WHAT is a vanguard? Vanguard is a version of the French word avant-garde meaning “front guard” or being at the helm of any movement, be it an advancing army or an enterprise.
But more than mere presence, the loftiness of vanguard status lies in the essence of excellence and integrity which very few people get to maintain as they rise towards popularity and success.
The constant vigilance to sanctify every work of hand marks the vanguard leadership. Its legacy is proclaimed in the longevity and strength of the mission in which it thrives.
Last June 17 at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City, the book “The Vanguard of the East” by the Spanish faithful Ana Labrada was officially launched in Negros Island.
Published by the Center for Research and Communication-University of Asia and the Pacific, it documents the wonderful memories of the expansion of Opus Dei in the Philippines through the letters sent by the author to her family back in Spain.
Expressed through Ana’s wit and insightful reflections are her experiences living in the country and the role of the apostolic work here that became a catalyst for the spread of the work in Southeast Asia.
Translated by the multi-lingual and international literature awardee Daisy Lopez, “The Vanguard of the East” can be compared to an exciting travelogue. The translation from Spanish to English successfully captures the spirit of Ana’s journey, allowing readers to peek into the stories hidden behind some of the country’s greatest historical events.
In the years between 1965 and 1995 when the country was plunged into political unrest, mass migration, and natural disasters, the continued expansion of the apostolate remained strong and became the foundation of the many Opus Dei centers in the region.
Through education, doctrine classes, and vocational activities, what started in Manila started to spread to Cebu, Davao, and Bacolod.
Today, through Kasanag Center, EduChild Bacolod, and the Visayan Center for Hotel and Restaurant Services, the sanctification of everyday, ordinary life is channeled to more women, more families, and more organizations.
Blessed Alvaro del Portillo during his visit in the Philippines on April 13, 1976 said, “Every time the Founder of Opus Dei (St. Jose Maria Escriva) met up with Filipinos, he often told them very affectionately, ‘You who are the vanguard of the Catholic Church throughout the East, you are welcome and well received everywhere. You are like a miracle of God there in the East, a nation that is so Catholic with so much devotion to the Blessed Virgin, with so much love for Our Lord in the Eucharist.’ The Father had a lot of hope and trust in his Filipino daughters and sons, and you cannot downplay that hope and disappoint him now, as he watches from heaven.”