Former Senator Dr. Helena Z. Benitez, affectionately called “Tita Helen,” will celebrate her 100th birthday on June 27. Chairperson of the Philippine Women’s University’s board of trustees, Tita Helen will welcome friends and family at Mira-Nila on June 23, where Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle will celebrate Holy Mass at 3 p.m.
The pre-celebration will feature the culinary creations of Ang Sariling Atin Culinary Heritage Institute (Asa), curated by Amy Besa.
The culinary tribute to Tita Helen consists of the best of Cavite and Laguna cuisines to be prepared by various chefs: Romy Dorota and Joseph Galvez of Purple Yam Brooklyn and Malate, Corazon Legaspi of Imus, Cavite, and Theodore Day Salonga of Ted’s in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
The PWU campus will have a chance to greet Tita Helen on June 27, 3 p.m., when Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales will officiate the concelebrated Mass at PWU Chapel with Fr. Wency Serafica and Fr. Paul Marquez, SSP, as concelebrants. There will be performances by PWU alumni and the Bayanihan, the national folk dance company of the Philippines.
Baseco apostolate
Three years ago, Renena Benedicto Prieto heard from some Augustinian priests in a meeting that there was a need to build an educational and pastoral center in the Baseco compound.
Cardinal Rosales encouraged Tita Nena to help. She started with 40 preschoolers after building Sto. Niño de Baseco Learning Center, feeding them, and giving them school uniforms.
Today, there are 400 pre-schoolers whom Tita Nena calls “my children.” Some of the kids have moved on to Grade 1 in public schools.
Tita Nena’s apostolate is conducted in conjunction with the San Agustin Church (Immaculate Conception Parish) educational ministry. She also built Nuestra Señora de Gracia Chapel in Baseco where Cardinal Rosales celebrated his last Mass as Archbishop of Manila in June 2012.
Later on, when Cardinal Tagle became archbishop of Manila, she built Sta. Monica Chapel, also in Baseco. The Sacred Heart of Jesus was enthroned there. Cardinal Tagle blessed the chapel and celebrated the first Holy Mass there which was attended by members of Martha’s Vineyard such as Cecille Oppen and Mila David.
Devotee of Ina Poonbato
For the longest time, Tita Nena has been a devotee of “Ina Poonbato,” patroness of Botolan, Zambales, in support of Roselynn Magsaysay’s propagation of the devotion. She built the grotto for the image in Botolan atop a hill, which one can climb by going up a staircase built into it. She did the same for the garden of Santuario de San José in Greenhills; and then Blessed Sacrament Church in South City Homes in Biñan.
H
elp for priests
Tita Nena told me and Linda Marquez we should help our priests. Without them, we cannot have the Sacraments and the Holy Mass. For her birthday celebration December last year, Cardinal Tagle officiated a concelebrated thanksgiving Mass for her at San Agustin Church. It is not too late to wish Tita Nena good health and protection and more blessings as she continues to serve the Lord. We need more people like her.
Cavite church to host relics
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Barangay Jaravela in Gen. Trias, Cavite, is preparing to welcome the relics of St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII for veneration on June 28-29, feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
Fr. Reuel Castañeda, parish priest, said there will be Masses for venerating the relics: Monday, 6 a.m.; Tuesday-Saturday, 6 p.m.; Sunday, 6, 8, 10 a.m. (English) then at 4 and 6 p.m. (English). All other Masses are in Tagalog.
The Work of the Saints Apostolate headed by Leandro Tesorero will bring the relics to Guadalupe.
Father Reuel told us how an oncologist would encourage his cancer patients to go to Guadalupe Church to pray to “Mama Guada” for healing. One woman whom the priest personally knew was healed.
Traditional Latin Mass
Here is the schedule of Traditional Latin Masses for June in three venues: Saturday, 8:30 a.m., Christ the King Parish, Green Meadows, Quezon City; Sunday, 9 a.m. or 1 p.m., La Chapelle des Roses, Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus at Villamor Airbase; and on the last Saturday of the month, 3 p.m., Lower Church, St. James the Great Parish, Ayala Alabang Village.
Sacred Heart on June 27
The National Shrine of the Sacred Heart invites devotees to the feast of the Sacred Heart on June 27. Main celebrant for the fiesta Mass at 6 p.m. is Cardinal Rosales.
The 12 noon Mass will be officiated by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Bernardino Cortes.
Meanwhile Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo will open the Novena Masses on June 18, 12 noon.
Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani will preside over the bisperas Mass on June 26, 6 p.m. Procession follows afterward.
Recollection talks on the Sacred Heart will be delivered by Fr. Dave Concepcion on June 20, 6:30 p.m., and Fr. Douglas Badong on June 21, 10:30 a.m.
The shrine is at Sacred Heart St. (formerly Dao), San Antonio Village, Makati. Parish priest is Fr. Vic Apacible.