedule follows.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!
ALLELUIA!

THE LORD IS RISEN!
ALLELUIA!

February Feasts and Solemnities

2 February: Presentation of the Lord - Feast
3 February: Saint Blase, bishop and martyr, or Saint Ansgar, bishop - Memorial
5 February: Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr - Memorial
6 February: Saints Pedro Bautista, Paul Miki and companions, martyrs - Memorial
8 February: Saint Jerome Emiliani or Saint Josephine Bakhita, virgin - Memorial
10 February: Saint Scholastica, virgin - Memorial
11 February: Our Lady of Lourdes - Memorial
17 February: ASH WEDNESDAY
22 February: Chair of Saint Peter, apostle - Feast