VANGIE

Posted by Bob

Vangie is standing in front of pictures on the "Perez Family Wall" at the museum, i.e. The National Museum of the Cathedral Basilica. Pictures show the Cathedral under construction in the late 50's. Greg Perez' dad, Frank, one of the founders of Perez Bros. Construction, donated most of the concrete used in the building of the Cathedral. Frank's efforts were emblematic of the laity's efforts to rebuild the Church after WWII.

 

Vangie's efforts show that the laity is still the strength of the Church.  When Monsignor James was rector of the Cathedral Basilica he needed someone to marshal the various artifacts that have come into the possession of the archdiocese, many of which were donated by the laity. 

Vangie volunteered and with the help of other volunteers to include James Santos with the generous assistance of Duty Free Shoppers, was able to set up the museum on the second deck of the Santa Teresa Chapel.  All of Vangie's and the other volunteers' workmanlike efforts almost went for naught though because apuron and his henchmen, Msgr. Quitugua and Fr. Cristobal, ordered the museum closed at the end of the first day that it was open on August 4, 2014 in order to remove the evidence of Msgr. James' good works.  

Vangie guarded the relics as best she could and saw to their safe, at least as safe as possible given the hostility of the apuron regime, storage. After the departure of apuron permission was sought to redisplay the relics.  Permission was granted for the Christmas holidays. I visited the display on Tres Reyes and was so impressed that I, "Miskino Bob," ponied up a double sawbuck as a donation!

Vangie and volunteers kept the museum open during the holidays and remain its real champions. These folks have shown the continuity, strength and tenacity of the laity to protect the treasure of the Church even when the clergy would use it in their petty squabbles and opportunities to grandstand.

Frank Perez donating concrete, James Santos helping out, Greg and Vangie on the picket line, Vangie singing in the Cathedral choir, Greg serving on the Finance Council at St. Anthony and the efforts of thousands of others going back hundreds of years are emblematic of the real strength of the Church: THE LAITY.