The Miracle called Mora
By Dolly Borlongan
“Life has never been the same again since I retired and moved to Cavite. I miss you all and continue to pray for all of you.”
This was what Monsy Mora told me when I visited him in Cavite last November 2009. He was sad to have had to retire from a parish that he loved and shepherded for 22 years.
When I attended PREX in 2001, Msgr. Mora talked with me and asked me to be the secretary of the parish pastoral council because the secretary then resigned. This started my active service to the parish and my relationship with Monsy Mora as my pastor, my friend and my counselor. I learned later on that this was his way of reaching out to me to give spiritual and emotional support to me and my family during a trying time in our life.
Monsy Mora had such a compassionate and loving heart in bringing his flock to church. He would personally go to the homes of the parishioners to invite them to join PREX. He would give Holy Communion to the sick and elderly in our parish. Monsy would always say … “ Aber, if the parishioners can’t go to church then I will bring the church to them.”
Monsy Mora was not intimidated by his parishioners. He was a brave leader. He had great vision and mission for CTK, and he sped away and “just did it” despite some opposition from his favorite critics. He really accomplished a lot for our parish.
He saw the need to foster interaction between the villagers and Libis community. Each sitio was partnered to both village association and ministries. He also raised funds for the yearly Christmas gift giving in Libis.
Monsy Mora transformed the unpainted church to what we have now with the rectory, multipurpose hall, mortuary, parking lot and adoration chapel. With so much wisdom and foresight, he built and started selling crypt spaces that eventually raised almost Php160MM for church renovation and construction. He accommodated the aircon donation and courageously operated it amid protests of some parishioners.
People from all over attend masses on CTK because of the splendor and comfort of the church that improves the quality of worship and programs of the parish. The 22 years of Monsy Mora were all made into good use.
Monsy Mora passed away Oct 12, 2016. His 40th day fell on the Feast of the Solemnity of Christ the King last November 26, 2016. What a fitting tribute to ascend into heaven on the feast of the Solemnity of Christ the King.
By Carlos F. Rufino
Mons Mora was a dynamic and decisive Parish Priest for what was then a very new Parish comprising Corinthian Gardens, Greenmeadows.
His clear and purposeful vision for the parish spurred parishioners to actively contribute our time and cash to build this beautiful church. He was a very mature priest which the community needed at that time.
He was tireless in his efforts to raise funds, oversee the construction and generate interest in attendance to the daily and Sunday masses.
By Mila San Juan
When we moved to Valle Verde 6 in the early ‘90s we barely knew anybody in the community. We were regular Sunday churchgoers. We felt welcomed by the CTK parishioners especially then parish priest Msgr. Mora. This inspired us to take an active role in the parish. Eventually my late husband, Pres, became a lay minister and I was assigned to head the Lectors and Commentators Committee. My children became choir members.
My most significant experience was the spiritual care given to my husband when he got sick until he passed away. He was given daily communion most of the time by Msgr. Mora himself. This gave Pres peace and total acceptance of his condition. Our family felt the love and care from the whole community. This gave us the strength to move on and continue living and loving the Lord. From then up to present we continue our humble contribution to the parish in printing the Parish Newsletter. Though we no longer live in the CTK parish area, we feel we belong to CTK … a strong bond and link to exist as a Christian loving and serving the Lord.
