Sursum corda!

August 1:

Demise of a special patient

The surviving family of the special patient with HIV sent a message to the mission staff to inform the team of the patient's death.  Prayers were offered for his repose. 

August 2, 2011

Prayers for the Dead

ACIM staff attended the wake and led the prayers for the repose of the patient's soul.  

Brief catechism on the necessity of prayers for the dead was given to the family and the friends and neighbors who were in the chapel.  Boxes of donated food items, left over from the mission, were given to the poor family. 

August 5, 2011

Blessing of the Corpse

Upon the request of the family, Fr. Edgardo Suelo blessed the body of the deceased patient.  The whole family was moved by the charity rendered to them and promised that they would continue to pray for his repose, and to prepare themselves for their own end.  No matter where the mission goes, spiritual kinship binds the mission staff to the patients and their families.  Birth, disease, death... Baptism, Extreme Unction and Requiem Masses lead patients and volunteers closer to God and to each other.  Truly, the more the mission continues, the bigger the mission family grows. 

August 6, 2011

Admission of Patient to Leprosarium

Fr. Suelo heard the Confession of a leprous patient and enrolled him to the Brown Scapular before he was accompanied by the mission staff to the leprosarium in Novaliches, Quezon City.  ACIM staff gave him a basic catechism lesson and assisted him in the examination of conscience before he went to Confession. He had stayed away from the sacraments for more than ten years.  He was given some food items, hygiene supplies and beddings before he was admitted to the hospital.  He went to the hospital hopeful, strengthened in faith by the Sacraments and by the moral support of the mission staff.

August 12, 2011

Visit to Our Lady of the Mystical Rose:

In thanksgiving for the grace of the mission, and to plead for special graces for the mission benefactors, patients and volunteers, three ACIM staff visited the statue of Our Lady of the Rose in Makati, in the church of Sts. Peter and Paul.  The statue was installed in the town of Makati and proclaimed as patron of the town in the year 1718.  The mission staff accidentally discovered of the existence of the statue in Makati on the early part of July, while preparing for a medical mission in the Catholic Cemetery which was under the jurisdiction of the Parish of Sts. Peter and Paul.  Ave Maria!

August 25, 2011

Free Clinic by Dr. Araneta at the Church Basement

To assist the sixty ophthalmic patients who were not accommodated at the mission venue on July, Dr. Araneta granted the request for an extension clinic in OLVC.  The patients were happy for the extended blessing given to them.  Fr. Suelo, Bro. Isidore, and two Bethanians gladly lined up for consultation too.  Fr. Suelo gave spiritual counsel to a pregnant teenager who came at the mission. 

August 27, 2011

Blessing of Patients' Homes

Fr. T Pfeiffer accompanied the ACIM staff to donate the near-expiry medicines to Quirino Memorial Medical Center.  Fr. Pfeiffer met the hospital director who was grateful for the donation and gave permission to ACIM to conduct spiritual apostolate among the sick in the hospital.  Due to lack of time, Fr. Pfeiffer decided to come back on another time for the spiritual work.  

After the hospital visit, the team proceeded to Damayang Lagi Village to bless the houses of mission patients.   There were 20 houses blessed, and there would have been so much more, if not for the time constraint.  The community gave a warm welcome to Fr. Pfeiffer and invited him to come back.  Fr. Pfeiffer gave a brief catechism to the people and invited them to Holy Mass.

In the evening the team went to Payatas, Quezon City to bless houses.  Payatas is the dumpsite of Metro Manila and the place had been prepared for a visit of a representative of the mission team, as requested by Dr. Dickes.  People in the community had been preparing for the visit of the priest during the medical mission.  However, due to flooding, Fr. Castel had not been able to come to this place.  Some contacts had been established in the village and a little wound treatment area was set up prior to the mission in July to establish rapport with the community.  ACIM Staff conducted some catechism lessons as he blessed houses.  Fr. Pfeiffer also gave a brief sermon on modesty to the family in the area who hanged framed pictures of the female members in beauty pageants and seemed ignorant  about the Blessed Virgin Mary's call for the virtue of modesty, although they also displayed her picture in their house.  The house blessings were done at night, after the evening Mass.  Fr. Pfeiffer could not come earlier so, despite the numerous requests for house blessing, he was only able to bless 8 houses.  More families are waiting for his return.  

August 28, 2011

Patients Enrolled to the Brown Scapular

Nineteen mission patients (adults and children) attended the Holy Mass at Our Lady of Victories Church and received scapulars from Fr. Suelo. Catechism lesson was given by ACIM staff.  

Two passersby inquired about the confession schedule in the Church.  They were assisted by ACIM staff who brought them to Fr. Suelo for Confession and who also gave them scapulars.

Raffle Draw in Honor of St. Pius X:

ACIM staff and patients participated in the raffle draw of good works and prayers for the intentions of the  SSPX priests in the Philippines and Asia, who contribute so much to the mission by their prayers and spiritual support.  Spiritual bouquet cards for the priests were submitted to Fr. Onoda.  With their constant care, mission volunteers and patients hope to succeed in lifting their hearts to God.