Blessings of a thousandfold

MANILA, Philippines - Ruthy Cruz Vera held the mic close to her lips to make a confession. She said that she dodged our parish priest, Father Joel Sulse, every time he came searching for her.

But Father Joel was persistent. “Ruthy was perfect for the job.” he said. In the end, Ruthy ran out of excuses and had no other recourse but to throw caution to the wind.

Being the chairperson of “Francisfest,” a once-a-year fund-raising activity of Santuario de San Antonio Parish community, required gentle persuasion, an agile mind to catch people at their generous best, and that “trust your instincts” gut feeling of when to beg, to cajole, bargain or plead, even to retreat and wait with patience and in silence.

“Just why are we trying to raise funds?” I asked. “Where will the money go?” 

Tina Teehankee, chair of the ticket committee explained, “The annual Francisfest helps carry out many charity programs. Like any barangay or local community, there are several outreach programs that the parish is involved with, committing their time and resources on a permanent basis. They all need to be subsidized. For example, we committed to construct a Franciscan Spirituality Center in Botolan, Zambales, a retreat house near the seashore.” 

To name a few: prison ministry where church volunteers visit the inmates regularly to celebrate Mass with them. They also distribute Bibles in Tagalog, teaching the inmates how to use and understand the Bible in their daily reflections on the Word of God. They conduct fellowship gatherings with sports to entertain the inmates and maintain a well-stocked library.

Scholarship grants pay for the tuition fees of deserving but economically-strapped students. Missionary work includes the rehabilitation of parishes and communities badly affected by recent typhoons. Hospital ministry at Philippine General Hospital helps children afflicted with cancer, pays for their medicine, hospital bills and medical supplies, etc. The Friendship Home houses the handicapped children of the Trichet Learning Center. It is also a thrift shop, a job placement office, and is used as a venue for values and Christian faith formation of the elderly, the poor, the abandoned and the underprivileged.

Emergency relief operations where parishioners are given the opportunity to apply the teachings of St. Francis first-hand, caring for the victims of natural disasters, the poor and donating the necessary food, clothing, medicine and other subsistence to alleviate their tragedy and deprivation.

To make Ruthy’s job easier, the Committee targeted a specific amount that Ruthy could focus on with a view that anything close to or over it would be just as acceptable.

We were not privy to the nitty-gritty of how this group of committed parishioners went about their assigned tasks. I only know that when we sat down at the fellowship night held at the Mandarin Hotel, we were entertained with all-time favorites sung by Pinky Marquez and Bo Cerrudo, accompanied by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, including a finale that featured our very own singing priest, Father Alvin Paras. Ruthy went up the stage with a spring in her step, and made the happiest announcement of the evening: “The fund-raising committee surpassed the target by leaps and bounds.”

Proof once again that when you open your heart – and your pocket – your reward comes back a thousandfold.