Devoted to Padre Pio

Showbiz is a world of sinners and I make no apologies about it. To begin with, the industry is basically all about make-believedeception, even.

However, there is one among our ranks who remains untainted by showbiz sin and could be a candidate for canonization. She is Boots Anson-Roa, whose ways are often described as saintly. In fact, she should be made the patron saint for those seeking this virtue called patience.

Her having managed to get by in the business the past decades (starting in the early ‘60s) without her getting into any argument with co-workers had always made me wonder if she is actually a messenger from heaven sent to earth to teach us how to get along with each otherwithout fighting over principles and the lack of professionalism that is already the trademark of local entertainment.

I only got to know her better the past few years since she was abroad when I entered TV and we never had the chance to be close to each otherstrangely enough because the only two movies I’ve done in my showbiz career were both with her. Although we had conversations during shooting breaks, I couldn’t open my heart to her becausebeing a self-confessed sinner  I felt so small in her presence.

Tita Boots is the type of person you put on a pedestal to worshipand I’m sure she is feeling so embarrassed reading this, but that is the truth. She isn’t just a lady. She is actually saintly.

 In July 2008, we found ourselves as co-delegates to the Paris Cinema International. Of course, during a lull in our official functions (I was there for the Cinema Evaluation Board), we’d sneak out to take on the sights. While most of us wanted to see the famous Parisian landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, her primary agenda was to be able to pray in the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal. We put that in our itinerary, too, but admittedly that wasn’t a priority.

Tita Boots went to the church all by herself. I don’t know if she took the train or the cab, but she got there in one piece and was able to accomplish her mission.

I know that she is also a devotee of St. Therese of the Child of Jesus and she is the endorser of that columbarium down south that was named after the Little Flower.

Today, she is also busy helping spread the devotion to St. Pio Pietrelcina or simply Padre Pio to most devotees.

On Aug. 9 at 4 p.m. at the Decagon in Frontera, Pasig City, there will be an invitational screening of Into the Light, a 50-minute documentary that was inspired by the devotion of Tita Boots’ husband, the late Pete Roa, to Padre Pio. Shot in San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy and in Manila (with most of the scenes taken at the St. Pio Shrine in Libis, Quezon City) under the supervision of Ramon Rodriguez, this docu is written and directed by Nestor U. Torre. It is produced by the Pete Roa Integrated Media Endeavors (PRIME) Foundation, Inc. in cooperation with the Ortigas and Company Limited Partnership to be represented during the event by COO Rex Drilon II.

Into the Light is narrated by Tita Boots herself, who became a Padre Pio devotee after praying to the saint for her husband to be able to bear the pain and be more serene in accepting all the afflictions he went through that included a stroke and terminal cancer of the stomach, lungs and brain.

Early this year, Tita Boots, who I know would invest in real estate, no matter how modest, rather than stay liquid since inflation can easily reduce in time the amount of your savings, found herself with dwindling cash. A month after she prayed to St. Pio for what literally was financial aid, she was able to clinch three product endorsements.

I first became curious about St. Pio when I saw in July 2003 his large statue at the living room of Azucena Vera-Perez or Mama Nene to us. According to daughter Marichu Maceda, every time Mama Nene would pray to St. Pio, a certain scentlike that of rosesemanates the surroundings.

During the first quarter of 2008, I encountered a problem that wasn’t actually very serious, except that I am admittedly the type to make a big deal out of minor issues. Around that time I hosted a dinner at home for Mary Ann Opena’s birthday and out of gratitude, she gave me a novena to St. Pio. I prayed to the saint and while there was no major miracle that happened that would make Hollywood producers rush over to produce a movie similar to the scope of Song of Bernadette, I would like to think that the problem solved itself over time. Today, I just laugh about it.

This year, Lifestyle columnist Letty Lopez-Jacinto wrote about Padre Pio and shared with the readers of this paper about how we can command our guardian angels by praying to the saint. Before I sleep, I pray to St. Pio to tell my guardian angel to protect me against any harm that may be lurking around.

Of course, I’m not exactly spared from problems and stress despite my prayers. However, it gives me comfort that Padre Pio and my guardian angel are just a prayer away.

I am Catholic and our religion works like the Philippine bureaucratic system. We believe that it pays to have contacts in heaven.