Novena In Loving Memory Of Marilyn Bengzon St. Pierre

In Loving Memory of

Marilyn Bengzon St. Pierre August 8, 1946 - September 7, 2008

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Brothers and Sisters, Good evening. Tonight, we gather in spirit and in truth, as a family of our dearly beloved sister Marilyn Bengzon to pray and thank our Heavenly Father, and to celebrate her life. We hold on to the promise of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ that when we gather in His name, He will be with us. And so, we join each other in one mind and one heart to pray for the soul of our sister Marilyn.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “IN HIS PRESENCE” In the quiet of this hour As we kneel before you now We believe your promise to be faithful We don’t always understand What your perfect will demands But we’ve learned to trust you more In your presence, Lord Chorus 1 In Your presence, there is comfort In Your presence, there is peace When we seek to know your heart We will find such bless’d assurance In your Holy presence, Lord. There can be such sweet reward When we wait upon the Lord As we take the time He gives His perfect wisdom To be found in Him alone All our deepest secrets known We’re surrounded by His grace When we seek His face Chorus 2 In His presence, there is comfort In His presence, there is peace When we seek the Father’s heart We will find such bless’d assurance An ever open door To know our Saviour more In the presence of the Lord. 2

Leader: Brothers and Sisters, let us first think of God’s living and loving presence among us, here and now .…. and let us think of our beloved sister Marilyn still very much alive in another and happier life. Lord, have mercy on our sister Marilyn. All: Lord, have mercy. L: A:

Christ, have mercy on our sister Marilyn. Christ, have mercy.

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Lord, have mercy on our sister Marilyn. Lord, have mercy.

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To you O God, our Father, we humbly commend your daughter Marilyn Bengzon. In her mortal life on earth, you loved her with a great love. Now that she has been freed from the sufferings, trials and evils of earth, grant that Your mercy and goodness will bring her to your Paradise, where there is no more grief or suffering, questioning or temptation, but only Peace and Joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.

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Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a gentle Father and the God of comfort and joy, who comforts us in our sorrows and pains, so that we in turn can offer to others, in their time of sorrows and pains, the comfort we have received from you. Let us trust our Heavenly Father, through His Son who invites us, saying: “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give

you rest.”

“INTO YOUR HANDS” Into your hands We commend our spirit, O Lord Into your hands, we entrust our lives For we must die if we could truly live Into your hands, we entrust our lives Unless a grain of wheat Falls deep into the earth Unless it dies, it remains alone But if it dies, the harvest indeed is great From this one seed comes a hundredfold. (Repeat first verse) L:

Most merciful Father, into your hands we entrust the spirit and soul of our sister Marilyn, for we are sustained by the sure hope that she will rise again on the last day, at the Resurrection, with all those who have died in Christ.

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We give you thanks for all the good things you gave your daughter Marilyn Bengzon during her life here with us, signs of your love for her. In Your great mercy, O Father, accept our prayer that the gates of Paradise may now be opened to her. In our turn, may we be comforted by our faith, that on the day we are called to meet you, we will all be together forever, united with your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and all our loved ones.

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Dear sister Marilyn, may the Angels lead you into Paradise. May the Martyrs and all the Saints await your coming and escort you to the Holy City. May the choir of Angels welcome you with their heavenly songs, and with the poor man Lazarus and all your dear ones, may you enjoy the everlasting rest and happiness.

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May our Faith, which is our greatest treasure on earth, be now our consolation. May our belief in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour be our guarantee of eternal life, for He promised us: “I am the

Resurrection and the Life, whoever believes in Me even though he dies, shall live again. Every living person who believes in Me shall never die, but shall possess everlasting Life.”

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O God, truly your days are without end and your mercies are too many to count. Cause us never to forget that our life on earth is brief and uncertain. Let your Holy Spirit guide us through this present life, giving Love and Justice to people we meet from day to day, so that at the end, with your mercy and compassion, we may be accounted worthy to enter your eternal Kingdom … our final Home.

Amen. “I CAST ALL MY CARES” I cast all my cares upon you I lay all of my burdens down at your feet And anytime I don’t know what to do I will cast all my cares upon you. (Repeat)

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MEDITATION: We picture Death as coming to destroy... ...let us rather see it as Jesus Christ coming to save. We think of Death as an ending... ...rather think of it as new life beginning. We think of it as losing... ...rather let us think of it as winning, as final victory. We think of Death as parting... ...rather think of it as a meeting...of loved ones. We think of it as going away... ...rather think of it as arriving...Home at last. Death is not extinguishing the light... It is putting out the lamp, because the day, the Eternal Day has dawned!

