Cesar at Hollywood’s door

Oh, yes, Cesar Montano has one foot into Hollywood, with the other foot ready to step in depending on the outcome of Miramax Films’ The Great Raid, Cesar’s first made-by-Hollywood movie for which he shot for more than four months last year in Australia. Cesar’s co-stars include Benjamin Bratt (husband of Talisa Soto) and Connie Nielsen (who co-starred with Russell Crowe in Gladiator).

In the movie based upon a novel about true incidents which happened in Nueva Ecija during the Second World War, Cesar plays the pivotal role of Gen. Pajota, guerilla leader. Already, people are predicting that the movie will open bigger doors for Cesar in Hollywood, especially after its showing all over the US sometime in September. I understand that Cesar will help promote the movie and attend press junkets similar to the ones this columnist and other local journalists (Leah Salterio, Shirley Pizarro, Cris Belen, Ed Sicam and others) are usually invited to. Brace yourself for the "round table" with "intimidating" foreign journalists, Cesar!

Anyway, the good news is that, according to Funfare’s New York stringer Edmund Silvestre (staffer of The Filipino Reporter), "The Great Raid is often mentioned in write-ups and on TV as an ambitious and big-budgetted film about the Bataan Death March."

On a daily ABC TV show called Live with Regis and Kelly, added Edmund, co-host Kelly Ripa, wife of The Great Raid co-star Mark Consuelos, talked about the stars she had met when she visited her husband on the Australian set.

"I was surprised when Kelly Ripa mentioned Cesar Montano’s name," said Edmund. "She said that Cesar is an award-winning film superstar in the Philippines who should be in Hollywood and that Cesar is as handsome as Keanu Reeves."

That’s a compliment, Cesar. Take a bow.

Meanwhile, after its September release in the States, The Great Raid will have its premiere in Manila, with Cesar’s group as sponsor of the event.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Cesar makes it to mainstream Hollywood and paves the way for our local talents.

More prayers for cancer patients

The recent item about St. Peregrine, Patron of cancer victims, drew enthusiastic reactions from Funfare readers whom I wish to thank for their concern. Here are two of them:

Hi Ricky,

For the information of your readers, the St. Peregrine Laziosi Shrine and Parish Church was solemnly dedicated on Oct. 21, 1998.

The shrine and parish church is located at the National Highway, Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City. (Susana Heights Exit going to Calamba)

Every Sunday at 2 p.m., the sick and parishioners seeking the intercession of St. Peregrine and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Sorrows, gather in a eucharistic celebration, rosary and novena, laying of the hands and annointing of the sick in the shrine.

The rib of St. Peregrine Laziosi, placed in a precious silver reliquary in the custody of the Fathers of the Servants of Mary, is placed permanently at the Chapel of the Sacred Relic (within the shrine).

We are grateful for your article on St. Peregrine Laziosi which we hope will further propagate devotion to St. Peregrine.

For more information, please contact the parish office at +632 842 2424. Our parish priest is Rev. Fr. Mars Ma. Doloroso, OSM and the Spiritual Director of the St. Peregrine Healing Ministry is Rev. Fr. Alfredo Ma. Biong, OSM. We also extend our invitation for you to visit the shrine.

Thank you and God bless.

Yours in Christ,

– Bro. Pershing V. Golez

Lay Worker, St. Peregrine Healing Ministry, Tel. no. +632 807 1914 Cell No. 0917 8281027

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Dear Mr. Ricky Lo,

Ave Maria!

I was reading Funfare this morning and was surprised to read an inquiry about St. Peregrine. For the information of Ms. Myla Mamitag and your readers, there is a church dedicated to St. Peregrine here in Tunasan, Muntinlupa City, run by the friars of the Order of Servants of Mary (OSM). A relic of St. Peregrine can be found in this church. Sunday healing Masses are celebrated every 2:30 p.m. especially for cancer patients. For more information, you can call us at 8422424 or visit the St. Peregrine Parish, National Rd., Tunasan, Muntinlupa City.

Thank you very much.

– Fr. Rhett R. Sarabia, OSM

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