There’s an ancient and mystic belief that cats have nine lives. This is the result of numerous observations indicating their ability to survive dangerous situations that normally would result in death or severe injuries. Cats have been known to fall off or jump from rooftops or high-rise buildings and land safely on their feet, walking away without missing a beat.
Why is this so? According to Wikipedia, cats have great balance and reflexes. They also have very flexible backbones, possessing more vertebrae than human beings. This allows them to pull through under the most difficult circumstances.
During the last 20 years, I have faced seven medical conditions requiring major surgical operations performed under anesthesia, all by different surgeons in four different hospitals.
The first was a heart bypass operation done at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City, and the latest was a kidney transplant also at the same institution. In between were other procedures that required going under the knife followed by hospital confinement. I have often expressed the view that we have the finest doctors in the world and our medical facilities are world-class. Unfortunately, some of our people still cling to the idea that foreign or imported is safer and better.
While I do not have the great balance and reflexes of a feline or its flexible backbone, each time I was wheeled onto an operating table, I knew that I had the company of a great Lady whose compassion and comforting spiritual presence made all the difference.
The year 2016 was a special year for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, also known as the “Queen of the Brown Scapular.” It marked the first anniversary of the proclamation by Archbishop Socrates Villegas formally declaring the parish as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. A Discalced Carmelite Province of the Philippines that includes the Philippines and Vietnam was also officially announced. Today there are more than 40 Filipino and three American friars working together in the Province. The three Americans—Fathers Alan Reiger, Tom Martin, and Arnie Boehme—are often referred to as “The Last of the Mohicans.”
Another great event that took place only last month was the reopening of the totally renovated/enhanced National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The three-year endeavor of the Carmelite friars with the parishioners supported by individual philanthropists, business executives and corporations, and volunteer workers has brought about a beautiful edifice that further strengthens its reputation as one of the loveliest churches in the country. The major improvements include a renovated main altar surrounded by four pillars, Our Lady’s altar,
St. Joseph’s altar, a completely new and more effective sound system, huge ceiling fans that provide better airflow and circulation inside the church, stained glass windows, a community center and expanded administrative offices. The old images done by architect Maximo Vicente along with the original church doors that were kept intact, have also been enhanced.
Credit for these improvements go to so many individuals in the Carmelite organization as well as the lay sector. May I take the liberty of mentioning two who have been actively involved in the shrine during the last few years: Fr. Ernesto Montuerto, OCD, is the superior of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, while Fr. Joey Mabborang, OCD, is our parish priest. Incidentally, Father Joey has the distinction of being the first native of Apayao Province in the Cordillera Autonomous Region to join the Carmelite Order. We are indeed fortunate to have him with us during this eventful period of our parish development.
Just a few notes on the Carmelites.
Of the religious orders that have established themselves in the Philippines, the Carmelites are the youngest. Ahead of them were the Jesuits, the Franciscans, and the Dominicans who arrived in the country as early as the 16th century.
It was in 1923 that the first Carmelites set foot on Philippine soil with the arrival of four French Carmelite nuns from a Carmelite monastery in Hue, Vietnam. They settled down in Jaro, Iloilo, and founded the first Discalced Carmelite monastery in the country. In 1947, six Carmelite friars arrived from the United States and were posted in the Baler-Infanta region. The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, appealed for more Carmelites, specifically asking for Irish friars who started planning for a new shrine and monastery. Among the Irish pioneers who I personally knew and who became part of our daily lives were Fathers Paul O’Sullivan and Tom Shanahan. Both have returned to Ireland.
On Dec. 30, 1954, the cornerstone for the church was blessed by Archbishop Vagnozzi in the presence of Archbishop Rufino Santos, Most Rev. Fr. Marie-Eugene, vicar-general of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites, and Ms Mila Magsaysay, representing her father, President Ramon Magsaysay. Incidentally, Father Marie-Eugene, a former soldier in the French Army before being ordained a priest, was recently beatified by Pope Francis.
Somehow I am reminded of our trip to the Holy Land in the Great Jubilee Year of 2000. One of the highlights of our pilgrimage was a visit to the centuries-old Shrine of our Lady of
Mt. Carmel near the seaport of Haifa in the northern tip of Israel. We heard Mass at the chapel of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. By a beautiful coincidence, it was also her feast day.
Outside the church we enjoyed a panoramic view of Haifa bay while a local musician played on his flute different songs which he associated with the pilgrims who came out for photo opportunities. As soon as he saw us he started to play the Philippine national anthem, reminding us of home and the relative peace in our country, as against the terror bombings and continuing conflict in the region. That was more than 10 years ago, and today the prospects for peace remain dim as Israel continues the building of new settlements in occupied territory belonging to Palestinians.