Remembering my Late Aunt Rosario

  I want to dedicate this post of mine to my late aunt Rosario, we fondly call her Auntie Charito, or Chato for short. She would use that nickname when we would play scrabble. I love playing scrabble with her because we would bet on real money, even if I rarely win. She passed away a decade ago. Our life in Manila when aunt was living used to appear in my dreams back then. I still miss her, and grandma (her mom).

I just remember her again when I posted something on my social networking page. It is about the works of Msgr. Josemaria Escriva, now a saint, and founder of Opus Dei. Yes, Opus Dei is not some kind of mysterious evil organization, or a secret society as depicted in the movie "Da Vinci Code." My aunt has a lot of religious books. Among them is my favorite novel, entitled "Bernadette and Lourdes," by Michael de Saint Pierre, "Prayer of the Warrior," a book about St. Michael the Archangel by Michael Brown, and "The Way," quotes and sayings by Msgr. Josemaria Escriva.

My aunt spurred my interest in Catholic books, and our first picture bible was, "My Bible Friends," by Etta B. Degering. She bought us books regularly and even subscribed  to Reader's Digest. My first book of Saints came from her, "Lives of Saints." I also like to read the movie like magazine from St. Paul's bookstore because of her. I used to own, The Life of St. Rita of Cascia. I also grew up attending mass with her, most often if my mom didn't join us or my other aunt. The two of us would always hear the anticipated mass at Our Lady of Lourdes chapel officiated by SVD priests, that's where I met my late nun friend Sr. Cyrilda Ferriols. Before that hospital was partly run by religious, but now that hospital was privatized already. If we are very early she would treat me to the hospital canteen. I would always order noodles soup, paired with fried lumpiang tongue (bean sprouts). Other times we would hear children's anticipated mass at Our Lady of Fatima, and after that I will rent a movie at VHS shop near the church, or she would buy me ice cream, or macaroni, spaghetti sauce, and sausage. That would be my food for Sunday. She also enrolled in an Bible correspondence school which she finished. I think I got my love of reading from her.

I learned many things from her, like my OC behavior attitude when it comes to cleanliness. She was also good cook. I loved her adobong pata, beefsteak, chicken with mushroom afritada, sinigang sa miso, and many more. She even taught me a no bake dessert. Even if she's also strict, and a bit conservative to us, especially to me. She has shown me, and let me feel that she loves me as if I were her own daughter. She didn't marry, by the way. Those whom I knew say, too bad my aunt didn't marry, it was a waste because she's pretty!

I hope and pray she's in a better place right now. I'm thankful to God that she, "Auntie Charito," became my aunt. For I learned a lot about life from her.