Wednesday. September 23, 2026. Saint Pio of Pietrelcina – Saint Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione in 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. His parents were peasant farmers and very religious. His family attended daily Mass; at the age of 5, reportedly he made the decision to dedicate his life to God. Francisco served as an altar boy at his local parish. He was known for taking on penances; his mother once scolded him for sleeping on a stone floor. Francisco had a peculiar ability. He could see guardian angels and spoke with Jesus and Blessed Mother Mary; it occurred so naturally that he assumed other people could see them too.
His family was very poor. He spent many years tending to a small flock of sheep owned by his family; he was unable to attend school regularly. Francisco was sickly as a child. He suffered from gastroenteritis at 6 and had typhoid fever at 10. In 1897, after 3 years of schooling, he wanted to become a friar. He was evaluated and was told that he needed more education before he could join. To prepare Francesco, his parents decided to hire a private tutor. To pay the cost of the tutor, Francesco’s father traveled to America to find work and sent the money home. At the age of 15, Francisco was finally ready, and he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars at Morcone. He took the name of “Pio” in honor of Pope Pius I, whose relic he often saw at his local chapel. On one occasion during prayer, a fellow monk astonishingly reported he saw Pio levitate during an episode of ecstasy. At 17, Brother Pio became extremely ill and could only digest milk and cheese. He was then sent home. He continued to study for the priesthood and became a priest in 1910, but was permitted to remain at home because of his poor health.
In September 1915, Padre Pio was hearing confessions when he felt pain in his hands and feet. He noticed the stigmata appearing. The experience was painful. Bleeding occurred. The wounds smelled of roses, and although they continued to weep, they never became infected. Doctors who later examined the stigmata were amazed at their perfectly round shape. By 1919, word began to spread about Padre Pio’s stigmata, and people came from far away to examine him. Padre Pio rarely left the friary, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned.
Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his urging, a hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano in 1946. It was a technical wonder because of the difficulty of getting water there and of hauling up the building supplies. This “House for the Alleviation of Suffering” has 350 beds. Several people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his Masses came away edified; several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. He was known for his piety, charity, and the quality of his preaching. He famously advised, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” He had other illnesses, as well, including cancer, which was miraculously healed after just two treatments. Other problems, such as arthritis, which plagued him in his later years, never went away.
Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the Lord.
Dear God, You generously blessed Your servant, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, with the gifts of the Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son. Endowed with the gift of discernment, through the intercession of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, I confidently beseech You to grant me the grace of (state your petition).
Grant Ester and my request: for our children to wholeheartedly support the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation. Business Enterprises are not Legacy: It is the wake you leave. Let the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation’s good work speak, not the family name.
We (Ester and I, as our Living Will and Holographic Will) Hereby Certify:
Amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. (Say three times), “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”- Padre Pio.
WORD Today. Luke 9:1-6. Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.
Reflection. The words of the popes. There is no going without staying: before sending the disciples forth on mission, Christ — the Gospel says — “calls them to himself.” The proclamation is born from the encounter with the Lord; every Christian activity, especially the mission, begins from there. Not from what is learnt in an academy. No, no! It begins from the encounter with the Lord. Witnessing him, in fact, means radiating him; but if we do not receive his light, we will be extinguished; if we do not spend time with him, we will bear ourselves instead of him — I am bringing myself and not him — and it will all be in vain. So only those who remain with him can bring the Gospel of Jesus. Anyone who does not remain with him cannot bear the Gospel. He will bring ideas, but not the Gospel. Equally, however, there is no staying without going. In fact, following Christ is not an inward-looking fact: without proclamation, without service, without mission, the relationship with Jesus does not grow. In other words: we have a gift, so we are called to make a gift of ourselves; we have received a gift and our vocation is to make a gift of ourselves to others; there is in us the joy of being children of God, it must be shared with our brothers and sisters who do not yet know it! This is the reason for the proclamation. Going forth and bringing the joy of what we have received. This is how one should proclaim: by showing Jesus rather than talking about Jesus. And how do we show Jesus? With our witness. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 15 February 2023)
Guardian Angel Novena – Day 1. Loving God, you are so good that you gave me a Guardian Angel to protect my body and my soul. Help me to know and follow my angel so that, with their guidance, I will be worthy of being in Heaven with You! My sweet Guardian Angel, you are my counselor every day of my life. Inspire me to be holy and good like you. Inspire me to be the person that God is calling me to be. Inspire me to be a light for others to know and love the Lord. You are with me all the time, so you already know these are my intentions that I ask you to deliver to the Lord. Mention your intentions. Loving God, let our Guardian Angel guide Ester and me late in life, but have more in life who want and try to be their brothers’ keepers for those who have less in life. 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); for our children to wholeheartedly support the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation’s Objectives: (1) Special Children PT, SPED: A child’s mind is the most precious thing to waste, and the Handicapped Senior Citizens Physical Therapy. (2) Financial Support for Diocesan priests and grade school teachers in rural areas. (3) Computer start-up Ed tools for rural public schools. (4) Venture start-up and management and capital oversight for small businesses is my family’s Good News of Peace and Justice through Ester and my founding the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation. Business Enterprises are not Legacy. It is the wake that the foundation leaves. Let your wake speak, not your name.
“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, WHO you leave it to, WHAT you leave, and WHY? 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 Antonio 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. . .” the good news of peace and justice through Ester and my founding the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation. Business Enterprises are not Legacy: It is the fruits of the wake you leave, and who you leave it to, and what you leave. Let your wake speak, not your name.
Ester and my state of health – vital stats are recorded by Ester’s everyday, 24 hr. PDNs.
Ester’s morning BP was 120/70 .Hr. 64. O2sat 98%. Temp. 36.5
Last Night’s BP 120/70. HR 65. O2sat 96%. Temp 36.4
Tony’s morning BP was 110/70. Hr.68. O2sat. 99%, Temp. 36.6
Last Night’s BP 110/70. HR 68. O2sat 98%. Temp 36.7
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/emotional stability 57. Johnny Ong’s youngest son, Richard, diagnosed with blood cancer. We pray the Memorare: Remember most gracious Virgin 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
Wednesday Physical Therapy
