Monday. October 12, 2026. Our Lady of the Pillar. The first Marian apparition in history appeared to Saint James the Apostle, the brother of Saint John the Evangelist, on the bank of the river Ebro in Saragossa, Spain. Unlike every other recorded apparition, this one took place during the earthly life of the Mother of God, while she was still living in Ephesus before her Assumption. ( On learning of their lady’s wishes, the angels in her retinue promptly built a throne of luminous clouds on which they sat their queen, and swiftly carried her across the Mediterranean, serenading her all the way.) According to tradition, she had promised Saint James that when he needed it most in his difficult mission to the pagans, she would appear to him to encourage him. In the year 40 A.D., while praying one night on the tobrt bank, the Virgin appeared with the Child Jesus standing on a pillar and asked Saint James and his eight disciples to build a church on the site, promising that “it will stand from that moment until the end of time so that God may work miracles and wonders through my intercession for all those who place themselves under my patronage.” By the pillar, she left an angel to ensure the safety of the holy image until the end of time. The most prominent miracle associated with the shrine happened in the seventeenth century to a poor beggar named Miguel Juan Pellicer from the town of Calanda. Unable to work because of an amputated leg, he had a great devotion to the shrine and frequently prayed there for help. The Virgin Mary answered his prayers by restoring his missing leg, and after word spread of the miracle, the number of pilgrims to the church greatly increased. The second famous miracle happened during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), when two bombs hit and damaged the basilica in 1936 but neither exploded, proving the power of Our Lady. The event was considered a miracle, and the defused bombs have been on display to the right of the altar of Our Lady of Pillar ever since. Both bomb holes are still visible. The church of Our Lady of the Pilar in Zaragoza is the first church dedicated to Mary in history. Multiple church structures have occupied the site, each one larger than the one it replaced. Today, the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar is the second biggest church in Spain.
Our Lady is also said to have given the small wooden statue of the apparition to Saint James, which now stands on a pillar in the church; many miracles attest to Heaven’s predilection for the relic. Among its many prodigies is the fact that, in almost 2,000 years, the statue has never needed dusting. Nuestra Señora del Pilar is the patron of Spain. October 12, 1492, the feast of the Virgin of the Pillar, is the day Christopher Columbus first sighted American land, and when the first Mass in the Americas was celebrated.
“My devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar has always accompanied me: my parents, with their Aragonese piety, instilled it in my soul since I was a child. The Pillar is a sign of strength in faith, in love, in hope.”- St. Josemaría.
WORD Today. Luke 11:29-32. While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is evil; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
Reflection. The words of the Popes. The “Jonah syndrome” does not have zeal for the conversion of people; it seeks a holiness – if I may use the term – a “laundered” holiness, all beautiful, all well-presented, but without that zeal to go out and preach the Lord. Yet the Lord, faced with this generation afflicted by the ‘Jonah syndrome’, promises the sign of Jonah. (…) Jonah was inside the whale for three nights and three days, a reference to Jesus in the tomb – to His death and Resurrection – and that is the sign that Jesus promises, against hypocrisy, against this attitude of perfect religiosity, against this attitude of a group of Pharisees. The true sign of Jonah is the one that gives us the confidence of being saved by the blood of Christ. How many Christians think that they will be saved only for what they do, for their works. Works are necessary, but they are a consequence, a response to that merciful love that saves us. But works alone, without this merciful love, are of no use. (…) The sign of Jonah is God’s mercy in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for us, for our salvation. The sign of Jonah calls us: to follow the Lord, sinners as we all are, with humility, with meekness. There is a call, even a choice. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 14 October 2013)
Dearest Lord, Thank You for the gift of a new day, for the blessing of life, and for another opportunity to love, to serve, and to grow closer to You. Lord, help me to recognize Your presence in my life. Forgive me for the times I look for signs when You have already shown me Your love, mercy, and faithfulness. Give me a heart that listens, eyes that see Your goodness, and the wisdom to follow Your teachings. Strengthen my faith so that I may trust You. May my words and actions today reflect Your love. Help me to live Your Gospel with sincerity, humility, and compassion, becoming a witness of Your goodness to everyone I meet. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen (Maridol: My Morning Prayer)
“The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.” (Shakespeare)
Business Enterprises are not Legacy: the wake you leave, let the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation’s Good Work speak, not our family name.
