Northern VA offers Mass for Cory Aquino
The Filipino Ministry of Northern Virginia held a holy mass in loving memory of the former President Corazon Aquino on September 19, 2009 at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church in Springfield, VA.
The late former President Cory Aquino was the first woman president of the Philippines and was installed as President in the peaceful 1986 People Power Revolution. Cory Aquino was diagnosed with colon cancer in March 2008 – died of cardiorespiratory arrest after complications of colon cancer at the age of 76 on August 1, 2009 at the Makati Medical Center.
Father Andy Gonzalo officiated the Memorial Mass which was attended by hundreds of members of the Filipino-American community in Northern Va. A supporter of the late ‘tita Cory’, ‘she made me proud again to be a Filipino. A woman like her at that time should have been mourning but she stood up and challenged the dictatorship.’
‘She will be remembered for her selflessness, her courage and her faith’, Father Gonzalo added.
Virna Lisa sang ‘Magkaisa’, the original artist who recorded the song. She was backed by the Filipino Choir of St Bernadette Church.
Rousing the patriotic spirit of every Filipino in the church, the crowd gave an enthusiastic applause to the heartful rendition by Virna and the choir of ‘Magkaisa’ – the song also considered the anthem of the 1986 Revolution.
Also present at the mass was former member of Smokey Mountain band, Tony Lambino, who sang the meditation song ‘Your Heart Today’, a song written for Cory by Father Manoling Francisco, SJ.
For Imee Sevilla, a Fil-am resident in Virginia, ‘Cory represented something good in each of us, called out our better angels and united the Filipinos even for a while.’
Only Virna Lisa is the ONE could really sing this with all the complete emotions or ingredients that required for the song,,she is really PERFECT for the song MAGKAISA, I guess nobody at all…there’s something which I couldn’t express and it gives me a teary eyes every time I hear this vintage song!!!…she was the authentic voice during the PEOPLE POWER EDSA REVOLUTION and is definitely a HISTORY!!!..I LOVE YOU Verna Lisa..you take care always wherever you are then. GOD BLESS.