..

It was really providential that Msgr. Pepe Ramirez was our Lenten Recollection Master. He opened our eyes to the fact that devotion to St. Joseph and to the Divine Mercy should really be complementary activities of the PWHS. St. Joseph is the patron saint for a happy and peaceful death, while Sr. Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of the Divine Mercy has a diary that contains numerous revelations pertaining to Purgatory and the holy souls. Within a span of a few days, we received two separate copies of the booklet "The Holy Cloak in Honour of St. Joseph": one from a dear friend in Portugal, and another one from an active PWHS core group member. This booklet introduced us to "The Pius Union of the Death of St. Joseph (PUDSJ) or "Pia Unione Del Transito Di S. Guiseppe. It has a 2-fold objective: to promote and spread the devotion of St. Joseph, and to put together as many priests and the faithful as possible in a universal crusade of Prayer and Good Works for the benefit of the dying, to help them have a holy and happy death. We have communicated with the office of the PUDSJ in Rome to be officially registered as a member, and with a request for guidance on how our apostolate can link-up with them.

"The Holy Cloak in Honor of St. Joseph" contains a 30-day novena to St. Joseph, said to be a most efficacious novena. We quote what our dear friend, Irma Marija of Lisbon, Portugal, has to say about having a devotion to St. Joseph: " I cannot express well enough all my tender devotion and love to this greatest of all saints, so hidden and silent and yet the most glorious next to Maria Mary and even solicitous to our every need in this life and especially of our eternal salvation. Run to him with great confidence in all things. He holds the key to Jesus and Mama Mary’s Heart – how could he possibly say "no" to us? "Go to Joseph" and you will see wonders!

We have always affirmed that the members of the core group of the PWHS were hand-picked by the Lord to perform certain tasks in the apostolate, and that each one has a special assignment as a result of God-given talents. This was once more confirmed when both Fr. Jojo Zerrudo, PWHS Spiritual Director and Violette Ramiro, anchor person of the PWHS Radio program "Ala-Alang Walang Hanggan" could not make it to the Radio Veritas Station last Monday, march 25, 2002. We are blessed to have PWHS Core group members , Vic Sevilla and Edna Agustin who easily slipped into the roles of "teacher" and "anchor person" in the said radio progarm. Truly the Lord provides our apostolate with its needs!

The planning session that the PWHS core group recently had at the Betania Retreat House produced among others two important decisions: one is to hold the 2nd National Congress of the PWHS on July 29, 2003, and the other one is to hold a "Recognition Day" Monday July 29, 2002, when the PWHS celebrates the 10th year of its Foundation Day. The first seven years of its 10-year old existence were actually "passive" years, where the main activity was to print and distribute the booklets "Read Me or Rue It"; it was only in 1999 when we started to actively recruit PWHS members, had the first edition of the "Fore and Aft" and then had the First National Congress of the PWHS last July 29, 2000. Today, we have 4,500 ++ members in the Philippines and abroad. The membership base keeps on growing as a result of the "Referral Program" that was a brainchild of Carlos Oda, the PWHS National Coordinator.

* * * * * * * * * *

The "Referral Program" of the PWHS is quite successful in generating more members for this apostolate. This involves referring to the PWHS office, names of prospective PWHS members. The office then sends complimentary starter kits to these persons with a note, stating the name of the person that referred them to PWHS, and emphasizing the need for them to send back the enclosed application form, for them to be officially considered as PWHS member, and be entitled to the privileges of a member. The complimentary starter kit is composed of the "Read Me or Rue It" booklet, stampita of St. Gertrude, Info sheet of the PWHS, list of privileges and responsibilities of a member, and the application form. PWHS members who refer names to the PWHS office are enjoined to follow-up the sending of the application forms by their referred names. Otherwise, they remain only in the roster of "referred members". The monitor of "Referred Prospective PWHS members vs. PWHS members" is something that is published in every issue, to keep track of this data, as well as to serve as a reminder to PWHS members to be involved in this program.

On page 1 and 15, we are launching a contest that will give the winner P2,000 cash for suggesting a catchy phrase that will refer to the proposed prayer activity for more committed PWHS members who will pledge one hour of prayers in front of the Blessed Sacrament for the intentions of the holy souls. The one hour vigil can easily be filled up if one considers praying the rosary with the prayer of St. Gertrude in between decades; doing the way of the cross for the holy souls; doing any of the novenas for the holy souls. We have published the suggested "Way of the Cross for the Holy Souls" in the April-June, 2001 issue (N.8) of Fore & Aft, and the "Novena for the Holy Souls" in the July-Sep 2001 issue (N.9). Copies of these Way of the Cross and Novenas are available in the PWHS office (call 531-2157 / 531-0394 local 101 or write to P.O. Box 220, Greenhills or email to info@pwhs-mfi.org) We are excited about this intensive prayer activity for the holy souls. Of course, the best thing that one can do for them is to go to mass for their intentions, but next to this, can you imagine a round-the-clock intensive prayer all over the Philippines (the World, maybe?) for the holy souls, in front of the Blessed Sacrament? Do join this prayer habit and send in your pledges.