Wednesday. September 30, 2026. Saint Jerome (My favorite theologian, whose monastery is a street across the street from the house where my first favorite and only saint I prayed to before I was accepted for high school at the Ateneo, then located at Padre Faura St.) Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus was born in Dalmatia, Croatia/Slovenia. He was educated by a Roman grammarian and learned Latin and Greek. His parents were well-to-do Christians. At the age of 12, Jerome traveled to Rome to study. While not studying, Jerome pursued pleasure. He often would visit the crypts in Rome and imagine himself in hell, frightening himself, and then was persuaded by his friend to become a Christian and change his ways. He decided to become a Christian and was baptized. Now interested in theological matters, he pursued matters of the faith. He spent several years traveling, always trying to find the very best teachers. After these preparatory studies, he traveled extensively in Palestine, marking each spot of Christ’s life with an outpouring of devotion. He spent five years in the desert of Chalcis, giving himself up to prayer, penance, and study. Jerome was a hard worker, and he wrote extensively. His love for God and Jesus was so intense that anyone who taught error was an enemy of God and truth. Saint Jerome went after him or her with his mighty and sometimes sarcastic pen. He was above all a Scripture scholar, translating most of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. He also wrote commentaries which are a great source of scriptural inspiration. He was an avid student, a thorough scholar, a prodigious letter-writer, and a consultant to monks, bishops, and the pope. He is important for having made a translation of the Bible which came to be called the Vulgate. The Council of Trent called for a new and corrected edition of the Vulgate, and declared it the authentic text to be used in the church. He settled in Bethlehem, building a monastery and a convent. He lived in the cave believed to have been the birthplace of Christ, and lived there for 34 years till his peaceful death in 420. Saint Jerome lived a life dedicated to studying the Word of God, to penance, and to prayer. He used his knowledge and scholarly gifts at the service of the Church, and used them wisely. As a modern scholar says, “No man before Jerome or among his contemporaries and very few men for many centuries afterwards were so well qualified to do the work as St Jerome.” (Maridol: My Morning Prayer)
EWTN Online Mass Presider Fr. John Paul Mary, MFVA
Saint Jerome. Through your anger and confrontations, you remind us that we all have a duty to confront others from time to time. You remind us that we have a duty to examine ourselves and confront our own weaknesses and harmful behaviours. Your life teaches that I must accept others for who they are. You taught of the danger of self-righteousness; of the importance of reflecting upon one of Jesus’ most insightful teachings: “Let the man who has no sin on his conscience throw the first stone.” In the light of your teachings, Saint Jerome, help me to see my own self clearly. Help me to confront my own biases and to act to change others only out of love. If I see that I have the duty to confront another, I ask you to be with me during those necessary moments of confrontation. Help me to remember that love alone can make changes for the good. Amen.
Santuario de San Antonio Parish Online Mass Presider Father Chito Ranoa, OFM
WORD Today. Luke 9:57-62. As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered. “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God
Reflection. The words of the Pope: The Evangelist presents us three characters — three cases of vocation, we could say — that shed light on what is required of those who wish to follow Jesus to the end, completely. The first character promises him: “I will follow you wherever you go.” Generous! But Jesus replies that the Son of man, unlike foxes that have holes, and birds that have nests, “has nowhere to lay his head.” The second character Jesus meets receives the Credo all directly from him, but replies: “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Nevertheless, Jesus responds: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead.” With these deliberately provocative words, he intends to emphasize the primacy of following and of proclaiming the Kingdom of God, even over and above the most important realities, such as the family. The third character also wants to follow Jesus but on one condition: he will do so after bidding farewell to his relatives. And this is the response he receives from the Teacher: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Following Jesus excludes regrets and backward glances but requires the virtue of decision. Jesus wants to be passionate about him and the Gospel. A heartfelt passion which translates into concrete gestures of proximity, of closeness to the brothers and sisters most in need of welcome and care. Precisely as he himself lived. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 30 June 2019)
Guardian Angel Novena – Day 8. Loving God, you are so good, giving me a Guardian Angel to protect my body and my soul. Help me to follow my angel so that, with their guidance, I will be worthy of being in Heaven! My sweet Guardian Angel, you are my guide every day of my life. Direct me on my path in life and faith so that I may be holy and good like you. Show me the way to be the person that God is calling me to be. Keep me from danger, both spiritual and physical. 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 here… St. Jerome, grace those late in life but had more in life who try to be their brothers’ keepers for those who have less in life than they do; help themselves and after, help others as they have been helped, thus creating a cycle of charity, for our children, and their children’s children, to wholeheartedly support the Foundation to forever keep the wake it leaves behind forever lasting. Business Enterprises are not a legacy. Let the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation’s Wake of Good Work speak, not the 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.
Ester and My State of Health
(Vital stats are recorded by Ester Tony C every day, 24 hr. PDNs.)
Ester’s morning BP was 110/70. HR 70. O2sat 97%. Temp. 36.6
Last Night’s BP 120 /80. Hr. 65. O2sat 98%. Temp 36. 6
Tony’s morning BP was 110/70. HR 54. O2sat 98%. Temp. 36.8
Last Night’s BP 110 /70. HR 57. O2sat 99%. 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/emotional stability 57. Johnny Ong’s youngest son, Richard, diagnosed with blood cancer.
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
