Please note: This journal is a work in progress. Kindly expect changes within the next few days. Thank you for your interest.
July 1, First Friday, Feast of the Most Precious Blood
In Tacloban: Medicines were purchased for three patients in Pinabacdao, Samar.
The catechist from Luzon who came to help in the Samar mission suffered an asthma attack and was assisted at the emergency room of Tacloban City Hospital.
In General Santos City: Eight regular patients were given medicines for hypertension, asthma, tuberculosis. Special prayers were offered for the intention of the mission benefactors, patients and volunteers during the Holy Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction by Rev. Fr. Cornelius Eisenring.
One of the patients today had been quite a prodigal. Having grown up as a family favorite for being the youngest, he had not a sense of family responsibility. One day, though he already had a wife and 2 children, he ran away with a woman whom he fancied. Without bidding any goodbye, he abandoned all for a romantic adventure. Without official leave, he disappeared along with him some cash that belonged to the company. For fourteen years, he could not be found. Family and friends thought he must be dead cold somewhere, somehow. His wife and children learned to cope without him. However, on the year 2016, some 14 years later, he appeared at his brother's house like a specter. His family's shock was compounded by his obvious physical deterioration. He was haggard, bent out shape and limping due to some illness. He was also totally penniless. His children and wife refused to accept him or talk to him. His brothers and sisters were displeased with the bull crap tale that he presented: that he did not know what he was doing, that he was out of himself, that he could not understand why he simply followed the woman who simply lured him to some distant island and abandoned him. They were disgusted but they did not have the heart to shoo him away. They took him in and gave him food, but they could not afford his medical expenses. They brought him to church for Confession and referred him to the mission for assistance. The mission gave him medicines for his kidney stones, diabetes and hypertension. He attended Holy Mass every Sunday without fail and went to Confession once in a while. Over time, the size of the kidney stones was reduced. His blood tests normalized. Months of medical treatment saw him much improved. Today the mission staff counseled him to find work, take responsibility for his health needs and do all that he could to make up to his children and wife. Today marks his graduation from free medical assistance. Thanks to the mission donors, a 53 year old man is well enough to start to grow up and act like an adult.
July 2, Saturday, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin
The catechist from Luzon who came to help in the Samar mission suffered an asthma attack and was assisted at the emergency room of Tacloban City Hospital.
In General Santos City: Eight regular patients were given medicines for hypertension, asthma, tuberculosis. Special prayers were offered for the intention of the mission benefactors, patients and volunteers during the Holy Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction by Rev. Fr. Cornelius Eisenring.
One of the patients today had been quite a prodigal. Having grown up as a family favorite for being the youngest, he had not a sense of family responsibility. One day, though he already had a wife and 2 children, he ran away with a woman whom he fancied. Without bidding any goodbye, he abandoned all for a romantic adventure. Without official leave, he disappeared along with him some cash that belonged to the company. For fourteen years, he could not be found. Family and friends thought he must be dead cold somewhere, somehow. His wife and children learned to cope without him. However, on the year 2016, some 14 years later, he appeared at his brother's house like a specter. His family's shock was compounded by his obvious physical deterioration. He was haggard, bent out shape and limping due to some illness. He was also totally penniless. His children and wife refused to accept him or talk to him. His brothers and sisters were displeased with the bull crap tale that he presented: that he did not know what he was doing, that he was out of himself, that he could not understand why he simply followed the woman who simply lured him to some distant island and abandoned him. They were disgusted but they did not have the heart to shoo him away. They took him in and gave him food, but they could not afford his medical expenses. They brought him to church for Confession and referred him to the mission for assistance. The mission gave him medicines for his kidney stones, diabetes and hypertension. He attended Holy Mass every Sunday without fail and went to Confession once in a while. Over time, the size of the kidney stones was reduced. His blood tests normalized. Months of medical treatment saw him much improved. Today the mission staff counseled him to find work, take responsibility for his health needs and do all that he could to make up to his children and wife. Today marks his graduation from free medical assistance. Thanks to the mission donors, a 53 year old man is well enough to start to grow up and act like an adult.
July 2, Saturday, Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin
In General Santos City: Nine regular patients were assisted.
A new patient from T'boli, South Cotabato, was referred to the mission by Bro. Matthias for surgical repair of hernia.
A new patient from T'boli, South Cotabato, was referred to the mission by Bro. Matthias for surgical repair of hernia.
July 3, Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
In General Santos City: Six patients lined up for medicines after the Holy Mass.
In Southern Leyte: A dying mission patient called for a priest. Fr. Albert Ghela came on foot to administer the Extreme Unction.
July 4, Monday, Feria
Six patients were assisted.
