The Archdiocese of Manila honored its departed priests, religious, and bishops during Mass to remember their work for the Church on November 18.
“We thank the good Lord that in spite of the shortcomings, weaknesses and sinfulness of our deceased predecessors … their mission was blessed abundantly by the Lord of the harvest,” said Cardinal Jose Advincula.
“We are standing on their shoulders for without them we would not have been here,” added the prelate in his homily during Mass at the Lay Force chapel in San Carlos Seminary on November 18.
The cardinal cited the role of the members of the clergy and the religious in establishing churches, schools, hospitals, seminaries, and other institutions that promoted the mission of the Church to serve and care for the faithful.
The prelate challenged those who continue to serve the Church to develop what has been started by their predecessors.
“Their legacies would challenge us to address felt needs at present, which could be in turn our legacies for the generations yet to come,” said Cardinal Advincula.
This year, the archdiocese honored 18 members of the clergy, including Father James Jay Timothy Thomas Patrick Paul Ferry who served the archdiocese for years as vicar for religious men and women.
The priest first came to the Philippines with the legendary American general Douglas MacArthur as a corpsman of the US Navy during the Second World War.
He left the country for a few years and came back in 1956 after he was ordained a priest of the Maryknoll Congregation.
The American priest spent 50 years of his life in the Philippines doing various ministries for the Catholic Church, including teaching in seminaries.
He died on May 28 this year at the age of 95.
“As we recall what they had done for the Church and for the world, let us all be inspired to grab all the opportunities to do good and to become better in serving the Lord and His Church out of gratitude fo His immense love for us,” said Cardinal Advincula.
