We knew her as Angela Rubang in the world, but her name in religious life is Sr. Peter Catherine, O.P.
She is a Dominican Sister of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, one of many young adults in a fast-growing Order that is defining the identity of Religious Orders as Vatican II intended in the Church today.
Her father is Alex, Sr., but his baptismal name includes the name Peter. We buried him today at All Souls Catholic Cemetery in Vallejo. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, Knight of Columbus, and a devoted husband and grandfather. He had full military honors at his burial, including a gun salute and taps.
I am deeply strengthened whenever I see young Sisters. Their consecration shows the world how temporary this life is, even if one lives to an old age. Consecrated life shows that the Kingdom of God is present now in this life because, in heaven, there will no longer be any marriages.
Angela co-founded the Maris Stella Institute (MSI) as a board member back on May 10, 2008, when it was then first called the Young Adult Catechist Society (YACS). She is a certified master catechist which took her many years to complete. Before entering the Dominican Order, she served as a Catholic school teacher and youth minister. She was down to earth like any young woman-- still is. As Sister Peter Catherine now, she is in formation in Michigan. It takes several years to become a fully professed Sister.
The Sisters that came to support her during this difficult chapter of her dad's passing came from Marin Catholic High School which is west of Vallejo and from Presentation Catholic Church in Sacramento.
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| L to R: Dominican Sisters; me and Tove Ann w/kids; Fr. Glenn Jaron (new Vicar for the Clergy); Deacon Rudy David |
They chanted "Salve Regina" after the funeral Mass as they surrounded the coffin of Alex, Sr. It was so beautifully angelic! My daughter Mariana said, "There are so many nuns. I want to be a nun."
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| Sister Mariana w/my daughter, Mariana |
One of the Sisters was named Sr. Mariana, which is the same name as my daughter, Mariana. Mariana spoke to her. Sr. Mariana teaches high school geometry.
video clip w/nuns
Sister Mariana told me that her name in religious life is in honor of Our Lady. She also said that there is a saint in Ecuador and in Hawaii that bear the same name.
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| Sisters w/a sleeping Faith Marie |
The other Sisters with Sister Mariana teach English, religion and chemistry. I don't know the name of the Sister in the picture above on the far left, but she teaches high school English at Marin Catholic.
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| Dominican Sister hugging my son John Paul |
I was blessed to assist as the Deacon of the Altar which meant that my focus was on the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We had just enough Hosts to feed a full church and were breaking Hosts so that we wouldn't run out.
Fr. Jess preached the homily about heaven already starting on earth, and Sr. Peter Catherine tearfully mentioned during her remarks on behalf of the family after the Post-Communion Prayer how the last time she spoke to her father one of the last things he spoke to her about was passing through seven Holy Doors at several pilgrimage sites during the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Fr. Glenn Jaron, MSP, parochial administrator of St. Catherine's, was the main celebrant. The bishop appointed him Vicar for Clergy effective July 1.
Fr. Fred of Holy Family Catholic Church in American Canyon concelebrated. I saw some parishioners like Melissa with her new baby from Holy Family today.
Deacon Raj, who will be ordained to the priesthood in June, assisted with me and Deacon Rudy David.
Before the funeral Mass began, I gave Sister Peter Catherine a hug. My wife, kids and I saw her after the Rite of Committal, too. Sister is also EJ's baptismal godmother. He is in the picture above but not looking at the camera. When EJ was baptized in 2009, Fr. Jess turned to then-Angela (who would have been around 25 at the time) and said, "So you're a godparent. But you're not rich." Angela replied, "I'm rich in things of heaven, Father."
I have memories of her being at our wedding and doing a dance routine during the wedding reception, too. As Angela, she is deeply pro-life, teaches the Church's teachings, and fought for religious freedom.
The last time I spoke to Alex, Sr., I told him that a letter of encouragement that I wrote to Alex, Jr., who was serving overseas as a Navy corpsman, was returned to me. And I asked to make sure his son received it.
A few days after I spoke to him, I saw him in church with Auntie Josie, his wife of 37+ years, looking at some materials in the narthex of St. Catherine's, but I couldn't go up to talk to him because I was in a rush to bring Holy Communion to someone who was ill and had to go right away.
My thoughts are a bit scattered above, but it's the middle of the night as I write this. And I'm sleepy. T'was a busy day.
+ Eternal rest grant unto Alex, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
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