I have a huge task of building the Church for this Parish and Shrine. I have been on this assignment for barely six months now and I already made attempts in raising funds including a Project of Generosity, a simple concert held in De La Salle Zobel, inside Ayala Alabang Village. So far we have raised a little over 1.5 million pesos. It is still a long way to go if we are targeting 40 million pesos to be able to build the shrine. I believe there will be generous people everywhere who will help me and the parish in building the church.
 
From March 4 to March 18, 2010, I was privileged to be part of a pilgrimage that started in Lisbon, Portugal and ended in Rome, Italy. Significant and striking places were Fatima, Lourdes, Lanciano, Assisi, Loreto, Rome and of course, San Giovanni, Rotondo, Italy where I visited Padre Pio’s Shrine and Crypt.
 
The moments I spent with the pilgrimage group at Padre Pio’s place was the most striking and I felt tremendously blessed. I prayed a lot, months before this trip that I wish to get a first class relic of Padre Pio. I sincerely believed that if I got one, I will be able to accomplish the gargantuan task of building the Church and Shrine in his name. I got it and I even got more than that blessed and special relic!
 
I actually received six very special and inspiring blessings in that place. First, I was able to say mass at the crypt where Padre Pio’s remains where placed in a steel case. I trembled as I offered the mass with pilgrims from all over the world. That was a special moment since not too many priests were allowed or given the chance to say mass there.
 
Second, I met Fr. Ermilindo Di Capua, OFM Cap., a priest who had the privilege to be with Santo Padre Pio for at least three years. I listened to his inspiring message. He blessed me with the small cross which Santo Padre Pio held all the time while he was healing during his lifetime and with his gloves. Then he allowed me to bless the pilgrims with me with this special cross and gloves of Santo Padre Pio. I was excited and thrilled with the thought, feeling and honor of holding Santo Padre Pio’s special gifts (special gifts of his faith and union with Jesus Christ) and blessing all the persons in the room including Fr. Ermilindo’s secretary. I also used those blessed relics in blessing the religious items the pilgrims bought.
 
Third, Fr. Ermilindo gave me the relic I was begging God to give me and the Shrine and Parish I am establishing. This time, I was ecstatic with joy that I felt I was crying already. I held it so dearly and kissed it and then put it in the left pocket of my polo shirt so I could keep it literally close to my heart. I kept holding it from the outside. I continued to express my profound gratitude to God and to Padre Pio inside my mind and my heart.
 
Fourth, I requested Fr. Ermilindo to bless and pray over me and he did, begging God to bless me as I work for the building of the Church and Shrine of Padre Pio. I told him later that we still have very little money. He retorted that I should put my trust in Padre Pio and he will help me. I told him that as soon as the Church is built, I wish that he be present.  I invited him to come! Lo and behold, he said Yes!
 
Fifth, as we were leaving the place, we happened to have a light lunch in a simple restaurant while we were waiting for the shuttle bus to arrive to pick us up. In front of my sister, Sonia Gloria, our travel agent, Carl Behasa and a couple friend: Charley and Tita Velasco, I shared with them my profound and religious experience. Then I told them about my concern as to how I can bring Fr. Ermilindo to our place without the money to bring him back and forth and to provide accommodation for him?  Immediately without delay, Charley jumped in and said they will take care of his transportation expenses, pick him up and bring him back to the airport, accommodate him and bring him to the blessing of the shrine when it happens! Wow! Isn’t this another wonderful grace?
 
Finally the sixth gift: As we were still eating in that restaurant, I shared with the group what I imagined our church will be. It is nature and environment friendly. It has an external shape of a “SALAKOT”, a local hat of the Filipinos. The altar will be on one side. I wish though, to hang in the middle of the Church, from the center of this Salakot-shaped church, the Jubilee Cross of our Archdiocese of Lipa. It is a cross with two faces: the image of the Holy Trinity on one side and the image of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph on the opposite side. I told the group that I ordered this already but I still don’t have a donor yet. Immediately, Carl said that I should no longer offer it to anybody, he will sponsor it himself!
 
I was really overwhelmed. As I write this, I still feel that tingling sensation of being favorably blessed and privileged that special day, March 15, 2010 in less than four hours: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm!
 
I think it was not just an event that transpired and made me feel good. It has a message and an invitation. Christ said, “When much is given to you, much will be expected from you!” The unique invitation on the other hand is not just building the church’s edifice; it is more than that physical structure; it is in fact a mission: a mission to keep the spirit, message and life of Padre Pio’s union with Christ alive - in me, the parishioners, believers and devotees of this great and very holy man and priest!
 
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!