Dear Loved Ones,

            Pleasant Greetings Sacramento, CA, USA!  I have finally gone back to the groove of American independent living after my 3-months Pinas sojourn, with all the helps and support; back to daily home chores, studies, work, and quiet monastic life. Thanks GOD!

I immersed into the activities related to the Holy Week commemoration of Christ’s Triduum – Passion, Death, and Resurrection; including Stations of the Cross, regular Masses and the Sacraments; to my Opus Dei rituals, Adoration C



hapel commitments, and other spiritual enhancement programs. Likewise, I supported Sean’s involvement with his K of C, new job at CALPERS that means new schedule and steps, and closing activities in his EDD job (including 4-days road trip to/from San Diego for final audit of an employer).

Sean’s new job adjustments include earlier morning wake-up: he drives his car to Zinfandel Park and Ride, to get to the RT train for his downtown office location at Q St. then back in the afternoon; after 5pm, he then proceeds to Calpers Kilgore to attend his Continuing Professional Education (CPE) to prepare for his CIA certification, and comes home after 12:00AM, then wakes up again at 6:00AM to start another day – quite hectic; but this is the way to the American dream!  My support include: wake up earlier than him to prepare food for his lunch (rise, entrée, veggies and fruits), breakfast sandwich and coffee, housework (cleaning, ironing clothes, garden), groceries, shopping, etc. My regular gym 1-hour workouts at our clubhouse 4 times a week is a must to keep me fit.  I am also doing documentations for my retirement benefits; I did right by consulting with Dr. Alwin Fernando and getting enough medications from Pinas; God truly guided me all the way!  

Other highlights:

·      Middle of the month, I divested some investments from my Lord Abbet Financials to consolidate funds for the 50% payment for the purchase of condo unit 24H, 8 Forbestown Road, Bonifacio Global City, Philippines. We were so annoyed by the tedious documents required by Pinas banks for a real estate loan. And yet they bug / irritate us with calls to avail of loans from them. So we decided instead to pay Cash, use our internal resources since deposits / other investments are not earning much anyway. Roberto of Citibank was kind to guide me to make on-line transfer to any overseas bank from my account at minimal fee. By the way, I am doing on-line transfers from/to my Citibank accounts to/from Pinas / US vice-versa in a jiffy, with no fee – so high-tech!

·      So glad to fulfill my monthly commitments to AED Opus Dei Center in Berkeley, to EWTN, to Fr. Robert Barron’s Mundelein Seminary, St. Mel’s, and Sean’s K of C Insurance;   

·      I soaked in the splendor of the Mass and Canonization of Saints John XXIII and John Paul II on April 27 (Live over EWTN, Sunday, 12:30 – 4:00AM, Sacramento, CA time), the presence of two Popes, Francis and Benedict XXVI – so magnificent!!! Made more meaningful with our recent Vatican pilgrimage in September 2013, places and events etched in memory!

·      Movies watched included spiritual “must go” recommended – GOD is not Dead, Heaven is for Real, NOAH;

·      Resumed my Tuesday Bible Study class on the subject “Seven Deadly Sins; Seven Lively Virtues”; video and learning materials by Fr. Robert Barron – so engrossing! Another effective speaker I focused on Holy Week retreats was Fr. Wade LJ Menezes, of the Fathers of Mercy.