Davao City House of Hope young cancer patients find hope in healing priest

HAND OF GOD. Healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez ministering his curing power to a young cancer patient at the House of Hope. KIWI BULACLAC

BY ROGER M. BALANZA

 For the young cancer patients, there is hope in the House of Hope. There is also hope in Fr. Fernando Suarez, the healing priest who came to visit the House of Hope last week to help heal the stricken children.
    Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he had invited Fr. Suarez to Davao City partly for the cancer patients of the House of Hope, run in a room at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
    Fr. Suarez held a healing mass at the center for the young wards. He also held masses in two Catholic churches that were attended by an estimated 50,000 people.
    In the Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa television program hosted by lawyer Gerladine Tiu on ABS/CBN on Sunday where the healing priest was a guest, Duterte said the children are desperate to be healed.
    He hoped that through Fr. Suarez’ intervention, God would cure them.
    Duterte is helping raise funds for the House of Hope and the young cancer patients. He has also donated a house in Margarita Villa near SPMC for the patients and their kin tending to them.
    While some  patients come only for check-up and medication, many stay in the ward for long. The long stay causes inconveneince to family members attending to the patients as the SPMC has no sleeping quarters or other provisions for them.
    This prompted him out of pity to donate the Margarita property to SPMC spefically to be used for the young cancer victims.
    The house now serves as temporary home for the children and those attending to them while the patients are on the recovery period, said Duterte who adds that many of the families with cancer patients at SPMC  are from the nearby provinces and have no home in the city.
    Duterte said the Margarita house now serves as an extension of the cancer ward at SPMC where children who lost their limbs practice their newly-installed prosthetics.

Fr. Fernando Suarez ‘healing masses’ draw 50,000 Dabawenyos

HEALING PRIEST Fr. Fernando Suarez with Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo
Duterte and, at back, Duterte’s chief assistant Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, right, and businessman Jun Te. KIWI BULACLAC

BY ROGER M. BALANZA

An estimated 50,000 Dabawenyos attended healing masses in three Catholic churces during the June-30 to July 2 visit in Davao City of ‘healing priest’ Fr. Fernando Suarez.
    Fr. Suarez who heads the Missionary of Mother Mary of the Poor has gained fame for his healing powers.
    Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he invited Fr. Suarez to come to Davao City to help heal the Dabawenyos and ‘feed our souls.’
    The large attendance in the healing masses was due in part to the announcement of Vice Mayor Duterte in the Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa television program hosted by lawyer Gelraldine Tiu on ABS/CBN, where Fr. Suarez was a guest, on Sunday.

    The masses were held at the St. Francis of Assisi Parish headed by Fr. Bong Gonzaga in Maa , Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish headed by Monsignor Cuizon in Bo. Obrero , and in the chapel of the Souuthern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for young cancer patients of the House of Hope.
    Duterte said he had himself healed by Fr. Suarez, adding prayers are needed at this time when the world is beset with crisis and Dabawenyos are grappling with their own personal problems.
    When I am desperate that I could not get things right, I go to Fr. Suarez, he said.
    In the television program, Duterte said Fr. Suarez’ visit is a special blessing to the Dabawenyos.
    Duterte who frankly admits that he is not much into religiosity, said he invited Fr. Suarez because he believes that Dabawenyos could find God through the intervention of the healing priest. ROGER M. BALANZA