Noong madaling araw ng Linggo, Oktubre 1, 1978, biyaya para sa akin na Makita ang banal na pagpanaw ni Monseñor Alfredo Ma. Obviar, dating Obispo ng Lucena. Nagsimula ang kanyang pamamaalam sa daigdig – mag-iika-anim ng hapon ng Sabado – nang unti-unting bumaba ang bilang ng kanyang pulso.

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Kaharap si Moseñor Jose T. Sanchez, Obispo ng Lucena nang bigyan ni Monseñor Salvatus ang naghihingalong Obispo ng Viaticum. Nang mag-iika-labingisa ng hating gabi kami ni Padre Alfredo Lao ay magkasabay na nagdarasal ng formula ng paggawad ng indulgencia plenaria.

 

Ang pendulo ng makalupang buhay ay malapit nang makarating sa kabilang dako na ang oras ay hindi binibilang. Inaanyayahan ko anbg naghihingalong Obispo sa pagdarasal ng “PREPARACION PARA LA MUERTE”, panalangin para sa mabuting kamatayan. Binasa   ko ito ng marahan malapit sa taynga ng naghihingalo. Ito’y panalangin na malimit niyang dasalin noong kalakasan pa niya.

Nang makaalpas na ang alas doce ng hating gabi, ibinulong ko sa butihing Obispo. MOnsenñor, kay gandang araw ang sisikat. Ngayon po’y kaarawan ng Patron ng iyong congregacion, si Santa Teresita. Lumuhod ang lahat ng nasa silid, at sinimulan naming dasalin ang panalangin para sa namamatay. Iniabot ni Mother Mercy Medenilla sa Obispo ang Krusipihong nasa ulunan at hinawakan ni Mother ang kamay nito hanggang katapusan. 

 

Ala-una ng umaga. Hirapan nang bilangin ng nars ang kanyang mga pintig. Mataimtim na minamalas ng lahat ang mapayapang naghihingalo. Marahan silang nag-awitan ng Salve Regina patungkol sa Mahal na Birhen del Carmen, pintakasi ng Obispo. Natigib ang silid ng Banal na halimuyak ng kamatayan. Luhaang inawit ang himno kay Santa Teresita at sinundan pa ito ng awit ng Aba Ginoong Maria. Dahan-dahang humihina ang paghinga. Unti-unting nawawalan ng pintig. Natatapos ang awit, nababago naman ang buhay ni Monseñor Alfredo Ma. Obviar. Sa aking orasan, sampung minute noon makalipas ang ala-una ng umaga. Nanaig ang buhay sa kamatayan, subalit ibang uri ng buhay.
Para sa Obispo ibang araw ang sumikat noon. Ang araw ng iyon ay walang katapusan.



Siyam na madreng MCST, dalawang hijas de Caridad, tatlong pari, dalawang nars, isang manggagamot at ilang kamag-anak ang nakasaksi noon ng isang banal na kamatayan.

 

Fr. Angel N. LAgdameo
Hango sa “Ang Tigmamanukan”
Newsletter of St. Alphonsus School of Theology
Volume I, Number 3
October 1978, Lucena City
The Spirituality of Bishop Obviar
Bishop Angel N. Lagdameo















THE PASSING AWAY OF

MONSIGNOR ALFREDO MA. OBVIAR​​​

   by Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo



   I was blessed to witness the holy death of Monsignor Alfredo Ma. Obviar,  the former Bishop of Lucena, in the early morning of Sunday, October 1, 1978. He started to bid farewell to the world - at about 6:oo in the afternoon of Saturday – then the counting of his pulse slowly dropped.

  
Monsignor Jose T. Sanchez, the Bishop of Lucena, was present when Msgr. Gregorio Salvatus gave the bishop the Holy Viaticum or the last Sacrament. At around 1:00 o’clock midnight, Fr. Alfredo Lao and I prayed together the formula of obtaining the plenary indulgence.

The pendulum of the earthly life which is about to meet its end could no longer be counted. I invited the dying Bishop to pray the preparacion para la muerte, prayer for a happy death. I read it slowly near his ear. This is the prayer he often prayed even he was still strong.

 

After 12:00 o’clock midnight, I whispered to the good Bishop, “Monsignor, a beautiful sun will rise today. Today is the fesatday of St. Therese, the Patron Saint of your Congregation”. Everybody in the room knelt down. We started praying the prayer for the dying. Mother Mercy Medenilla handed him the crucifix she took from the headboard and held his hand to hers until his last breath.

It was 1:00 o’clock in the morning. The nurse had already difficulty counting the beating of his pulse. Everbody silently contemplated the peaceful dying Bishop. They softly sang the Salve Regina in honor of the Blessed Virgin of Carmel, his patroness. The room was filled with the fragrance of holy death. With tears in their eyes, they sang hymns to St. Therese, followed by a hymn to the Blessed Mother, “Aba Ginoong  Maria”. The breathing grew faint. The beating of the pulse was becoming weak. As the song was ending, the life of Monsignor Alfredo Ma. Obviar was also transforming. Life has triumphed over death, but it was another form of life— everlasting life.

For Bishop, another kind of sun has risen, the sun which will never set.
Nine MCST Sisters, two Daugthers of Charity, three priests, two nurses, a doctor and some of his relatives were witness to a holy death of the Bishop.