MANILA, Philippines - It came as a surprise to find out there are 3,000 members of the Prelature of Opus Dei in the United States.

A surprise because my impression of the US is a country that deals more with the material than the spiritual aspect of living, especially in Hollywood, Las Vegas and New York where I was for 10 days.

Taking the M1 bus from Fifth Avenue and 46th, the bus turned left on 40th, then right on Park Avenue and 33rd. So I had to walk down to 34th and Lexington Avenue. The Women?s Center was on 243 Lexington Avenue in the Murray Hill area, a quiet neighborhood that provided a small park where residents, mostly elderly, could sit, rest and talk among themselves.

At the reception of the Opus Dei Women?s Center is a Filipina, Olive Ventura, who kindly gave me the calling card of Brian Finnerty, a numerary and national communications director of the Opus Dei in the US.

He has interesting things to report on the activities of the prelature in the US.

Finnerty?s report

Finnerty said, ?There are 3,000 members of Opus Dei in the United States. A little more than half of the members are women. Also, there are many more people who participate in our activities such as retreats, classes and evenings of recollection.

In the US, you find a large, vibrant network of Filipinos who participate in our activities, particularly in cities such as New York and Los Angeles. Family and friendship are important in Filipino culture, and you see many Filipinos with a solid faith and deep piety. All these are important aspects of the spirituality of Opus Dei. So it isn?t surprising that St. Josemaria?s message resonates with people.

First statue

The first statue of Opus Dei?s founder, St. Josemaria Escriva, was installed in 2004 at the Church of St. Helena in Edison, New Jersey. The fundraising and arrangements for the statue were spearheaded by some Filipino members of the parish and their friends.

Learning English

Chito Atienza, Teacher of the Year 2008 awardee of the New York Times, brought me to the YMCA on 63rd Street and Central Park West. There is a YMCA Language Center English Immersion Program which gives Hispanics and other migrants from other countries, even professionals, the opportunity to learn English.

Fil-American Diosdado ?Dio? Gica says the center services a minimum of P1,000-1,600 students a year. Dio is the senior director of the Department of Domestic Initiatives in the YMCA. He was born in Cebu, but left the Philippines with his family when he was 12 years old.

Chito told me that he intends to encourage his students, the Buddhist monks at the temple in Brooklyn, to discuss issues on peace and pray together. His students come from Thailand, China, Tibet, Burma, India and Japan.

I was also able to bring to New York the three-foot image of Our Lady of Antipolo to the chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz. Donated by Francisco Vecin, Our Lady of Antipolo is the patroness of seafarers and overseas Filipino workers.

Our Lady of La Leche

The patroness of mothers-to-be Our Lady of La Leche, was enshrined on the Shrine of Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life behind SM Mall of Asia recently. Msgr. Bobby Canlas, rector, welcomed the Virgin.

At the Mass were members of Our Lady of La Leche Movement such as Cora Ticzon, Mila Esquerra, Boby Gonzales, Sally So, Sister Pilar Verzosa, RGS, Tess Organista, Star Siao, Caren Ramirez, Linda Magnaye and Edith King.

Novena Masses

Novena Masses celebrating the Shrine?s fiesta on Oct. 26 are ongoing until Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m. Today?s Mass is at 5 p.m. Concelebrated Mass is on Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m.

Msgr. Canlas and shrine volunteers will stage a benefit concert on Oct. 25, 7 p.m., at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, mainly for the benefit of the pediatric cancer patients of the Philippine General Hospital and other pastoral projects of the Shrine of Jesus.

The benefit concert ?Shining Through? will feature the Philippine Madrigal Singers. It?s in cooperation with ShoeMart Foundation. Tickets are available at the Shrine, TicketWorld outlets and the CCP box office.

La Hermandad

Officers and members of La Hermandad Zamboagueña are holding a fundraising dinner-dance on Oct. 24 at the Manila Polo Club. Holy Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m.

Domingo Doroja, president, told me the group is now supporting 34 scholars from very poor families in Zamboanga. Lollie Mara, immediate past president, recalls the group was named La Hermandad by the late Sen. Roseller Lim 48 years ago.

This year?s chair of the scholarship committee is lawyer Etta Silos Mendez. The other officers are Bong Nuño, vice president; Fred Suarez, secretary; Dr. Neni Balcos, treasurer; and Nene Lopez Tan, PRO.

Zamboangueños who wish to attend can text Lollie at 0917-3287732 or Linda Atayde at 0918-9009435.

Mother Butler?s Guild

Catch the exhibit of altar vestments and altar equipment of the Mother Butler?s Mission Guild until Oct. 20 at Christ the King Parish Formation Center in Green Meadows, Quezon City.