MANILA, Philippines - For the second time in 10 years, Opus Dei prelate Javier Echeverria visited the Philippines in July 27-Aug. 1. At the July 29 afternoon get-together in the SMX Exhibit Halls, Conrad Ricafort, information officer of Opus Dei, estimated the crowd at 10,000.
Before coming to Manila, Echeverria was in New Delhi, Hong Kong, Macau, Sydney and Auckland. He left Manila last Friday to be in Singapore and Mumbai. It was a pastoral visit to the Opus Dei in the Philippines, their families and friends. He also visited some social and educational projects. Accompanying him was Msgr. Joseph Duran, regional vicar of Opus Dei in the Philippines.
As prelate, Echeverria is the spiritual father to the members of Opus Dei in 70 countries. He wants to be with his children and to personally confirm them in their vocation to serve the Church and society. In the talk at the SMEX gathering, he urged his children to remain true daughters and sons of God. Bishop Echeverria is the third prelate of Opus Dei; the first was St. Josemaria Escriva who was succeeded by Don Alvaro Portillo when the saint died on June 26, 1975. Bishop Portillo died in March 1994.
Participants in the gathering were people from all walks of life, some coming from Visayas and Mindanao.
History
As early as the mid-1940s, the founder of Opus Dei, Josemaria Escriva, had already been requested by Alberto Balcells, a Spaniard who had settled in the Island of Negros, to send people of Opus Dei to the Philippines. At the time, however, Opus Dei was focused on its work of evangelization in Western Europe and the Americas.
The opportune time came when two young Filipinos, Bernardo Villegas and Jesus Estanislao, returned to the Philippines in 1964 from their studies at Harvard University in the US. While at Harvard, the two of them attended activities organized by Opus Dei at Elmbrook University Center, located at the very heart of campus. They later joined Opus Dei.
In 1964, the apostolate of Opus Dei started in a small house on C. Ayala Street in Singalong, Manila, close to some colleges where some of the first members of Opus Dei were studying. Villegas and Estanislao were joined in late 1964 by two priests from Spain: Fr. José Morales and Fr. Javier de Pedro; and a young engineer, Manila-born José Rivera. By April 1965, the apostolic activities moved to a bigger house in Malate where the Maynilad Study Center became a venue for education and training of both university students and professional men.
Women
In October 1965, Sole Usechi, Lali Sastre and Maria Teresa Baron arrived from Spain to start the work of Opus Dei with women. Through the help of Doña Luisa Lorenzo, whom they had met in Madrid, a modest house was acquired on Leon Guinto Street in Singalong, Manila.
Rina Villegas was the first Filipino female student to join Opus Dei in December of that year. When the Mayana School of Home and Fine Arts for women was established in 1966, the apostolic activities with married women and house helpers began. Tanglaw Residence for female students was established in 1967.
During the meeting with Echeverria, I met Lali Sastre, who told me she came to the Philippines in 1965 when she was 23 years old. Escriva asked her through a friend of hers that she join Opus Dei.
Originally from Barcelona, Lali has worked with Opus Dei for the past 40 years. One of the reasons, she said, why there was such a crowd that afternoon was because many, both rich and ordinary people, were attracted to this way of life. Sanctifying oneself through one?s work by offering one?s job as a service for the greater glory of God, instead of just making money, leads one to a spiritual path.
University of Asia
In August 1967, Estanislao and Villegas established a business and economic think tank called Center for Research and Communication (CRC), which would later on develop into a full-blown university, the University of Asia and the Pacific, in 1995.
CRC was an instrument for Opus Dei to carry the Church to the workplace, imparting Catholic teachings to professionals in journalism, law, business, education and other professions.
It is not true that Opus Dei is only for the elite. There are truck drivers, maids and ordinary people who attend Opus Dei activities, according to Sastre.
Our Lady of Buen Suceso
The Diocese of Parañaque and the Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew will celebrate the feast of its beloved patroness Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso on Aug. 10.
Several activities have been lined up for the celebration, which include an exhibit on the history of the Buen Suceso Aug. 1-15, and Novena Masses Aug. 1-9, 6 p.m.
On Aug. 9, the Rosario Cantado will be held at the cathedral. The Solemn High Mass for the fiesta will be celebrated by Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado Aug. 10, 10 a.m.
Capping the celebration will be the procession in honor of the Buen Suceso at 6 p.m. All Marian devotes are invited to take part in this celebration.
Fiesta Masses
Here is the schedule of the fiesta Masses of St. Philomena on Aug. 11: Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr., 6 a.m.; Fr. Eli Mata, SVD, 9 a.m.; Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, 12 noon; Fr. Orlando C. Aceron, O.P., 4 p.m.; and Fr. Michell Joe B. Zerrudo, 6:30 p.m.
Fathers Aceron and Zerrudo are the spiritual directors of the Universal Living Rosary Association.
Fr. Glenn Orocio is the parish priest of the Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Masambong, Quezon City.
Sto. Domingo fiesta
Fr. Homer Policarpio, parish priest of Sto. Domingo de Guzman in Mexico, Pampanga, will lead parishioners in the celebration of the feast day of Sto. Domingo with a fiesta Mass Aug. 8, 6 p.m.
Main celebrants are Fr. Marcos Manabat and Fr. Eloy Dizon. Novena Masses are ongoing until Aug. 7, 6 p.m. San Fernando Archbishop Panciano Aniceto will bless the new fence on Aug. 7 followed by Mass at 6 p.m.
Appeal for aid
From San Andres, Catanduanes, comes this appeal asking for help in the construction of the cement statue of St. Andrew which is in front of the parish rectory. Those who wish to help can text Fr. Edison Bernardo, parish priest, at 0921-5047878.
