Remembering a life well lived

MANILA, Philippines - Losing a loved one is certainly not easy but it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t get on with our lives. While death is not a subject that most people are comfortable about, there’s no denying that it is a part of life. And like with all things thrown our way, death is something that we must accept and live with. There is absolutely nothing wrong about feeling grief or being heartbroken by one’s loss, we are human after all. But one thing that we should all keep in mind is that wherever our loved ones may be, we still have our memories to cherish, hold on to, and to remind us that in spite of our loss, life is still worth living

A Fitting Example

Remembering our dearly departed every All Saints Day is a very common practice especially among Filipinos, but wouldn’t our time with our loved ones be more meaningful if we can spend it in a more private setting? A place wherein we can have a quiet moment of prayer and pay respect to those we’ve lost. This is exactly what you’ll feel once you step inside the St. Thérèse Columbarium, a unique yet serene final resting place located at the ground floor of the Shrine of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus at Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

Inspired by the faithful saint, who succumbed to an early death at the age of 24, St. Thérèse remains a constant reminder that living shouldn’t end in death, rather, it is just God’s way of giving people a new life, one that is free from worry, from hardships, and from sin. For St. Thérèse, it was a way of “spending their heaven doing good on earth.”

A Comfort from life’s thorns

The first of its kind in the Philippines, St. Thérèse Columbarium is an elegant, practical, and ideal sanctuary for the interment of the ashes or bones of your departed loved ones. While some people might find it a bit eerie to be walking around a columbarium, a visit to St. Thérèse would prove to be a completely different experience. Clean, well-lit, very organized, and filled with lovely adornments, you will most likely feel like you’re walking around an elegant palace or an art museum rather than a columbarium. While there are a total of 37,944 imported vaults/niches around, visiting loved ones will feel very much at ease at St. Thérèse. Aside from being provided with security access cards to ensure safety and privacy in their every visit, they are also most welcome to say their prayers in the remembering chapel aptly called La Chapelle des Roses, a quaint yet well designed chapel with a seating capacity of 170 where Masses for the dearly departed can be offered.

To ensure utmost comfort for all visiting relatives and loved ones, St. Thérèse Columbarium is offering the option of either air-conditioned or Al Fresco vaults wherein each vault can accommodate four urns. Two wake chapels have also been put up for families who are still in mourning, while the La Bibliotheque des Memoirs or the virtual video library has been set up as another unique feature of the columbarium. Proving that goodbyes are not forever, this high-tech facility can store your most memorable pictures and videos of your loved ones that can be viewed whenever you and your family desire. A secured parking area at the basement is also provided for all visitors of the columbarium and Shrine for their convenience.

The next time you visit your departed loved ones, let go of whatever hurt or pain you may still be carrying in your heart, instead, remember St. Thérèse’s last words, “I did not die, I entered into life” and be comforted in knowing that wherever they may be now, like St. Thérèse, they lived a life well lived.

For more information on the Shrine of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the St. Thérèse Columbarium, do visit the site at Manlunas St., Villamor Air Base, Pasay City of call 853-9189. You can also visit its website www.Therese.ph.