Friday. November 7, 2026. Didacus of Alcalá also known as Diego de San Nicolás, born c. 1400 into a poor but pious family in Seville. As a child, he embraced the hermit life under the direction of a hermit priest. He then led the life of a wandering hermit, supported himself by weaving mats, he then applied for admission to the Order of Friars Minor where he was received as a lay brother. Though he lacked formal education, he was sought out for his insights into the Christian life. He was later sent as a missionary to the Canary Islands in 1442 where he went with the belief that he would be martyred. He became the Superior of the community and converted many by his preaching and example and returned unharmed to Spain in 1449. Didacus was again sent to Rome, Italy in 1450 for the canonization of Saint Bernardine of Siena. An epidemic broke out among the gathered Franciscans and he worked himself to exhaustion to help his brothers, he spent three months caring for the sick He is reported to have miraculously cured many of the sick. He then returned to Spain and spent the remaining years of his life in penance, solitude, and the delights of contemplation. As he was dying, Didacus looked at a crucifix and said: O faithful wood, O precious nails! You have borne an exceedingly sweet burden, for you have been judged worthy to bear the Lord and King of heaven” He died on 1463 due to an abscess. It was said that it amazed everyone that instead of a foul odor, fragrance emitted from his infection. His body was also rumored to have remained incorrupt. Didacus is living proof that God “chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong”(1 Corinthians 1:27) (Maridol: My Morning Prayer)
O Almighty and everlasting God, Who by Thy wonderful providence dost choose the weak things of the world to confound the strong: be pleased to grant unto us Thy humble servants, that through the kindly prayers of blessed Didacus, Thy Confessor, we may become worthy to be raised to eternal glory in Heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
WORD Today. Luke 16:9-15. Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”
Reflection. The Words of the Popes. Jesus presents a clear alternative between God and wealth, asking us to take a clear and consistent position. “No slave can serve two masters”, therefore “You cannot serve God and wealth” (cf. Lk 16:13).(…)We must decide on a real way of life. It is a matter of choosing where to place our heart. (…) The thirst for wealth risks taking God’s place in our heart, when we believe that it is wealth that will save our lives. (…) The temptation is this: to think that without God we could still live well, while without wealth we would be sad and afflicted by a thousand needs. When faced with the test of need, we feel threatened, but instead of asking for help with trust and sharing with fraternity, we are led to calculate, to accumulate, becoming suspicious and distrustful of others. (…) On the contrary, God assigns the goods of creation to all. (…) Indeed, the Word of the Lord does not pit people against each other in rival classes, but urges everyone to an inner revolution, a conversation that starts from the heart. Then our hands will open: to give, not to grab. (…) Those who serve God become free from wealth, but those who serve wealth remain its slave! Those who seek justice transform wealth into the common good; those who seek dominion transform the common good into the prey of their own greed. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 21 September 2025)
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of a new day. Teach me to be a good steward of my time, talents, and all my blessings. May I use them not only for myself but also to bring happiness, comfort, and hope to others. Lord, keep my heart free from greed, and pride. Help me remain honest and faithful in even the smallest things, knowing that what matters most is not what I possess but how I live and love. Guide my decisions and let my actions reflect Your goodness and grace. Jesus, let my heart belong entirely to You. Amen
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, their children’s children,, to wholeheartedly support 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 the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation. Let Its Wake Speak.
Tony’s morning BP was BP 110/70 HR 80 O2sat 96% T 37.3
Beata John Paul 1, watch over Amy Ylagan’s PT recovery, Cristina C and Justice Jun’s health, Ester’s stoma adhesion recovery, and our autistic son John Paul’s emotional stability at 57.
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.
October is the month 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, 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, 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, Rufo Colayco, Dr. Rolando A. Florendo and Vicente de Villa. Pray 7 Our Father and The Credo