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Thursday, September 23, 2010

St. Thomas of Villanova


      St. Thomas of Villanova, O.S.A. (born Tomás García Martínez, Ciudad Real, 1488 - died Valencia, September 8, 1555), was a preacher, ascetic, writer and Spanish friar of the Order of Saint Augustine.
      Thomas grew up and was educated in Villanueva de los Infantes, in the province of Ciudad Real, Spain, where his parents owned a prosperous estate; therefore the name Thomas of Villanueva. Part of the original house still stands, with a coat of arms in the corner, beside a family chapel. In spite of his family's wealth, as a young boy he often went about naked because he had given his clothing to the poor.
      Even though he studied Arts and Theology at the University of Alcalá de Henares and became a professor there, he decided to enter the Augustinian order in Salamanca in 1516, and in 1518 was ordained a priest. Within the order, he held the positions of prior of the friary, General Visitor, and Provincial Prior for Andalusia and Castile. He was also a professor at the university and counsellor and confessor to the Spanish King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
      He was well known for his great personal austerity (he sold the straw mattress on which he slept in order to give money to the poor) and for his continual and untiring charitable efforts, especially towards orphans, poor women without a dowry, and the sick. He possessed, however, an intelligent notion of charity, so that while he was very charitable, he sought to obtain definitive and structural solutions to the problem of poverty; for example, giving work to the poor, thereby making his charity bear fruit. "Charity is not just giving, rather removing the need of those who receive charity and liberating them from it when possible," he wrote.
      In 1533, he sent out the first Augustinian friars to arrive in Mexico. He began to experience mystical ecstasies during Mass and when reading the psalms. Charles V offered him the post of Archbishop of Granada but he would not accept it. In 1544 he was nominated as Archbishop of Valencia but he continued to refuse the position until ordered to accept by his superior. There, aided by his assistant bishop, Juan Segriá, he put in order a diocese that for a century had not had direct pastoral government. He organized a special college for Moorish converts, and in particular an effective plan for social assistance, welfare, and charity.
     He composed beautiful sermons, among which stands out the Sermon on the Love of God, one of the great examples of sacred oratory of the 16th century. He enjoyed great fame as a preacher, with a plain and simple style. Charles V, upon hearing him preach, exclaimed, "This monsignor can move even the stones!", and he brought about public conversions. Some of his sermons attacked the cruelty of bullfighting. He also had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary, whose heart he compared to the burning bush that is never consumed. In 1547 he ordained as a priest the future Saint Luis Beltrán. He died in 1555 of angina at the age of 67. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII on November 1, 1658. His liturgical feast day is celebrated on September 22.
      He is the author of various Tracts, among which is included the Soliloquy between God and the soul, on the topic of communion. Francisco de Quevedo wrote his biography. His complete writings were published in six volumes as Opera omnia, in Manila in 1881.
      He is the namesake and patron saint of Villanova University, near Philadelphia (USA), which was founded and is administered by the friars of his order, Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva in Havana (Cuba), St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, (USA)and Villanova College, a catholic school for boys located in Brisbane, Australia.

Source: Wikipedia

Alimodian Town Fiesta 2010

St. Thomas of Villanova




       Yesterday September 22, 2010, Alimodian celebrated its annual patronal town fiesta in honor of our patron saint, St. Thomas of Villanova. We prepare a feast for the guests and visitor to rekindle ties and forge bond that was formed a long time ago and to reunite with kin and clans. It is also a time to rest or a comic relief from the usual daily routine to enjoy the festivities. The theme this year is “Climate Change: An Environmental Concern and a Social Responsibility Of All Alimodiananons” which emphasizes on the dire warning and repercussion brought by global warming and the citizen of Alimodian’s role to make a difference and help alleviate this cruel vengeance of nature.
       This is the story of our patron saint, St. Thomas of Villanova which we honor in this religious fiesta.