One mother came to ask for help in
July 5, Tuesday, Feast of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria
July 6, Wednesday, Feria
Purchase antipsychotic medicines for patient
July 7, Thursday, Sts. Cyril and Methodius
July 8, Friday, St. Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal
A patient from Sarangani Province who had difficulty in breathing came to the mission hoping for relief. He had no home to call his own and he begged to be allowed to sleep in the chapel as he pleaded for surgical assistance. Many years ago, he had abandoned his wife and children and they have long removed him from their hearts. When he got sick, there was no time, money or thought that they could spare for him. His second "wife", with whom he had no legal or sacramental bond, left him for dead in a hospital, After much lobbying by his sister at provincial government offices, he was released from the hospital. His poor sister who was a fish vendor learned about the mission and begged for help on his behalf. He had a protruding mass in his abdomen and a mass in his lungs. He was informed by the surgeon that he had cancer but he refused to accept the diagnosis. He wanted so much to get better and no amount of pathophysiology lecture could convince him to accept the progression of his disease. He desired to live longer and stronger as he struggled to breathe. He was invited to pray before the Blessed Sacrament then a mission staff guided him to prepare for Confession and to reflect about the mortality of the human race. He was encouraged to live with his sister and come back to the chapel as soon as a priest would arrive. He was given bronchodilators and pain relievers as prescribed.
The mission staff and volunteers prayed the Stations of the Cross for the intentions of the benefactors and patients of the mission.
July 9, Our Lady on Saturday
In General Santos City:
Prayers for benefactors and patients offered at Holy Mass. After the Holy Mass three patients approached the priest. One patient asked for Holy Mass for her deceased mother. Two patients, both with extrapulmonary tuberculosis, asked for Blessing for the Sick.
Prayers for benefactors and patients offered at Holy Mass. After the Holy Mass three patients approached the priest. One patient asked for Holy Mass for her deceased mother. Two patients, both with extrapulmonary tuberculosis, asked for Blessing for the Sick.
The sick call for a patient with breast cancer was deferred because the patient had confined herself to the place of a cult that claimed miraculous powers to heal diseases. She was reminded that superstitious beliefs are sins against the First Commandment. She was nonchalant and indifferent. Although her family was the one that invited the Priest to visit her, she was indifferent, saying simply that for her it would be well whether the priest can come or cannot come to her.
July 10, Eight Sunday after Pentecost
After Holy Mass, a young patient who was assisted surgically declared his intention to express his gratitude to God by learning how to play the organ and serve at Mass as organist. He was instructed to speak with the priest to ask for Baptism first.
Review and endorsement of file of twelve active patients in preparation for the vacation leave of the mission nurse.July 11, Monday, Feria
July 12, Tuesday, St. John Gualbert
July 13, Wednesday, Feria
In Tanay, Sarangani Province: A distraught mother riding in an ambulance sent a message to the mission in Gensan begging for help as her little son struggled for breath and was being rushed to the hospital in Morong. She was advised to pray and sincerely prepare to accept whatever may happen as the Will of God. Her son was found to have pneumonia. She was hungry, weary and penniless. Her husband was away at work in Metro Manila and would not be home until the evening of Saturday. His meager income was just enough for the family's food and utility bills. They had no savings.
July 14, Thursday, St. Bonaventure
Help was sent to a distraught mother in Tanay, Rizal Province whose son was rushed by ambulance to a distant hospital in Morong (2 hours road trip) due to fever and difficulty in breathing. He was diagnosed as having pneumonia.
A girl from Maasim, Sarangani Province was released from her unfortunate detention in a private hospital in General Santos City.
Janice had the misfortune of being accidentally hit on the road by a careless driver who was too poor to pay for the injury he caused. She was rushed to a private hospital and given first aid. She needed to have a surgery to repair her broken bone but her family could not afford the surgery, so after some days, they decided to go home. Alas, even for just a first aid care and for simply sitting in a hospital bed without further treatment, her bill had racked up to P13,000.00 which was way above their capacity to pay. Their pleadings did not open the door for her so she resigned herself to just sitting on the bed waiting for whatever fate may fall on her. After 73 days of hopeless waiting, her mother discovered the mission and received assistance to pay the bill and she was discharged but still with an untreated fracture and an infected wound. Needless to say, she went home limping and in pain. And very embarrassed because of the chicken pox pustules that decorated her whole body. That was what she got for staying too long in the hospital. Poor, poor girl. The mission planned to assist her for surgery after she has recovered from the hospital-acquired chicken pox.
