Heavenly Father, you give us life and you take it away because you are our Creator and our Living God. We praise and thank you, Abba Father, for Marilyn's life and for all the blessings you gave her while she walked on this earth. Lord, have mercy on her soul now and forgive her her sins. Consider the love she shared with her family and friends. Let your perpetual light shine on her now and open the gates of heaven to her. Send your holy angels to comfort her grieving family and lighten their heavy hearts. May Marilyn attain eternal rest and peace in your presence, O God, praising and worshiping you with all the saints and angels in your heavenly kingdom. This we pray in Jesus' Holy Name and with the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all your holy angels and saints. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father...
Itos Fule-Dioso
Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:35:37
Heavenly Father, in your wisdom you have called Marilyn from her earthly existence to join you in your kingdom where there are no more suffering and temptation. We thank You Father God, for the graces You have showered her during her life here with us. We also thank you Lord for allowing us to meet Marilyn and be part of her life, her good nature and pleasant disposition. Now that you have called her home, Eternal Father, welcome her into your kingdom and give her a seat in your eternal feast of love, peace and joy. In your mercy and compassion, forgive her sins and iniquities.
Send Your Holy Spirit to her family and loved ones, especially to her husband, Marcel and to her daughter, Mhayta and husband Pat. Give them courage and strength. We pray to you Merciful Lord that You will comfort them and all her loved ones with Your peace, surround them with Your love, encourage them with Your presence in their great loss.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." [2 Cor 1:3]
Eternal rest grant unto Marilyn, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. AMEN.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Marilyn Bengzon St. Pierre who passed on to eternal life on September 7, 2008. Marilyn was a dear friend, schoolmate and officer of St. Scholastica's College Almuni Association of Canada.
Let us pray: Most Merciful Father, into your Loving Hands, we entrust the soul of Marilyn. As you welcome her into the place you have prepared for her, may her family and loved ones be consoled by the knowledge that she is now free of physical pain and sorrow, and has now been released from the limitations of her earthly life, making her closest to them now in spirit. May your love and peace reign in the heart of her family and all her loved ones.
"Eternal rest grant unto Marilyn, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."
Our Father.... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father....
Toni Pacis-Velez (Word Ministry) Cherry C. Quiroz (Praise Ministry) Cecile Viola-Cruz (Secretariat) Rose Fule-Dioso (Discipling Ministry) Mila Alvarez-Magno (M.E. #4) Zennie Bernardo-Lat (LSS #1) Rosemer Albovias-Enverga(M.E. #23) Monette Librojo-McQuiad (SPE)
Blandina Bengzon
Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:41:07
Marilyn was the youngest among my first cousins. Whenever we had family gatherings, she and I would always be together (I am 3 years older than her) and she was ever the pleasant one. Never made any controversy (unlike me). She had that ever-smiling, beautiful face, uttered no negative words towards anyone and so religious.
Every end of school year (elementary,high school and college), her parents, Tio Luis and Tia Remy would happily bragged about her scholastic medals and honors and she would just smile (oh so very humble of her).
She was a daddy's girl. They hugged, kissed, embraced in public and I had wished that my pop would do the same with me.
The last time I saw her was 2 years ago when she attended George, her nephew's wedding here in New Jersey and I could still visualize her in her elegant black gown dancing with her stunning beautiful daughter, Mhayta as her dancing partner.
Marilyn, I will surely miss you and now that you are in an heavenly environment, pray for us too, that we could also attain the same spiritual level as yours. Goodbye but you are always going to be in my heart.
Much love. Your cousin Blondie
Yvette Jarencio
Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:22:19
Triduum for Marilyn
A Triduum of Masses and farewell prayers: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Rev. Fr. Cirilo Venida Ebona, will celebrate a Triduum of Masses at the St. John the Apostle, Labo, Camarines Norte, Philippines.