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Lord, help us to see death for what it really is, the end of poverty and the beginning of riches, the end of frustration and the beginning of fulfilment, the end of fear and the beginning of peace, the end of weakness and the beginning of strength, the end of pain and the beginning of joy.

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“HE CARETH FOR YOU” He careth for you He careth for you When the worries and cares of your life Seem to block out the rays of His light Never forget, never lose sight For He careth for you For He careth for you (Repeat) L:

O Lord Jesus, whose unforgettable life was lived in the faith that the love that surrounds us is as real and dependable as that of a father, let the same sense of trust and hope steady us at this time. Let not grief overwhelm us, or a sense of loss embitter us but out of our sadness, let there arise a new joy for so much is given to us. Help us to see that what we love becomes a part of us, interfused with our lives, blended in mind and memory, hollowed forever within our soul. Let not grief take away our hope nor bereavement blind us to what always remains good, lovely and indestructible.

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O gracious Spirit of Love & Peace, come alive within our sorrow and isolation, within the sadness of today and the loneliness of tomorrow. Come alive bringing peace and trust, which nothing in life or death can kill. Cast out our fears and let not our hearts be troubled, knowing that this world remains our Father’s house. These prayers we offer for our sister Marilyn, through Christ our Lord. Amen. “HE IS OUR PEACE” He is our peace Who has broken down every wall He is our peace He is our peace (2X) Cast all your cares on Him For He careth for you He is our peace He is our peace (2X)

WE NEVER LOSE THOSE WE GIVE TO GOD L:

We give our sister Marilyn back to you, O God, whom you gave to us. As you did not lose her in giving her to us, neither do we lose her by her return to you. Not as the world gives do you give O Lord, for what you give, you do not take away, and what is yours is ours also. In your loving goodness, our life is eternal and death is only a horizon, and a horizon is nothing but the limit of our sight.

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Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further. Cleanse our eyes that we may see life clearly. Draw us close to you so that we may be nearer to our loved ones who are with you, and prepare us for that happy place so that where you are, we may also be, forevermore.

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“SINONG MAKAPAGHIHIWALAY” Chorus: Sino’ng makapaghihiwalay Sa atin sa pag-ibig ni Kristo Sino’ng makapaghihiwalay Sa atin sa pag-ibig ng Diyos. Paghihirap ba, kapighatian, Pag-uusig, o gutom, o tabak? At kahit na nga kamatayan Walang makapaghihiwalay sa atin Sa pag-ibig ng Diyos. (Chorus) Ang Ama kayang mapagtangkilik O Anak na nag-alay ng lahat? Saan man sa langit o lupa Walang makapaghihiwalay sa atin Sa pag-ibig ng Diyos. (Chorus) Kung ang Diyos ay nasa panig natin Ano pa ang dapat nating ipangamba? Walang anomang kapangyarihan Na makapaghihiwalay sa atin Sa pag-ibig ng Diyos. (Chorus) L:

O God our Father, from whom we came, and to whom we return, help us to believe that in death, only the body dies and perish, but the more important part of a person, her soul and spirit by which she thinks and loves does not die but transfers to a new and endless life beyond the grave. So now, O Lord, lead us to believe that our sister Marilyn indeed has “departed” to a better world...where at this moment, she is alive, conscious and full of love for her family and for each one of us, and awaits our coming one by one.

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Farewell, our dear sister Marilyn. Pray for us, as we do for you ... until we are together again and home at last...forever.

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Eternal rest grant unto our sister Marilyn, O Lord.

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And let perpetual light shine upon her.

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May she rest in peace.

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Amen.

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May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

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Amen.

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“I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE” I am the bread of life He who comes to Me shall not hunger He who believes in Me shall not thirst No one can come to Me Unless the Father draw him. Ref:

And I will raise him up And I will raise him up And I will raise him up On the last day.

I am the resurrection I am the life He who believes in Me Even if he dies He shall live forever (Ref.) Yes, Lord I believe That you are the Christ The Son of God Who has come Into the world. (Ref.)

ALL: Our Father Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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