BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE AS A FAMILY MAN

In February of 1956 a friend, Mr. Vicente Manaligod, introduced me to a lady, Miss Pilar Catriz Eufemio, an ex-nun from the Franciscan Order. As our friendship developed we decided to get married in September 1, 1956. Our conjugal union was blessed with nine children, who were born as follows:
1. Mary Josephine - May 19, 1958
2. Mary Therese - April 17, 1959
3. Mary Rose - May 27, 1960
4. Mary Anne - August 9, 1961
5. William - June 25, 1962
6. Mary Margaret - February 25, 1964
7. Mary Gemma - May 7, 1965
8. Thomas - March 7, 1967
9. Teilhard - December 9, 1969 but died on May 18, 1971

With this big family, my main concern was how to provide for their sustenance and education. Hence, while I served in different capacities in different offices and schools to earn a living, my wife then, being a Home Economics graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, augmented my earnings through dressmaking and food preservation. Economically, emotionally and spiritually we had our ups and downs in our marital life but through the grace of God, we were able to overcome all kinds of difficulties and problems.

My mother-in-law, Mrs. Rosario Catriz Eufemio, graciously offered a space for us in their residence at Cubao, Quezon City. So, we lived with her until her death in the year 1962. She was a very religious woman and even when she was already weak because of old age, she still managed to help in the caring of the children and enjoyed playing with them. When she won a piano in a lottery conducted by the Red Cross, she graciously offered it to us. God has, indeed, blessed me with a very generous mother-in-law.

I did not have the privilege of meeting the father of my wife Pilar, Ret. Col. Adolfo Eufemio who, I was told, was the Provincial PC Commander in Cavite when Pilar was born at Imus, Cavite, on January 19, 1929; that he was one of the first graduates of the Philippine Military Academy and had earned medals as a sharp shooter; that he took up law and passed the bar exams; that in the practice of law, it was more for charity than for earning an additional income as many a time, he gave free housing accommodation and sustenance to his clients especially when they came from his hometown in San Jose, Abra. He, certainly, must have been a man with a big heart, and I am indirectly blessed by his example of an unselfish life.

I thank the Lord particularly for the grace of inviting me and my wife to a Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) in January 1977 at St. Paul College of Tuguegarao. Historically, that was the first LSS conducted in the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao by a group of 24 Charismatics, headed by a priest, who came all the way from New York, U.S.A. That seminar was, indeed, a turning point in my life. I consider it a “kairos” – God’s special time of letting me feel His loving presence. From a life that was simply floating without any meaning or sense of direction, my faith in the reality of God and of Jesus Christ as my Savior became alive and enabled me to turn away from my sinful ways and surrender myself entirely to the Lord. From that moment on, my wife and I dedicated our time, talents and treasure in spreading the “Good News”, especially through the Charismatic Movement. A good number of people joined us in this movement as we went from house to house to conduct prayer meetings and from parish to parish to give a Life in the Spirit Seminar. Among those who joined us was John Iringan, a student at St. Paul College who after graduation entered the seminary and was later on ordained a priest. He admitted that his vocation to the priesthood was an offshoot of his involvement in the charismatic movement. Fr. John died a few years ago – but the memory of his kindness, humility and dedication to duty is still ringing in my heart and mind.

God’s ways are, indeed, inscrutable. While my wife and I were deeply involved in the charismatic movement, He suddenly took her away from me. Arriving at home at about ten o’clock at night, after conducting a prayer meeting where Rev. Fr. Ramon Villena (now a bishop) was present, she complained of a stomach ache. Since the ache was persistent, despite some palliatives, I brought her at mid-night to a nearby Provincial hospital. After some medications, she was advised to rest. At about 3:00 AM, she asked for a bible, opened it and requested me to read a passage which she pointed. The passage is from John 6:51 which reads: “ I am the Living Bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever; the bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.” Although she was told to rest, she preferred to stand and walk around in the room praying the rosary. All of a sudden, at about 6:00 AM, she shouted “PAPA”, became very stiff and I was just on time to catch her in my arms as she fell. A doctor and a priest came after a few minutes, but the electro-cardiogram showed a straight line. That was November 11, 1980. Nov. 11 was also the date when her father, Adolfo, died.

After her death, my children and I recalled some of her words just a few weeks before she died “I want to die standing”; “If I die do not wear black, wear white”. And so at her funeral we all wore white.

The death of my wife (Pilar) was another “kairos” in my life. I felt that God was telling me something. Somehow I thought God wanted me to become a priest. And so I presented myself to Most Rev. Teodulfo Domingo and Most Rev. Miguel Purugganan if they would accept me to finish my studies for the priesthood and thus be ordained. They both told me to wait. Later on, Most Rev. Pedro Magugat, then the Military Vicar General, offered to ordain me as a Military Chaplain. My application was then sent to Rome for approval. Rome, however, deferred my application on the ground that I still had some children of minor age to support.