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| After months of going around begging for money to pay the hospital bill of her daughter, this laundrywoman discovered the mission, attended Holy Mass, presented her problem and received assistance. |
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| This woman's husband |
A patient in Hindang, Leyte, was referred by Fr. Ghela to the mission for assistance. Phone interview was done to determine the specific assistance needed and evaluate the economic condition of the family. They were asked to submit the medical abstract and certification of indigency before assistance could be sent.
July 15, Friday, St. Henry
Desperately gasping for breath, the patient from Sarangani Province who was battling against cancer presented himself to the emergency room of a private hospital asking for relief. He was hooked on oxygen and given medications. When his breathing was less labored he sent a message to the mission staff asking to be rescued. He had not a penny in his pocket. He was simply dropped at the hospital by a sympathetic motorcyclist whom he flagged down the road as he struggled to breathe. He wanted help for surgery thinking that if the masses were removed his body would be back to normal. It took hours for him to calm down and to hear the explanation that his cancer was far advanced and had spread to different organs and that the most that we could offer to him, considering our limited funding, was symptomatic relief. He asked for help to be discharged from the hospital and simply borrowed a nebulizer to help him breathe at home. Bedside prayers were offered and he was guided in spiritual preparation for death through examination of conscience, Act of contrition, spiritual communion and meditations on the mysteries of the Rosary.
July 16, Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Offering of special prayers for the benefactors and patients of the mission
Conference on Personality Disorders for the youth volunteers of the mission to guide in dealing with various people
July 17, Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
July 18, Monday, St. Camillus de Lellis
In Gensan: Two Wheels Expands Althea's World and Brightens Her Life
Althea Faith Subo happily received the wheelchair that she had been praying for since February. She has cerebral palsy and could not move about on her own. Being a big girl, she longed for the day when she did not have to be carried in the arms of her tired parents. She flashed a grateful smile as her father showed the yellow prescription paper where Dr. Dickes wrote an order for a wheelchair.
In Pagadian: Breaking Ground...
A little band of sincere hearts living in Western Mindanao asked for the visit of a traditional Priest but no priest was available. After a long wait, Fr. Timothy Pfeiffer granted their request.
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| Pagadian lies along the Bay of Illana, in Zamboanga Peninsula, Western Mindanao. |
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| Rev. Fr. Timothy Pfeiffer teaching catechism to a small group in Pagadian. |
July 19, Tuesday, St. Vincent de Paul
Public Mass in the marketplace
Rev. Fr. Timothy Pfeiffer came to offer Holy Mass upon the invitation of the father of a military Captain who was a mission partner in Tacloban and subsequently in Samar.
His father was the elected Barangay Captain who was interested in starting a mission in Pagadian. He sought permission to use the local chapel but the Parish Priest refused so the Mass was offered on a stage in the convention area right in the heart of the marketplace. It was Providential because it was the most public place and passersby were able to observe the Mass. Some drew near to listen to the catechism and ask for sacramentals. The empty chairs were eventually filled. At the end of the mission, 28 were enrolled as Knights of the Immaculate (Militia Immaculatae). Ave Maria!
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| An army Captain in Tacloban requested a mission in Pagadian |
Conference with mission social worker to review the economic conditions of particular patients and to deliberate the actions to be taken regarding each case.
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Above is a picture of Felix, who was feeling tired due to shortness of breath. He had been coughing out blood. His pulmonary tuberculosis is already far advanced. He had no immediate family that could take care of him. He was brought by a neighbor to the mission; which, in turn, referred to a pulmonologist for treatment.
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July 20, Wednesday, St. Jerome Emilliani
Marilyn Andaya, a 41 year old mother of 3 children from Katangawan, General Santos City, happily presented herself to the mission for the surgical removal of the cataract in her right eye. She counted herself lucky to have been one among the thousands of patients who lined up for assistance on February. The mission paid only P9,520.00 on the operation.
Rizalito, a construction worker, was assisted in the surgical removal of a painful cyst in his buttocks. He worried so much that he could not afford the surgery and he was also nervous that the surgery might cause him to be absent from work for some time which would cause him to lose income. He was accompanied by a mission staff to the government hospital where he was immediately operated at the Emergency Room and sent home without having to pay a peso! His health insurance covered the whole cost. How happy and thankful he was.
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| Lilia |
July 21, Thursday, St. Lawrence of Brindisi
July 22, Friday, St. Mary Magdalene
July 23, Saturday, St. Apollinaris
July 24, Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
July 25, Monday, St. James the Great
July 26, Tuesday, St. Anne
July 27, Wednesday, Feria
July 28, Thursday, St. Nazarius
July 29, Friday, St. Martha
July 30, Our Lady on Saturday
July 31, Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Conference with patient Nagor Jimmy, invited to attend Apologetics study session to guide him in his return to the Faith. He had stopped attending the cult that he had joined but he still had not made his confession and profession of Faith.
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