By Gian Leoncio

A Eucharistic Celebration during the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul presided by Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of the Diocese of Pasig, sponsored by the Rizal Med Management and Chaplaincy Pastoral Council was held last June 29, 2021 at the Rizal Med Chapel. The liturgy readings during the celebration show us the context of these saints during their imprisonment and in these trying times during the pandemic, most of the population can relate with these saints by sharing almost the same experiences of being imprisoned not in the prison cell but in their own homes because of the quarantine restrictions. But during these hard times, our frontliners did not let the pandemic chain them down.
Since the pandemic began, the pastoral care through the chaplaincy at Rizal Med did not stop as well. The chaplaincy continued to become a beacon of hope and faith for the people of Rizal Med, helping them find comfort in the Word and goodness of the Lord. After two years and ten months of dedicated pastoral care of Rev. Fr. Julius Lupot, the chaplaincy of Rizal Med Holy Family Chapel was officially turned over to Rev. Fr. Eduardo Verdadero, DDM. In his acceptance speech, Fr. Verdadero quoted Pope Francis “that the churches are like hospitals where all who are sick are welcome”. In his words, Rizal Med is literally and figuratively a hospital accepting all who are sick physically, emotionally and spiritually and that he being the chaplain of the hospital, he is the bringer of light to the faithful of the church. He explained that the light of the church embodies compassion and mercy. As he ended his speech, he shared that on top of caring for the patients as chaplain he will most especially look after the healthcare workers in the hospital and will be praying for them.

A warm welcome Fr. Ed, and a heartfelt thank you Fr. Julius!
By: Danica T. Durens, MD

Greetings Dr. Saquilayan, Dr. Lumague, Dr. Valenzuela, members of the MANCOM, all our esteemed consultants, department chairmen and training officers present, and to all my fellow graduates, good afternoon.
First and foremost, let us give thanks the Lord God almighty for his grace and mercy, His guidance and protection, for giving us the wisdom and strength to make it through, culminating in this graduation ceremony.
Our tenure as residents is one we will remember and treasure in our lifetime. The outbreak of the the Covid-19 pandemic could have meant an unfortunate event, a stigma that could have derailed our dreams and aspirations and tarnished our characters. Instead, as I am sure most of us feel right now, we’ve survived and we have turned it around. Because we did not cower in fear, we endured, we sacrificed and we prayed unceasingly. And now here we are, cherishing this milestone that we could not have achieved without the help of our dear leaders and mentors.
Read more: Most Outstanding Resident of 2020 Graduation Speech