Our Lady of the Impossible, grace those late in life but had more in life who tried to be their brothers’ keepers for those who have less in life – “Ester and I pray for your blessings to grace our children, and their children’s children, to wholeheartedly support The MCC FOUNDATION – The MONTINOLA-CUMAGUN CARE FOUNDATION OBJECTIVES: (1) Special Children SPED, “A child’s mind is the most precious thing to waste.” (The motto of the American Negro College), and the Handicapped Senior Citizens – Physical Therapy. (2) Financial Support for Diocesan priests and Grade School Teachers for the rural areas. (3) Computer Start-up Education Tools for selected public schools and (4) Selected Start-up Management and Financial Support for Small Businesses. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48. “The sin of the rich man was not that he did wrong things, but that he did nothing.” (William Barclay, in A.G. Cumagun Autobiography Song of Myself Memoirs, Looking Back at Serendipity, 2002) Our Lady of the Impossible, “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection was left unaided…” Bless Ester and my founding the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation. Let the Wake Speak.
Ester and My State of Health
(Vital Stats of Ester and Tony C are recorded every day by 24 hr. PDNs.)
Ester’s morning BP was 110/70. HR 78. O2sat 97%. Temp 36.2
Last Night’s BP 110/70. HR 74. O2sat 95%. Temp. 36.3
Tony’s morning BP was 110/70. HR 54. O2sat 99%. Temp 36.6
Last Night’s BP 110/70. HR 54. O2sat 98%. Temp. 36.6
Beata John Paul 1, watch over Cristina C, Justice Jun’s state of health, Ester’s recovery, and our autistic son John Paul’s emotional stability 57.
To fully appreciate the beauty of a diamond, it must be viewed from many angles. Many angles too are needed to fully love the most precious jewel of all, Jesus Christ. The 4 Gospels are 4 such angles showing the life of Jesus from different viewpoints. Another great view is through the eyes of the only person who followed and loved Jesus from the Annunciation to the Ascension. That person is His Mother. (Gospel)
Mary. Mama Mary walks us through the entire Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious angles of the life of our Savior when we pray with her in the Rosary.
The Month of October is the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. For many sinners, she and her Rosary have been the lifeline that pulled them back to Jesus.
Rosary means “garland of roses.” The family that prays together stays together. Daily Rosary trains the whole family in humility and obedience, becoming a cohesive garland of lives linked by strong faith, hope, and love for God and each other. Let us pray the Rosary with Mama Mary.
FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED AND SOULS IN PURGATORY
In Memory of all those who left us. We remember you in the morning and at night. You are always with us. We pray for the souls in Purgatory.
Blessed Mother Mary, I bring to you for your intercession the souls of Amb. Manuel R. and Dolores G. Cumagun, Juana Cumagun, Annette Cumagun, Lina Beltran, Judge and Mrs. Dolores Cumagun, Gov. Primo & Magdalena H. Gaffud, Dr. Trino, Sr. & Angeles Montinola, Betty, Luie, Trino, Jr. Montinola, Bernardino, and Isabel Jalandoni. Dr. Terry Lirio-Montinola, Dr. & Mrs. Tomacruz, Akira Tsusaka, Boy Eugenio, Jesus Ibañez, Sen. Nene Pimentel, Santiago Ranada 111, Boysie Villavicensio, Patria Manuel, Dr. Mariano Laurel, Rene Datu, (Ateneo ’54 – Jimmy Ongpin, Atty. Ato Gonzales, Buddy Joaquin, Fr. Unson, Msgr. Tantoco, Atty. Art Alafriz, Robert Arevalo Ylagan, Maximo Abesamis, Jr., Jesse Paredes), Atty. C. Platon, Araceli Rivera, Rey Castañeda, Col. Tanseco, Dr. E Fores, Dr. J. Caedo, Christine Syjuco, Leni Panganiban, Raul Boncan, Atty. Spanky and Dolly Perez, Amb. Albert del Rosario, Nellie Valdez, Toti Herbosa, Tec Syjuco, AL, Umberto (Beck) Gonzales, and Rufo Colayco. Pray 7 Our Father and The Credo
Physical Therapy
October Feast Day of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zamboanga City
