Philippine Devotional Day in the Carolinas on Feb. 12

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

EVERYONE is invited to attend the Philippine Devotional Day on February 12, 2017 at St. Mathews Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Paul Amigo, past president of the Fil-American Community of the Carolinas (FACC)  extended the invitation in an email sent to the FACC members.

The Philippines Devotional Prayer Day also known as Pray Day is commemorated by the Fil-American community in the Carolinas and neighboring cities on the last week of January or first week of February every year. 

Pray Day consists of a short visit to the chapel where one prays for intercession from God for the Philippines and its people. After the prayer, a fellowship and renewal of ties will be held among the attendees.

Amigo said the second Pray Day drew 20 attendees.  “The first pray day three years ago had a humble number of nine attendees,” he said.

Marcelo Bueno said the first Eennecadeema Omnibus first met in the summer of 2012 at Pineville. Aside from Bueno, also present during the first meeting were Jaime Cruz, Dr. Francis Dayrit, Paul Amigo, Ed Ascalon and Edwin Castro. 

For three years the EO has grown and had found alumni from Jesuit institutions back in the Philippines.

Aside from those mentioned, others in the EO were Rex Borra, Zarah Davis, Edwin Castro, Zenaida Zolanan, Arlene Giaquinto, Gary Escobal, Donald Escobal, Grace Escobal, Larissa Escobal (deceased), Rischard Costes, Nenette Costes, Chris Villapando, Robert Diokno, Lyra Rakusin, Suzanne Jackson, Hector Javier, Dr. Edward Tautjo, Weien Jiang, Vincent Morando, Renato Pargas, Almer Aznar, Valerie Satina, Asincion Erikson, Karla Akana and Maria Lingao. 

Eeneecadeemah is a Jesuit institution’s enduring call to cheer for the Catholic faith and for Christian values and this group is composed of graduates or alumni of the Ateneo universities in the Philippines who are now in the Carolinas. 

The organization is informal. Unlike other groups there is no hierarchy, i.e. no  president, vice president and so on. It only has one coordinator who is replaced annually.

Its membership is voluntary and/or by invitation. Being included means accepting  EO’s core principles grounded in Lux In Domino spirit of encouraging and cultivating the free exchange of ideas and pursuing excellence.


It also means striving for honestly, integrity and fairness, supporting outreach programs that alleviate poverty among the most vulnerable and defenseless of God’s people and fulfill this for the greater Glory of God (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam).

The Philippines and its people are blessed since there are people praying for them.