“Grandma, hug this when you get lonely while watching television, and I am not here to give you hugs, okay?”
Speechless as she spontaneously expresses her care for me. That’s my 7yo granddaughter #princess2015la, my very best gift from God, through her loving parents.
Sister Marie Paul, Sister Mary Judeen, Sister Betty Mae, Archbishop Jose Gomez, Sister Mary Joann, Sister Mary Regina, Sister Mary Florette, Sister Mary Jolisa, Sister Mary Karlynn & Sister Mary Anncarla.
Sister Mary Jolisa Lazaro was celebrating her 50th golden jubilee of serving the Lord. Other jubilarians of 70 years, 60 years, 50 years and 40 years joined her – ten jubilarians, with one Sister Kathleen, Ruby Jubilarian celebrating in Rome. She emulated joyful simplicity, trust and intercultural solidarity and affection towards all diverse cultures. Seven of her tables came from families she taught at: St. Lawrence of Brindisi in Watts, St. Anthony In Long Beach, Notre Dame Academy and now, St. Lucy’s in Long Beach. With her permission, I took photos to document this jubilarian celebration.
15 priests concelebrated with Archbishop Jose Gomez and 2 Deacons assisted at the Liturgy. There were about 300 guests in attendance.
In total there were 10 SND Jubilarians. 9 celebrated and renewed vows at St. Jude in Westlake Village. The 10th Jubilarian is currently ministering in Rome.
We were welcomed by Sister Mary Paulynne. Many more were warmly ushered to go inside St. Jude in Westlake Village. It was a concelebrated mass by Archbishop Jose Gomez, with seventeen priests, one of whom was Fr. Freddie Chua. Hundreds came to attend mass.
It was a beautiful mass, a renewal of vows by the Jubilarians:”Eternal Triune God, trusting in your faithful love, I renew my vows to live as a Sister of Notre Dame, following Jesus Christ in chastity, poverty and obedience…”: With the vows, they expressed commitment to do their apostolic mission and asked for the grace through Our Lady to fulfill the mission of their congregation.
What is that mission: “help to give this city its heart, the heart of Jesus,” as Archbishop Jose Gomez asserted in his homily. He recognized the longevity of the mission of these nuns who brought the congregation to the US, to serve the poor and the immigrants.
“The reason for our vocation,” he said, “is based on our friendship with Jesus Christ. We do nothing out of selfishness, we gather and regard others as more important than ourselves. We live for others, recognize others to have great worth and value, as ourselves.”
Recognizable amongst the sisters is their joyful simplicity and trust to help and support one another as their trust in Jesus Christ. I sensed Sr. Jolisa always looking out to help elder sisters.
Photos were taken after and a reception of healthy fare followed at La Reina Catholic School for Girls. “Just as you are my Father’s gift to me, Sister Jubilarians, you are God’s gift to us.”
The concept of who you are, a gift from the Lord, was echoed in the actions of families at the different tables. They were solicitous in attention, generosity of Spirit and of course, laughter and stories shared with my paternal cousins, nephews and more.
Archbishop Jose Gomez congratulated the ten Sisters of Notre Dame for their fidelity, vocation and ministry.
“Your witness in God’s word and grace is an inspiration to me,” he said, “as for your fidelity, I praise you.”
These sisters were seemingly integrated in Spirit with the attendees. It was a beautiful sacred gift of witnessing holy women/servants of God.
It was beautiful to see the four themes of Sisters of Notre Dame’s educational principles at La Reina: centrality of a good and provident God; Gospel witness; recognition of human dignity as an image of God; integrated education for transformation.
If all these 4 principles were actualized by every priest, bishop, archbishop, cardinal, as the parishioners, we truly will have a renewed Catholic Church, robust and vibrant and ever expanding in the United States.
Thank you Sisters of Notre Dame, you are an inspiration to me!
“I make the joy in their hearts. I make everyone happy when I am around!-#princess2015la, July 28, 2022
She is happy with her new toy.
“This is slime,” she said
Oh no, that would not make your mom happy.
“Grandma, look,” she intentionally puts it on her fabric and rubs out completely, “and I only buy the slime that’s not sticky.”
Oh, so you listened to your mom?
“Yes, I do, Grandma.”
Oh, #princess2015la you bring joy to my life, I said.
“Grandma, I make the joy in their hearts. I make everyone happy when
I am around.”
How do you know that, I asked?
“Because they tell me and you tell me.”
How delicious is your soul? Can you freely express your love for others?
Yesterday, I got a call reminding me to write from Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas. I could sense he was walking as he had strained breathing while I heard the sounds of his footsteps. We talked about the St. Martha mass and the generosity of the attendees in welcoming us. I attended with my classmate Elsa B. Azote, who travelled from Oceanside. She was joined by her daughter and her fiancee. Fr. Rodel offered to say mass for me, outdoors for my birthday. Instead, I will attend mass at Incarnation Church in Glendale.
Yesterday, I got this text: “We are looking forward to August 23. Dad has been working on it, and Carl and I have already determined our numbers. It is the perfect gift for you Ninang. You’ve been so giving to our family, giving of your time, guidance, affection, gifts…”
Yesterday: My fourth sibling texted me “Thank You for taking & sharing the beautiful pictures!
