Angel Sicam
Venny was a dear friend at UP. We played in the ROTC band. We also formed the modern jazz quintet with the late jaime austria and rey naluz.
We lost contact for 40 years.
Birth date: May 22, 1946 Death date: Mar 12, 2020
After a brief illness, Venerando Villapando passed away in his sleep on March 12, 2020. He was 73 years old. Venny, as he was known to his family and friends, immigrated to New York in 1970 from the Philippines with his then wife, Read Obituary
Venny was a dear friend at UP. We played in the ROTC band. We also formed the modern jazz quintet with the late jaime austria and rey naluz.
We lost contact for 40 years.
I want to share Venny’s return to the Catholic Church that he shared with me in 2008 that was published in the Honolulu Advertiser.
“ When I left the Catholic church some 40 years ago, I wanted to "make something of myself" without having an authority figure like the church telling me what was right and what was wrong. I was in college then and living on campus, the first time I was ever away from home and family. For several decades I thought I had the luxury of personal freedom, but over time and much worldly experience, I actually felt lost and empty. I wasn't alone.
My wife, Jessica, also left the church, feeling exactly the way I did. Without realizing God had always been with us, we embarked on a soul-searching spiritual journey. That was in 1999.
I must say it has been a circuitous road scouring many different churches and religions before we finally found our way back home. In 2000, known as the Jubilee Year, a "time for harvest and renewal" as declared by Pope John Paul II, we returned to the Catholic church and it was a most joyous and humbling experience! We now realize that when we were you!
ng it was trendy to disdain traditional values. We saw the church as archaic, full of cobwebs and old rituals. Today, we have enthusiastically reconnected to those rules of right living taught by our church and ministered through the holy sacraments and the celebration of the Mass.
Though our experiences were unique to us, I know there are many others out there who are still lost, still wandering aimlessly. Realizing the serious need to welcome those back into the fold, the church is now pressing ahead to find ways to achieve this difficult challenge.
After all, a survey of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops found that one-third to one-half of registered parishioners are inactive, attending Mass infrequently or not at all.
In 1992, Sally Mews wrote "Inviting Catholics Home," a result of many years of working with inactive Catholics in a program she pioneered, Catholics Returning Home. Mews found people leave the church for many reasons: boredom, indifference, ign!
orance and misunderstanding of the basic beliefs, anger and hu!
rt (real
or perceived) caused by representatives of the church, and anger at God. Like Jessica and I, some have mentioned having drifted away during college years while struggling with life choices and searching for their own identity.
In January 2005 the Catholics Returning Home Program started here when the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa offered the pilot program with the Rev. Gary Colton. Since then, several other parishes on O'ahu and the Big Island set up their own programs.
It is heartening to know that our church today is making an earnest effort to reach out to those who haven't quite made it back home yet.
Jessica and I are so grateful to God. We now experience the luxury of peace, joy, love and simplicity in ways we've never imagined. Before, we used to be so driven in everything we did, which brought us untold stress and fatigue. It's a wonder we're still alive!
Today, we find time to do God's work and it's a joy serving even in the simplest ways. We hope, in sharing!
our experience, those who haven't made the bold step might consider there is a joyous life awaiting them in God's embrace. “
Venny Villapando currently serves in various ministries at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa.See information on the upcoming Catholics Returning Home classes in this week's Faith calendar.
Glad I was able to talk to Venny on the phone for the last time before my wife and I traveled to Manila in February. May you rest in peace. Pray for us as well. Love you bro.
My dearest brother, Venny,
The moment I heard that you went on to follow Jessica, my initial reaction, of course was to burst into tears and tried my best to let the news sink in to me. I remembered what you said to me before about enjoying life to the fullest so when it’s time to go, you won’t have any regrets at all. God did plan your life perfectly - enjoying life and leaving at a perfect and peaceful time. I envy you so much that I made you as my life model. I have so many things to thank for everything that you did for me. Some very significant events in my life that would not be possible without your support. Let me mention just one of them:
March 11, 1967 (Saturday) - It was my 9th birthday. You arrived home early in the morning bringing some laundry from your UP dorm and you told me to dress up quickly since you’re taking me out and not to mention to Mom where we’re going. We went to UP straight to Abelardo hall where the UP Symphony was rehearsing at that time. It was my very 1st experience to listen to a live orchestra and I was so happy and excited to meet some of the musicians during their break. I remember meeting Celso G. (ate Aida’s late husband), Francis Dandan (deceased), Mrs. Ilano, and a few others. I can’t remember who’s conducting but the piece was Egmont Overture (coincidentally, my first piece to rehearse with the PYO also at Abelardo hall with Prof. Esmilla). Later, we went to Little Quiapo to have lunch and you asked me if I like the orchestra. I told you that I want to be an orchestra member and I’ll make sure that happens.