      Bishop Confessor (1488 – 1555) St. Thomas of Villanova is best remembered as the “Almgiver” and the “Father of the Poor”.
      Thomas was born in 1488 to Alfonso Thomas Garcia and Lucia Martinez Castillanos in Fuentellano but he grew up in Villanova de los Infantes.
      In 1504, he entered the University of Alcala and finished Master of Arts degree and Licentiate in Theology and taught Philosophy. He joined the Augustinian order in 1516 and was ordained priest in 1518. He taught theology in the University of Salamanca which is known worldwide up to the present. He became of the famous preachers of Valencia and Valladolid. High positions in the Augustinian order were handled by him.
      In his order, St. Thomas of Villanova rose to Provincial and from Castille sent out the first band of Augustinian missionaries to Mexico. Then he was nominated to the position of bishop of Granada but refused such nomination. Nevertheless, under obedience he accepted the position of Archbishop of Valencia and which he has served from 1545 to September 8, 1555. Here he labored at reforming the mortals of both clergy and laymen; he did away with underground prisons: a money gift which he received from the cathedral chapter for use in his place was used for the rebuilding of fire guttered general hospital. Moreover, he founded a college for young clergy and another for poor students. Children of indigent parents and foundlings were likewise provided for in an orphanage. For the benefit of the working people, masses were said at very early hours.
     Many miracles have been credited to him before and after his death. It was Cardinal Pardo of Toledo who ordained him; Pope Paul II whom beatified him in 1618 and Pope Alejandro VII who canonized him as Saint in 1658.
     Thomas of Fuentellano is more popularly known as Thomas of Villanova. Yes, he is a humble servant and an obedient follower as well. His life was one of the continuous series of self-sacrifice and charitable acts, healing the sick and converting hardened sinners.
     Thomas Castillanos Garcia is Thomas of Villanova.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Jose P. Rizal Images

Rizal posed as an Egyptian priest for a group painting by Juan Luna.





Rizal posing as a novice who fell asleep during a funeral vigil for a group painting by Juan Luna.



A picture of Rizal from a group picture taken in Juan Luna's studio.





A picture of Rizal from a group picture taken in Juan Luna's studio.



A picture of Rizal from a group picture taken in Juan Luna's studio.

Jose P. Rizal Images


Painting of Rizal by Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo (Madrid,1883)




Rizal at 23, Madrid





Rizal wearing a costume during the carnival season in Spain.






Rizal wearing a costume during the carnival season in Spain.







Rizal wearing a costume during the carnival season in Spain.




Sunday, September 12, 2010

Filipino Presidents


Emilio Aguinaldo
(1869-1964; President 1898-1901)
First President of the First Republic of the Philippines

“We may be losing our hope to succeed in the present battle because of lack of warfare manpower, however what we cannot lose is our hope to die for the sake of freedom.”



      Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the First Republic was born in Kawit, Cavite on March 22, 1869. His father is Carlos Aguinaldo and his mother is Trinidad Famy y Valero.
Emilio was nicknamed Miong. At age three, he almost died because he became ill of smallpox and his parents were afraid of his condition.
      Miong’s first teacher was his aunt Sotera. He first attended school at the National School in Kawit, and his first teacher is Felipe Canda of Baliuag, Bulacan. Miong is a bright student and likes to study which makes his teacher fond of him.
      He continued his studies at San Juan de Letran College. After three months, he went home and quit his studies. Upon his return to his hometown, he was appointed as Cabesa de Barangay or Village Chieftain and it wasn’t long because of his great leadership skill, that he was invited by a friend, Santiago Alvarez to join Katipunan. The Katipunan is a secret organization of Filipinos who were against the grave abuse of power of the Spanish government in the Philippines. This organization also started the revolution against the Spanish. The Katipuneros, including Emilio Aguinaldo revolted against the Spaniards in 1896. Because of his bravery and valor, he led the revolt and he became the President in Tejeros convention because of a conspiracy and his persuasion of the officials and leaders to vote for him instead of Bonifacio because Aguinaldo said that Bonifacio has no formal education, illiterate and poor.
        In the said convention, Emilio Aguinaldo have said: “My Filipino countrymen, open your eyes. Let the blood of our fellow Filipino that was oppressed by the Spanish lingers in your hearts so that we may not surrender to the Spaniards. We haven’t committed any wrongdoings to not obtain freedom.”
       Aguinaldo ordered the execution of his biggest rival, Bonifacio brothers, Andres and Procopio at Mt. Buntis, Maragondon, Cavite on May 10, 1897.
       After the pact in Biak-na-Bato, the Filipinos and the Spanish agreed to halt the war. The treaty were to obliged the Spanish government to forgive the Filipino revolutionist. It is also obligatory for the Spanish to pay in the amount of one million, seven hundred thousand pesos (P1,700,000) for te damaged properties during the revolution.
        Emilio Aguinaldo and other Filipino leaders escaped to Hong Kong. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo deposited one million, seven hundred thousand pesos, paid by the Spanish government to the Filipinos, in Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank on January 2, 1898. However, the Spanish betrayed and followed the treaties in Biak na Bato (Halved Stones). Filipinos too advantage of the Spanish-American War in Cuba. They have decided to return to the Philippines and continue the movement for freedom. Gen. Aguinaldo made connections with the Americans. He had entrusted to the American consulate in Hong Kong, the amount used to purchase arms and weapons. However, Gen. Aguinaldo was deceived again. No help came from the Americans.
        Upon Gen. Aguinaldo’s return to the Philippines on May, 1898, a battle between the Filipinos and the Spanish erupted. Aguinaldo successfully declared the Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite. On this occasion, as the First President of First Republic, Emilio Aguinaldo uttered:
        “We are free now. We don’t just obey. We are people who recognize the law, make friends and respect other countries. We have enough abilities to be independent and to be fee.” I am congratulating all the Filipinos. From now on, we already have our own rights to freedom to be known as the “Republic of the Philippines.”
         President Aguinaldo appointed Felipe Agoncillo to be the Philippine representative in United States. Agoncillo tried to talk with President McKinley but he failed. The Americans ignored the desire of the Filipinos to recognize the Philippines as a free country. Instead, on December 10, 1898, in the Treaty of Paris between Spain and the United States, the Philippines was ceded to the United States by Spain in the amount of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000).
          The Filipinos started killing Americans in the Philippines. The Americans thought that in the amount they gave to Spain, they will capture the hearts and minds of the Filipinos. Aguinaldo tries to stop the war. Due to lack of skill and power, Filipinos were easily defeated by the Americans. During the battle of Tirad Pass in Ilocos Norte province on December 1899, Gen. Aguinaldo narrowly escapes the tragic battle of the Filipinos against Americans by heeding the warning of one of his troops not to come to the losing battle.
            Finally, Aguinaldo captured by the Americans on March 23, 1901 in Palanan, Isabela. He was made to swear allegiance to America on April 1, 1901.
           In 1935, President Aguinaldo run for election as President of a Commonwealth government. His opponents include Manuel L. Quezon and Gregorio Aglipay. Aguinaldo was easily defeated and the presidency was won by Manuel L. Quezon.
          When the Japanese occupied Philippines in 1941, Aguinaldo doesn’t have enough strength to lead. Through radio transmitter, he made announcements to Gen. Douglas MacArthur on February 6, 1942 to surrender the Philippines to Japan to avoid the increase in casualties of Filipinos and damage of properties. President Aguinaldo is one of the signatories of the Constitution of the Republic under Japan.
          Aguinaldo’s first wife is Hilaria del Rosario with which he has five children namely Miguel, Carmen, Maria, Emilio and Cristina. Nine years after his wife’s death, President Aguinaldo remarried and his second wife is Maria Agoncillo. President Emilio Aguinaldo died on February 6, 1964.



Major World Events During Aguinaldo’s Administration

Netherlands. First Hague Peace Conference, 1899
China. Boxer uprising against foreign domination, 1900
Australia. Commonwealth of Australia established, 1901
South Africa. Boer War 1899 – 1902

Emilio Aguinaldo Images






General Emilio Aguinaldo, President of the First Republic of the Philippines






President Aguinaldo on his last visit to Malolos, Bulacan.

Emilio Aguinaldo Images

Taken this image of President Aguinaldo while being interviewed by a writer in the historic home in Cavite. Seated on a wheel chair because of an illness.




President Aguinaldo looking at President Elpidio Quirino doing a handshake with Mr. Thomas Lockett of America





A rare picture taken of President Aguinaldo and President Manuel Quezon.






General Aguinaldo at the age of 29 when he installed or declared Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898, after the bloody battle or paglalaban. This image was taken in Cavite.








The historic porch of their home in Kawit, Cavite, beside President and Mrs. Emilio Aguinaldo were Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko of Japan.