The English-speaking Pope John 23rd Parish in Geneva was packed with Filipinos who joined Fr. Richard de Lord in celebrating the requiem mass for ex-president Cory Aquino last Wednesday, 5 August.

This, in spite of the fact that arrangements have only been finalized Monday night and that the announcements were sent out only on Tuesday, one day before the mass took place.

It was a solemn mass attended by nearly 300 people who filled the Pope John 23rd Parish Center.

Commenting on the attendance, Neneth Mendoza, an OFW who works at the World Trade Organization (WTO) remarked, "I think the big turnout is really a reflection of how well she is loved and honored by the Filipinos."

This was followed by her friend Fem Paladin, another OFW working at the World Health Organization (WHO) who lamented the loss of the former president, "We will miss her leadership and moral authority."

A number of those who attended expressed sorrow for the death of their beloved "Tita Cory" [Aunt Cory].

Freddie Clemente, a longtime Geneva resident, stated that they are offering this mass in honor of the hero of the 1986 People Power Revolution in order to show "... love for Tita Cory and our love for our inang bayan [motherland]."

"Nakakalungkot. Siya ang presidente na nagbangon ng demokrasya sa Pilipinas [It's sad. She's the president who brought back democracy to the Philipines]," Delfi Atienza said.

Atienza just came back from Italy working for his employer. He is the typical OFW struggling to make a living to send money back home to the Philippines.

Another OFW, Vivian Bendo, expressed similar sentiments, "Malungkot ako. Napamahal na si Cory sa akin [I feel sad. Cory has been dear to me.]" Her husband Wency who was with her added, "Cory made us proud to be Filipinos."

Wency was referring to the People Power revolution which Aquino led that toppled the Marcos dictatorship 23 years ago.

Susana Amboy, 72 years old and a Milan resident who happens to be visiting her daughters in Geneva when the much-loved president died, reminisced the days when Cory was leading the fight for democracy.

"Napakabuting tao ni Cory. Simula pa noong namatay si Ninoy, napalapit na ang kalooban naming pamilya sa kanya [Cory is a very good person. Ever since Ninoy died, our family have felt that we are close to her]," she narrated.

Ninoy was the former president's husband whose death galvanized the nation and convinced her to lead the opposition in fighting Marcos.

Joseph Sycip of Ugnayang Bayan said, "She will remain alive and well in the hearts and minds of all freedom loving Filipinos," while Art Sandoval of Couples for Christ stated, “We surely will miss her, but at the same time we will remain inspired by the way she responded to her calling, a wife, a mother, a leader and a woman of God,”

Ugnayang Bayan and Couples for Christ along with the Filipino Catholic Community Group under Sr. Merlyn Agsalon collaborated on behalf of the Philippine Catholic Mission of Switzerland (PCM Swiss) to have the requiem mass be held on the day of Aquino's burial.

Outside Geneva, Father Benignus Ogbunanwata, the Nigerian parish priest of St. Pirmin Parish in Pfungen, Winterthur, conveys his sympathies to all Filipinos in an email and assures them of his prayers.

Bishop Precioso Cantillas, chairman of CBCP-ECMI (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People) that, to a certain extent, oversees PCM Swiss, sends his greetings from Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Notwithstanding the situation, he is pleased to learn of the efforts that the PCM Swiss is making in expressing its concern on the events taking place in the Philippines.

On the former president, he has this to say, "She gave a great part of her life for the country and our people especially in restoring to us democracy. She also showed us by her being prayerful that God should have a part in leading and governing the people."

The requiem was attended by members of the Philippine diplomatic corps led by Ambassadors Erlinda Basilio and Manuel Teehankee.