Fr. Ricky V. Ordóñez

 I was 15 years old and in my 4^th year of High School in Australia when I first realized how much I loved my Mom.  You see, I was raised by Mom and my grandmother and it was never a competition between them.  However, I always felt that somehow my grandma had an edge.  

I had been enjoying a beach holiday in Adelaide, South Australia with my foster family when I woke up one morning and was told that my Mom was arriving in half an hour for a “surprise visit”.  What?   Here in Australia?  Yes!  By then, it had been almost 6 months since I left the Philippines and, here she was, in a place where I never imagined her to be.  

At the airport, I found many friends who drove over 3 hours to meet her and it was then I was told that they had known for weeks that she was coming.  One thing for sure, Australians can keep a secret.   Finally, the plane landed and the first ones to come out were these tall men who ended up to be the Philippine Basketball team on the same flight – and following right behind them – was my Mom.   I rushed up and hugged her….and it was a most magical feeling.  Unstoppable tears flowed like it has never had before…tears of pure joy!

Fifty years thereafter, my Mom has gone home to the Lord, yet I can still replay the memory of that visit and the joy in my heart over and over again.  I know that it will be with me until it’s my time to follow. 

My mother was an exceptional woman – a “true woman of substance” – who excelled in everything she put her heart on.  At a young age, she was an excellent Flamenco dancer.  At the age of 17, she married her Finance professor and started having children.   Eight months pregnant with my sister, she graduated at the top of her class and was awarded “Outstanding Alumna” of the Augustinian college she attended.

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  She embarked on a professional life that would see her willingly change careers as she followed my Dad’s rise in the banking sector from one city to another.   She was my Dad’s inspiration and helpmate, our number one teacher, a homemaker and the consummate businesswoman….above all she was our Mom.  

In life, she taught us how to “spread our wings”, see as much as we can and learn from it – always with dedication and passion.  She shared with us her passion for TRAVEL as the best teacher of all.  

When all of us had graduated from College and struck out forming our own careers, she took on her major charity – the Cebu Home for the Blind.  She brought dignity to the blind who had been begging all their lives by organizing them to form a singing band and had used her influence to provide traditional Filipino music at our international airport.  

For decades, this had been their livelihood and when this was discontinued, she found other ways for them to provide for themselves.  When the pandemic struck and they lost their capacity to earn, she provided them with food, medicines, money, etc.   This went on until Jesus decided He wants her HOME. 

And we lost her to Cancer, 4 months after our Dad – the love of her life for 64 years.  

My siblings and I continue to grieve to this day and try to carry on her legacy.

  We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that she is now with our Dad and as she always said, “I’m so excited to be with Jesus and Mama Mary!”  

Though I am trying to be strong, I must confess that I find myself longing for even just one more embrace, a last kiss and to hear her words, “I love you, Rick!”           I love you, Mom!