FULL TEXT: Dizon family's testimony on poverty at the Encounter with Families

I’m happy to introduce my family to every one of you.

We are the Dizon Family and we live in Barangay Krus Na Ligas, Quezon City, a small community with a big population, living a simple life.

We do not have much, but amidst poverty, we find ourselves rich in graces from God, graces that are priceless.

Our mother is Francisca Dizon. When she was nine years old, our grandparents tasked her to take good care of the small and old chapel in our community which later became a parish.

She was the president of the Sacred Heart of Jesus’ group and the Altar Ladies or the Mother Butlers Guilld and until now, she is still an active member of the organization.

Our father, Sixto Dizon, was one of the young people who fought against the Japanese in World War II. He was a member of our barangay peace and order committee. Since our parents are actively serving the community  and the  church, they’re  able  to  influence  us  and  their  grandchildren  who  are  now  members  of  different organizations such as Family and Life Ministry, Music Ministry, Lectors and Commentators, Knights of the Altar, and Youth Ministry.

My sister became the president of Parish Pastoral Council when it was still a mini parish and it’s also during her leadership that it was established as the parish of Krus Na Ligas, now Holy Cross Parish.

All the organizations reunited for one goal and that is to enrich not only the works related to the church but for the whole community as well. These are just some of the priceless graces we have amidst poverty and simplicity.

More than economic difficulties, manifold of challenges strengthen the faith and relationship of the people of Krus Na Ligas.

And, our family actively participated in every struggle that our community had. When UP tried take the small farm field that our parents and other people cultivated and harvested crops, the only source of living at that time, it was a moment of almost losing everything, losing the only thing that we have.

The sound of the church’s bell signaled the people to go out of their houses and fight for their rights.

It was a victory, for the invasion of the community’s land was unsuccessful and that’s because of the love and cooperation of the people, and of their deep faith.

Another big struggle was the supposed construction of a building in front of the church. And again, the residents of the community didn’t fail to show how firm they were in their faith, that the said project would not bring any significant effect to the community particularly to the churchgoers.

Our mother is a living witness and one of the reasons why the project was not pursued. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? God is always with us.

We do not have much, but God also granted us the grace to be part in the formation of priests and religious men, as we served as foster family to many of them; seminarians and religious from San Carlos Seminary, Franciscan Missionaries and San Jose Seminary including our beloved archbishop, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who stayed with us during his exposure as a seminarian.
 

A Christian family is not a perfect family. We are indeed a big family with 11 siblings, 40 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

There are times of misunderstandings, frustrations, differences in principles. But all our experiences in the past brought us here now as a Christian family, living in

mercy and compassion. Our family strongly believe that we will surpass life’s challenges as long as we are together and with the help of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

We will continue to serve and help our fellow men, and our beloved Barangay Krus Na Ligas. We are rich not in material things but in graces and blessings from above that nothing in this world can ever give; the grace of faith, community and family.

We are the Dizon Family from Krus na Ligas, and we live by the footsteps of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. AMEN.

Source: Holy See Press Office, delivered in Filipino