To See is to Believe

Hope had wings last Saturday, at the second death anniversary of KC de Venecia, which also marked the inauguration of the INA Healing Center for grieving mothers at the Batasan Hills in Quezon City.

Hundreds of butterflies were set free by the mothers in memory of their children, and strangely, one yellow and black butterfly found its way to the shoulder of KC’s father Speaker Joe de Venecia, where it clung tenaciously as the speaker walked to and fro during the ceremonies.

During the Mass, JDV, his wife Gina and President Arroyo sat on the front row of a makeshift chapel, and directly across them were several electric fans at high speed. Amazingly, they did not blow the butterfly away.

Soon the butterfly caught the attention of the other people at Mass, because it was the only butterfly in the covered court, and, of all places, it perched itself on JDV’s right shoulder.

"That’s KC," I heard Gina whisper to JDV. According to Filipino folk wisdom, butterflies symbolize the spirit of our departed loved ones.

When JDV stood up from his seat and ascended the stage to give a talk, you’d think the butterfly would be disturbed and fly away. But no, it stayed there, crawling to JDV’s collar, and then finally settling again on his left shoulder for the rest of the program. (It remained on JDV’s collar even as he had lunch after the Mass. According to Gina, the butterfly only flew away when JDV got into his car about three hours later.)

JDV recalled in his short talk that a few weeks ago, during a trip to Hong Kong, he and Gina suddenly saw a butterfly outside the glass window of their 10th-floor hotel room. "How can a butterfly fly that high up?" he mused.

He believes that was KC making her presence felt. You could see that despite Cha-cha and all the political bickerings he must bear, JDV misses his youngest daughter and is seeking a connection to her.

For mothers like Gina and the other members of the INA Foundation, any link to the child they lost and miss terribly – a butterfly, a scent, a memory – is like a lifeline that enables them to keep afloat amidst the waves of grief.

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There was a surprise visitor during KC’s second death anniversary. It was Fr. Bernie Carpio, the former parish priest of Don Bosco Makati. Because Gina was in shock during KC’s wake, she does not remember the story Fr. Bernie told her then. Last Saturday, he recounted it to Gina.

According to Fr. Bernie, on Dec. 13, 2004, three days before KC’s death, a young lady went to him at the Don Bosco Church.

He said he just finished saying Mass and he was in a hurry because he was going to officiate at a wedding. Then, there was this young girl, who approached him and asked with urgency if he could hear her confession.

It appeared as if she was a little apprehensive because she said that she wasn’t religious, and hadn’t been to confession in a long time.

So Father Bernie agreed, as long as she would be sincere and honest.

Then, KC said that she was very nervous because she felt that her days were numbered.

Father Bernie brought her to the sacristy and heard her confession. He asked her who she was, and the girl said she was KC. Father Bernie said that KC made a very good confession. At one point, KC even told him, "Please, Father, tell the people in the homilies, to always be prepared."

So, after a fire gutted the De Venecia home in Makati City on Dec. 16, 2004, Father Bernie was so shocked to see KC’s photo in the newspapers as having perished in the fire!

Now, Father Bernie said that he prays to KC and she has helped him have his prayers answered.

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Another guest at the inauguration of the healing center was Bernie Nepomuceno, a noted hypno-therapist and a protege of Father Jaime Bulatao. She has a special gift because she reportedly can commune with the spirits.

After the opening ceremonies, Bernie shared her unique experience with KC de Venecia. On the eve of KC’s second anniversary, Bernie said that she dreamt of KC, whom she had never seen in her life.

According to Bernie, KC said that she will appear to her as a butterfly during the blessing, and her wings will have a similar pattern as the print of Bernie’s blouse (yellow and black).

During the Mass, Bernie found herself seated few chairs away from the back of KC’s dad. Imagine her surprise, when she looked towards the Speaker, she saw a yellow and black butterfly on his shoulder!

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For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who do not believe, no proof will ever be enough.

I personally have only a cursory interest in the supernatural, but who am I to say that souls do not make an effort to manifest themselves to the loved ones they left behind, especially when they had no chance for a last embrace, a final goodbye?

But this much I can say. I saw that beautiful butterfly on JDV’s shoulder and was willing to bet it wouldn’t stay there for more than five minutes. Butterflies are restless creatures – you have to chase them. But it did stay, for three hours.

Why did one butterfly stay on the shoulder of one man for three hours straight?

For Gina de Venecia and for those who believe, no explanation is necessary.

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(You may e-mail me at [email protected])