Photo courtesy of the Archdiocesan Archives of Manila

Last October 14, 2004, the PRAYER WARRIORS OF THE HOLY SOULS had the privilege of being the singular sponsor of the mass commemorating the 55th death anniversary of Archbishop Michael J. O’Doherty of Manila.

The PWHS promptly responded to the invitation extended by Msgr. Nestor Cerbo, parish priest of the Basilica of the Immaculate Concepcion (also known as the Manila Cathedral Intramuros) to participate in the mass celebrated by His Excellency, Gaudencio Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, by sending members of its core group and its Auxiliary group. They in turn provided the liturgical support, sang the songs and literally provided company to what would have been an empty place.

Archbishop Rosales shared to those present in his homily, that last year, there were only two of them present for the mass for Arch. O’ Doherty: He and Msgr. Cerbo. Then Arch. Rosales quickly corrected himself. He added that in fact there were five of them: He, Msgr. Cerbo, and the three other Archbishops of Manila who were interred in the crypt: Archbishop O’ Doherty, Rufino J. Cardinal Santos, and Archbishop Gabriel Reyes. Since Archbishop O’Doherty has no relatives here, memorial masses for him would have practically no one in attendance.

Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales, D.D., Archbishop of Manila

In his homily, Archbishop Rosales talked about the emotional sufferings of Archbishop O’ Doherty during the war. He was almost imprisoned, but instead, his secretary, the then Fr. Rufino Santos (who later became Archbishop of Manila and the first Filipino Cardinal) was taken by the Japanese.

Archbishop O’ Doherty was an Irishman born on July 30, 1874 in Charlestown, Ireland. He was first appointed Bishop of Gibraltar and Zamboanga. He was formally installed as Archbishop of Manila on December 14, 1916. He was the archbishop during the 1937 International Eucharistic Congress in Manila; he founded the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), and introduced the Legion of Mary in the Philippines.

He died in 1949, and his tomb is beside his faithful and devoted secretary, Rufino J. Cardinal Santos.

It is not often that select PWHS members get a chance to be with church personages. But how lucky can one get? After mass, Archbishop Rosales and Msgr. Cerbo joined the PWHS group for breakfast, where Msgr. Cerbo extended the invitation to PWHS to annually sponsor the memorial mass for Arch. O’ Doherty. PWHS, represented by Deputy Executive Director Carlos Oda and Core Group member Mitch G. Monfort readily accepted. Thus it came to be, that the PWHS has "adopted" Archbishop Michael J. O’ Doherty.

By Mitch Monfort, PWHS Core Group Member