NEW YEAR BENEDICTION

New Year 2010
The Lord bless and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:22-27)

Godbless and cheers for the New Year and always. All the best.

Hugs
Gabby

Celebrating Norman's 69th Birthday

December 30, 2009

We had a quiet but good celebration of Norman's 69th birthday. We had a 9am Mass celebrated by my friend Fr. Peter Lavin, AM at the crypt of Christ the King Parish Church attended by about 15 friends. Then we proceeded for a lite and hearty brunch at Delifrance. Tonight we had a birthday cake at home and Gina's grandkids, Kirsten and Wyet, did the honors of blowing Norm's birthday candle. Thank God we had a good celebration.

Gabby

Happy 69th Birthday, Norman

December 29, 2009
Tomorrow is Norman's 69th birthday. A year ago I was in Salt Lake City, Utah to bury part of his ashes in his parents' snow-covered grave in Ogden, Utah. 2 years ago he celebrated his 67th and last birthay here at home. Very happy occasion with my family and our close friends. Now, he is celebrating his 2nd birthday with God the Trinity, Mary & Joseph, and all the Angels, Saints and dearly departed ones up there.
Happy New Year.
Gabby

Christmas Lights

December 27, 2009
Last nite I took Gina's grandkids Kirsten and Wyeth to see various Christmas light displays around town. It was a great experience for them.
Cheers
Gabby

Christmas Eve 2009

Continuing a tradition Norman and I started in 1993 every Christmas Eve, I took the household to distribute 110 snack packs to poor children and their parents clustered by the gate of the Monastery of Sta. Clara. Then we proceeded to visit Norman's niche to offer our Christmas prayers and cheers. Included here is a picture of our creche at home. Godbless and Christmas cheers.
Gabby

Beatification of Pope John Paul II

The Vatican just announced that Pope John Paul II will be beatified on October 16, 2010 which is the final step before he gets canonized officially as a Saint in the Catholic Church. I was blessed to receive Holy Communion from him at the public Mass for the beatification of Pedro Calungsod, a Visayan martyr who died for the faith in Guam in the 19th century on March 5, 2000. May he intercede for us before our Father for appropriate graces and blessings.
Cheers
Gabby

BLESSINGS FOR CHRISTMAS AND ALWAYS

Wishing one and all peace and joy for Christmas and always. Let us not tire of doing good no matter how hard because in the end God will give us His rewards. For, He has plans for us to prosper and succeed and not fail.

Cheers for the New Year.

Gabby

Pictures in Legaspi City

December 12, 2009

Last December 10th I flew to Legaspi City to attend the installation rites of its new bishop, Bishop Joel (Bong) Baylon, a very dear friend of our family who also was very kind to Norman. It was a big event, attended by luminaries like Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales and several bishops from Metro Manila and elsewhere, the Archbishops of Dagupan, Naga and Zamboanga, and the Papal Nuncio. Lots of priests and nuns. President Gloria Arroyo came as well, and even greeted me at the altar steps. She left after his very passionate homily on POWER OF LOVE and LOVE OF POWER because she needed to fly back to Manila before sunset.

At Legaspi I also met my former students from the Defense college as well as the family of Tess Bacos, the sister of my home manager Gina.

Gabby

Christmas Gift Giving to Children in 3 Hospitals

December 10, 2009

Am at the deaprture lounge of Cebu Pacific waiting for my noon flite for Legaspi City where I will attend this afternoon the installation of the new principal Bishop of the Archdiocese, our family friend, Bishop Joel (Bong) Baylon, a very wonderful Servant Shepherd.

Yesterday our Partnerships for the Poor Foundation held our annual giftgiving to poor children in 3 hospitals. We covered 750 patients, in various degrees of ailments--cancer, dengue, liver problems, kidney problems, malnutrition. It pained me to see so much suffering among innocent youngsters. But, I was happy to provide some happiness for their Christmas. I pray that God restores their health.

Must go now to my gate. Godbless.

Gabby