I love you too!
“
Yesterday, my #princess2015la shared the story that she won a competition, competing as the youngest one in The Gray Man Competition. “Grandma, I got 3 medals, I want to give you one. Two I won competing against my dad and my mom gave me one. I now have 3, but will give you 1.”
I responded: Yes, let me have it and I will wear it, while I write. Thank you so much.
Yesterday, another text: “BFF do not over think the article. Just write from the heart. Let it flow and then look at it again the following day. Love you!”
Today, this text. “Good morning! Thank you, Prosy, for your friendship. I woke up today with gratitude and appreciation in my heart and mind thinking of all the kindness and lessons you’ve shared with me.”
I accept the loving texts and gestures of my dearest friends. I feel like I am a spiritual millionaire, taking in the love from the universe, through my friends.
Love is action. Love is uplifting. Love is making another person, happy. Love is not subtraction nor division – those are some other spirits, love is addition and multiplication – acts of the Holy Spirit. Love is showing up to express your love, it is not making excuses.
Photo 1 – the Medallion given by my #princess2015la, a gift from her mom, my daughter.
Photo 2 – Ryan Cayabyab’s photo of Calatagan, in West Batangas. NVM Gonzalez wrote to me in an email that he went swimming here. His words were but there were no fish to have. It felt then he was saying goodbye. Days after, he passed. “He was a delicious soul,” as my Jewish feminist friend, Norma Pratt said, after meeting him in my house, decades ago.
Thank you dear Holy Spirit, through you, I feel the deliciousness of the souls of all these, my beautiful, handsome, warmhearted friends. I am embraced by their love and friendship. I am not wanting for anything more.
I am writing even without juicing and breakfast and I am honoring the creative juices, remembering my fashionable mom, a science and math teacher for more than 4 decades in Manila, in Catholic Schools in Los Angeles and in public schools of the Los Angeles Unified School District and Artesia, Bellflower and Cerritos School Districts and my writing mentor, NVM Gonzalez. Thank you all for your flames of love, warming up my heart and soul!
I am blessed beyond measure to recognize and feel all these unmerited grace.
A tale of generosity: Blowing out their inner breaths of creativity
The matron of honor had already baked the sumptuous desserts. And the bridesmaids have made the flower arrangements with lemon slices, visibly adding color accents to lilies, daisies and babies’ breaths. The outdoor fireplace was adorned with white balloons, which they manually blew air into. Even the giveaways of bath scrubs were handmade. It was a diy, do it yourself shower, with many creative touches.
You can see the love in all the details, 24 photos depicting 9 years of togetherness, with the 10th year culminating in a fall wedding, conveniently taking up space in several corners. Two games of discovering the message using emojis and an over/under game about the couple’s relationship journey.
Jessica, an American-born Filipina, paid homage to her roots with Lumpiang Shanghai, Pancit, Turon and Rice. Appetizers were cone-shaped containers filled with nuts, pretzels, stick of pepperoni, salami and cheese; multicolored seasonal fruits, pesto mozzarella sandwiches.
With a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, she is into digital designing of curriculum materials. Even the game scorecards were printed with artistic sophistication, the product of digital designing skill.
The feast offered outstripped the capacities of thin women partaking the food. While some fully girthed women, like myself, enjoyed them.
The bride to be, @Jessica del Rosario, was gracious, happy, sweet and solicitous in welcoming her parents. Her mom, my sister, Rachel, had tears of joy in seeing her unica hija, about to tie the knot.
I too was in tears as all four of us, sisters, estranged by the pandemic and our healing journeys from two losses, before the pandemic, of our mom and eldest sister, 60 days apart. Blood is truly thicker, warmer and electrifying with tears of reunion. We couldn’t let go of our group hugs.
Guests mingled freely, introduced themselves to each other. The pandemic truly brings out our better selves, shaving off distance, into a humble atmosphere of I am connected to you. I saw three radiant women, took their photos and told them:”Don’t ever let anyone steal your joyful radiance. You are beautiful.” As a grandma, about to turn 70yo, I held no barriers in approaching women. It made for an easy, warm, welcoming afternoon.
By the time the gifts were opened, the bride valiantly enduring the peak of the afternoon sunshine, Jessica graciously showed her sunny appreciation for all the gifts that she received, as with tears of joy.
A theme was emerging: tale of creating mini-dents, Dent is going to be her new married name, soon. The bridesmaids and close friends’ gifts were symbolic: wooden transmission key to run the engine of trains, multiple wooden spoons, cocktail glasses, margarita pitchers, taco stand holders and seductive, alluring nightie for each night of their honeymoon, ten in total.
Imagine the laughter as I called out each number, 1, 2, …9 and Matron of Honor corrected me that it was 10 nighties. With three grandmas in the crowd, the laughter was palpable, to compel one to say: “I guess their generation has different ideas.” I agreed and nodded.
And of course, the bride to be appreciated more the barista appliance, as she can now skip Starbucks stops.
It was a beautiful afternoon of connected humanity and sisterhood. And the groom to be joined the shower the last few minutes to give his beautiful bride a dozen red roses and gazed at her with such love as she looked back at him, tenderly.
Love can make one so confident to stand up with the crowd! Love always wins!
Precious days with #princess2015la
