A once-in-a-lifetime kind of religious leader
“God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy.” –Pope Francis
Fresh from my Easter holiday in the Gold Coast, Australia, I have recharged my inner core with family love and renewed energy. This vacation was extra special, as I was able to truly bond with my two grandkids, who are growing up so fast. After all that I have been through, I realize that nothing can replace the love and support we get from family.
Being back in the Gold Coast always refreshes me. More than the good weather, what I love about these family vacations is the amount of quality time we are able to spend with one another. We give our undivided love and attention, finally not distracted by work or the other day-to-day errands we run in our busy Manila routines.
We had the best time playing at the beach, jumping around in the big waves at Surfer’s Paradise. Of course, we also made sure to hit up all the best shopping malls. And thanks to Big Sky Nation, my portable mobile Wi-Fi service, I was able to stay connected the entire trip. Their pocket Wi-Fi easily slips into any purse, allowing me to post all my wonderful memories with my family straight away. Check out www.bigskynation.com for more details.
Due to a hearing and some social events I had to attend back home, I cut my vacation short by a few days. Straight from the airport, I attended the grand opening of Golden Goose’s Manila Pop-up store, invited by my lovely sister-in-law Ria Prieto.
Golden Goose was born in 2000, from the vision and inspiration of its two founders, Francesca Rinaldo and Alessandro Gallo. At the time, they were two designers in their early 20s, raised among the cranes of the industrial port of Marghera in Venice, with an ambitious and unconventional vision. Passionate about exploring the world, they collected inspirations during their travels and transformed them into unique garments.
Artisanal and genderless
The first Golden Goose creations were born in Marghera, in a garage-turned-office, where the two founders designed their first bespoke garments. These initial pieces were artisanal and genderless, inspired by their travels and brought to life with the help of a Venetian craftsman.
Golden Goose’s first ready-to-wear piece emerged from the reworking of an old pair of denim jeans that Francesca deconstructed and hand-stitched into a skirt. Then came the first shoes, which remain among the brand’s most iconic pieces: the Golden Boots. These vintage-inspired boots were inspired by a trip to the United States, specifically New Mexico and Texas.
From the very beginning, Golden Goose creations have embodied the brand’s core values, which remain central today: uniqueness, craftsmanship, and timelessness.
I particularly love that the brand embraces imperfection and uniqueness in design. Each pair of sneakers could be enhanced with personalized detailing and decorative shoelaces. All cracks and signs of wear mean recognizing the beauty of vulnerability, of authentic truth.
After the launch, I passed by the newly opened flagship store of Muji in Glorietta before ending up at the birthday party of dear friend and interior designer Cecil Ravelas. Surrounded with love and cherished by family and friends, Cecil is on her own healing journey that she celebrates with light and miracles and the magic of stillness.
Just like her, we are grateful for God’s divine grace as we navigate through our new purpose. We are exactly where we are meant to be. In the passing of Pope Francis, we shared how we have been moved by his compassion and mercy for the poor and underserved.
While Pope Francis did not stray from centuries-old doctrine, he tirelessly moved our divided Church and united it with more love, mercy, and compassion. He made the Church more current and relevant to more Roman Catholics than any other pope before him, even being able to reach audiences outside of the religion. He asked for forgiveness for those imprisoned, he sat with the sick, and he comforted the outcast.
Popemobiles on display
Last Friday, I attended mass at San Antonio with my mahjong mates to celebrate the birthday of my daughter-in-law’s mother, Jo-ann Soler. It was so timely that the Popemobile was being blessed on the grounds of the Parish. The owner of the vehicle, Edison Chan, was gracious to share the unit for display until May 4.
During Pope Francis’ 2015 apostolic visit to the Philippines, he utilized two distinct Popemobiles that reflected his humility and desire for closeness with the faithful. One was the Isuzu D-Max Popemobile. The other one was the Popemobile styled after the traditional Filipino jeepney.
The jeepney-style Popemobile, which will be displayed in our parish quadrangle, was used during the concluding Mass at Rizal Park, which was attended by millions of people. The design paid homage to the iconic Philippine mode of transport and symbolized the Pope’s solidarity with the Filipino people.
Truly, Pope Francis was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of religious leader. He united, loved, and humbly served, inspiring all of us to be kinder to one another, and to our planet. He not only preached what it meant to be a good Child of God, but also showed it through consistent and genuine action. He cared about those in the underbellies of society, those who were dealt bad cards and unfair opportunities. He saw them as people, and showed them compassion and solidarity.
What is most striking to me is how vocal he was about the ways humanity needs to improve, how forward he was with our world leaders about the ways they need to step up and do better. He was a true advocate for social and environmental justice, which is why he has touched the hearts of millions of people, Catholics or not. I pray we all continue to learn from his teachings and his examples, so that his legacy and purpose lives on.
There is a documentary on Pope Francis now streaming on Netflix called “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word.” It touches on the beliefs he championed throughout his life, and is an important watch for those who want to hear more about all the social change Pope Francis brought about during his time here on Earth. There will also be a memorial mass for Pope Francis today at 6 p.m. at the San Antonio Church.
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