8/13/2011

My Angel In Heaven

Allow me to warn you. I write this post with tears in my eyes. So skip if you don't feel like reading a sad post today/ =-)

    Last week, I lost a dear friend...


    In 1993 my parents bought a property in Alfonso Cavite. My mom wanted to give her cut flowers business a go. Alfonso is the part of Cavite province that is very close to Tagaytay hence the weather is cool and wonderful. But the Tagaytay  weather and fresh air were not the only 'charms' of this place. It is in Alfonso that we met Fr. Redy Corpuz. No, my parents did not meet him in church. They met at the tennis courts of Royale Tagaytay Country Club. Father Redy was a sports buff. He and my parents would later have endless Saturday dinners and even go to Europe and the Holy Land together.


     It was around this time that he commissioned me to design the adoration chapel in his parish. he was then the parish priest of San Juan Nepomuceno Cavite Parish also in Alfonso. I worked with him closely on the chapel. He gave me his complete trust and our wonderful friendship began. He later became my confirmation ninong ( I know right? I was in my mid 20's) and he also wed H and me in Caleruega Batangas in 1998.
 
      Around  four years ago, I encountered one of the most difficult and painful time of my life. I thought of no one else to run but to him. I would travel countless times to the Imus Cathedral ( his parish then) in the early hours of the morning and he was always there, waiting for me, his shoulders for my tired weary head and a box of Kleenex. That's how he was always available, with a hug, words of advice, a smile and his signature boyish chuckle. His message to me then was unwavering, marriage is number 1. What H and I have is number 1. 

    He fought with me in preserving my marriage against the rest of my world who seemed to be doing otherwise at that time. I owe him my life and my beautiful family today.

    On August 2, he died of a massive heart attack in the middle of basketball game. He had just turned 65.  Hundreds troop to his wake; priests, nuns, children, students, teachers, whole families. Each person had a story to tell about him. Each person's life he has touched. Each person not without a tear in their eyes. I took comfort in knowing so many others shared his life and giftedness with us.

Blessing of our new farm house. Feb 2011
Good Friday, Way of the Cross 2011

   Last week, I lost a dear friend, my singing partner,  my ninong, my confidant....
 
   Last week an angel took flight from earth and is now looking down on me from heaven....




     I will miss you for the rest of my life.
my singing partner
but he co-wrote and left us a song...Kahanga-hanga.
More about him here and Going to the Chapel



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Father Redy was family. Our Good Friday Way of the Cross will never be the same.