I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for you, dearest brother. To tell you, honestly, you are the only person, brother, and friend who did not frown or get mad at me. You were always in smiles every time you were with me. Thanks for looking and taking care of me since my childhood years…
I love you very much and I miss you already…
Sincerely,
Vernon (Vernie)
My dearest brother, Venny,
The moment I heard that you went on to follow Jessica, my initial reaction, of course was to burst into tears and tried my best to let the news sink in to me. I remembered what you said to me before about enjoying life to the fullest so when it’s time to go, you won’t have any regrets
at all. God did plan your life perfectly - enjoying life and leaving at a perfect and peaceful time. I envy you so much that I made you as my life model. I have so many things to thank for everything that you did for me. Some very significant events in my life that would not be possible without your support. Let me mention just a few of them:
March 11, 1967 (Saturday) - It was my 9th birthday. You arrived home early in the morning bringing some laundry from your UP dorm and you told me to dress up quickly since you’re taking me out and not to mention to Mom where we’re going. We went to UP straight to Abelardo hall where the UP Symphony was rehearsing at that time. It was my very 1st experience to listen to a live orchestra and I was so happy and excited to meet some of the musicians during their break. I remember meeting Celso G. (ate Aida’s late husband), Francis Dandan (deceased), Mrs. Ilano, and a few others. I can’t remember who’s conducting but the piece was Egmont Overture (coincidentally, my first piece to rehearse with the PYO also at Abelardo hall with Prof. Esmilla). Later, we went to Little Quiapo to have lunch and you asked me if I like the orchestra. I told you that I want to be an orchestra member and I’ll make sure that happens.
Walter Carlos 2 “Switched On Bach” albums - I can’t remember when this happened but I was a junior at the UST Conservatory. I only read great reviews of these albums and said to myself that if I ask you to send me copies of the lp, it would take 2 months before it arrives. So, one day, I receive a call from a certain “Bill” who’s detailed as the chief security officer of UN head, Kurt Waldheim. He said that he is willing to hand me a “present” from my brother in New York and we agreed on a time since I have straight classes, I will meet him along the driveway of our building. Two black limos stopped in front of me with my classmates behind and a burly white guy in black suite alighted and shook my hand and gave me the records. “It was nice to meet Venny’s kid brother, Vernon” and off they went. My classmates and people nearby were stunned. I could only tell them that that’s my Kuya Venny’s friend .
And many, many, many more… I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for you, dearest brother. To tell you, honestly, you are the only person, brother, and friend who did not frown or got mad at me. You were always in smiles every time you were with me. Thanks for looking and taking care of me since my childhood years…
I love you very much and I miss you already…
Sincerely,
Vernon (Vernie)
My dearest brother, Venny,
The moment I heard that you went on to follow Jessica, my initial reaction, of course was to burst into tears and tried my best to let the news sink in to me. I remembered what you said to me before about enjoying life to the fullest so when it’s time to go, you won’t have any regrets at all. God did plan your life perfectly - enjoying life and leaving at a perfect and peaceful time. I envy you so much that I made you as my life model. I have so many things to thank for everything that you did for me. Some very significant events in my life that would not be possible without your support. Let me mention just a few of them:
March 11, 1967 (Saturday) - It was my 9th birthday. You arrived home early in the morning bringing some laundry from your UP dorm and you told me to dress up quickly since you’re taking me out and not to mention to Mom where we’re going. We went to UP straight to Abelardo hall where the UP Symphony was rehearsing at that time. It was my very 1st experience to listen to a live orchestra and I was so happy and excited to meet some of the musicians during their break. I remember meeting Celso G. (ate Aida’s late husband), Francis Dandan (deceased), Mrs. Ilano, and a few others. I can’t remember who’s conducting but the piece was Egmont Overture (coincidentally, my first piece to rehearse with the PYO also at Abelardo hall with Prof. Esmilla). Later, we went to Little Quiapo to have lunch and you asked me if I like the orchestra. I told you that I want to be an orchestra member and I’ll make sure that happens.
Walter Carlos 2 “Switched On Bach” albums - I can’t remember when this happened but I was a junior at the UST Conservatory. I only read great reviews of these albums and said to myself that if I ask you to send me copies of the lp, it would take 2 months before it arrives. So, one day, I receive a call from a certain “Bill” who’s detailed as the chief security officer of UN head, Kurt Waldheim. He said that he is willing to hand me a “present” from my brother in New York and we agreed on a time since I have straight classes, I will meet him along the driveway of our building. Two black limos stopped in front of me with my classmates behind and a burly white guy in black suite alighted and shook my hand and gave me the records. “It was nice to meet Venny’s kid brother, Vernon” and off they went. My classmates and people nearby were stunned. I could only tell them that that’s my Kuya Venny’s friend .
And many, many, many more… I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for you, dearest brother. To tell you, honestly, you are the only person, brother, and friend who did not frown or got mad at me. You were always in smiles every time you were with me. Thanks for looking and taking care of me since my childhood years…
I love you very much and I miss you already…
Sincerely,
Vernon (Vernie)
A life of the party, endless jokes and joking around, and just an all around lovely man. On Brooks St. near Mosswood Park in Oakland, Ca., Venny lived in the downstairs flat with Thelma and others. I lived upstairs with Deby A., Cindy D., Wicks G. and Nene O. Sometimes we’d take dinner downstairs or sometimes they came upstairs but it was one of the most enjoyable and fun filled times ever, and Venny was usually at the center of making us all laugh.
Hang tight Venny, we’ll all meet again soon.