Friday’s Prayer (September 12, 2008)
Father in heaven, we ask for your grace to change how we look at suffering. There were times when we saw Marilyn suffer and didn’t understand why. There were times when we wavered in our faith and questioned where you were. Being human, we sometimes didn’t understand your ways. Help us so that we are able to look at dire circumstances with a new eye. Open our eyes so that we see those circumstances as opportunities to share in Jesus’ suffering on the cross. Help us to remember that as Christians in this imperfect world, we are called to suffer. In the midst of all this however, help us to keep our eyes on our inheritance – eternal life. As Marilyn kept her focus on the prize which she now enjoys, help us to keep her memory alive and be an example to us when difficult circumstances arise. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
(by Meddie Jimenez-Rosen, Marilyn's niece)
Rita Ma. J. Mata, Marilyn's neice
Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:15:18
Marilyn was my aunt but I never called her "Tita" because she was a year younger. I remember that when there were dance parties, we would sit together and watch the older aunts and uncles (her cousins) dance. We would gossip a bit and have a pleasant time just chatting. We were close when we were younger so that when I got married, I asked her to be one of my secondary sponsors. She wore a cream dress and her hair was a shoulder-length flip. I still have the picture in my album.
WhenI sit back to reflect, what saddens me is that we never got to meet even if we weren't that far away from each other. In the back of my mind, I would always say that we would drive up to see her but life always interfered. There was always something... a degree to finish, a child's graduation to attend, summer courses to teach. Marilyn and I kept in contact. We e-mailed each other prayers and support but we never got to see each other since her last visit to Manila before she got married. That was a long time ago. As I continue to pray for Marilyn, the other lesson I learned is to stop and smell the roses. Life is way too short!
betsy matute-becker
Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:40:11
Marilyn & I had been classmates since 1st Gr @SSC Mla. She was our band leader during a parents day program. she emailed me when she learned i too have cancer & am undergoing chemo.
"Dear Betsy, For me, the most important thing was to accept my condition, embrace it and see the positive in it, which was the opportunity to atone for my sins. Once peace was establisehd inside, all the rest followed.
When undergoing chemo, make sure you asre very aware of your body and its reaction to the medication. During the session, try your best to relax reading or praying helps. If you can find someone to be with you, so much the better as you can have someone to talk to.
Be sure to drink plenty of liquids (I used to drink - sip, not gulp - 10cups of water every day.) Do some light exercise, like walking. Watch comedies. Read funny or inspirational books. Eat well, very important for the body. Be with or keep in touch with loved ones. Pray, have conversations with God. Think positive thoughts only. Imagine yourself already healed and the things that you will do when you become cancer-free.
Whenever I prayed, I lways asked the following to pray and intercede for me: St. Peregrine, St. Ezekiel Moreno, Sthomas a Becket, St. Hugh, St. Rita, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Pope John Paul II. I've had cancer twice and they came through both times.
We are all here for you, Betsy. All of us are praying for you, keep you in our thoughts and send you our love.
Hugs, Marilyn."
Yvette Jarencio
Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:42:09
Saturday’s Prayer (September 13, 2008)
Father in heaven, we pray for the family and friends Marilyn leaves behind. Marilyn’s death leaves a big hole in our hearts. In her, we’ve lost a friend, to her immediate family; they’ve lost a wife and a mother. During this difficult time, help us to see beyond our grief, and be grateful for the gift of Marilyn who has touched our lives in so many ways. Help us to be thankful for the memories of her that we had the privilege of being a part of while she walked this earth for the past 62 years. Let it be a lesson to us that every day is a gift, that life is transient, that time is precious. Help us so that we do not take today for granted because of the illusion of tomorrow. In short, Father, help us to live each day as though it were our very last day in this world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
(by Meddie Jimenez-Rosen, Marilyn's niece)
Yvette Jarencio
Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:50:46
Sunday's Prayer (September 14)
Father in heaven, teach us a lesson in humility. Open our eyes so that we see the world through your eyes rather than our own.
This world teaches us to work hard so that we become self-reliant but You teach us to be God-reliant. The world gives us the illusion that we are in control of our destiny but death proves us wrong. Father, help us to be like Marilyn, who recognized You as the Source of Life and put her life in Your hands. Give us the grace so that we see the value of losing self so that we put You in control of our lives.
We know, Father, that you do not promise a life of comfort, but we know You will equip us with everything we need as we journey together. It will be difficult for us to give up our 'right to self' but we ask You to be patient.
With your grace, we know You can always make ordinary people do extraordinary things for your honor and glory. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.