Rafaela Dagoc

Rafaela Sideco Dagoc, endearingly known as “Feling”,“Mamang”,“Lola” and “Apu”, passed away peacefully in San Diego California on January 5th, 2023 after living a long, blessed and fulfilled life of 96 years. She was born to Fulgencio and Emilia Sideco on October 24th, 1926 as the sixth of their nine children in Santa Ana, Pampanga, Philippines. Rafaela outlived all of her siblings.

In her childhood and teenage years, Rafaela was an obedient daughter, a helpful sister to her siblings, and a very faithful young Catholic. It was during this time that she began a profound and deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, vowing to pray the Holy Rosary each day and committing to pray all mysteries of the Rosary every 13th day of the month in an evening vigil honoring Our Lady of Fatima. This practice continued into the last few months of her life. As she grew older, she completed her education at Centro Escolar University graduating with a degree in Education. Soon after, she began teaching Catechism at the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando. As a young adult, she began working at the Assessor’s Office of the City of San Fernando Pampanga, while also becoming involved with various Church organizations such as The Catholic Women’s League, the Confraternity of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart, the Confraternity of St. Joseph and Cursillo.

While making regular assessor visits at Camp Olivas, Pampanga, Rafaela met the love of her life, a handsome Philippine Soldier named Angel Dagoc. With the help of a mutual friend, a courtship between them ensued. Rafaela and Angel’s new found relationship was one filled with much sweetness and also joy. On one occasion, Angel brought Rafaela a monkey as a courtship gift. After some time, the two decided to have their union blessed by the Church in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. On September 15th 1955 the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, the two were married at Espiritu Santo Catholic Church in Santa Cruz, Manila.

Rafaela and Angel settled in San Fernando, Pampanga, starting their family together with the birth of their first child, Anamarie Cunanan. Less than a year later, Carmelita Sibal was born, followed by Annie Bautista, Maripaz Pinpin, Ferdinand Dagoc and lastly Anabelle Lagos. As a mother and a wife, Rafaela was hard working, disciplinary, caring, strong, compassionate and above all, very faithful to her God given vocation. One thing Rafaela prioritized was to pass on her Catholic Faith to her six children. She made sure to bring her family to Holy Mass every week and emphasized the importance of the daily recitation of the family Rosary. A house rule was that all children must be home by 6pm each day to pray the Angelus and the Rosary together before their altar. Furthermore, through much hard work and sacrificial love, Rafaela and Angel were able to send their six children to Catholic grade school, high school and college. From their six children, they were blessed with 16 grandchildren and eventually, 11 great grandchildren.

In the 1980’s, Rafaela and Angel were able to migrate to the United States through the help of their daughter Carmelita Sibal and son-in-law, Francisco Sibal who was actively serving in the United States Navy at the time. Once in the U.S., Rafaela was able to petition her other five children and grandchildren to migrate to this country. Rafaela’s new life in the States was one of continued sacrificial love as she helped to raise many of her grandchildren; cooking for them, teaching them, helping them with their school work and serving as a model of true Catholic piety for them. In addition, she regularly participated in parish Bible studies in which she would share inspirational reflections based on the weekly scripture readings, while continuing to pray the Rosary faithfully each day. Rafaela also enjoyed playing mahjong occasionally, taking the bus to the Swap Meet, buying McDonald’s for her grandchildren, cooking, watching The Filipino Channel and most of all, attending Holy Mass each week. Below are a few of the spiritual reflections Rafaela wrote in her journal:

“My highest goal in life is to be in union with Jesus in Heaven. My intention throughout the day must be guided by this truth in order to stay on the path which will lead me to the Eternal Kingdom.”

“My loving God, please grant me the glorious favor of pleasing you on earth. Always bless me with the right intentions, so that I will always seek to fulfil your Holy will in everything that I do. Your truth shall teach, guide and protect me in order not to fall into sin and be separated from you.”

“Mary is the most perfect of all mothers.”

“I am a loyal devotee to the Virgin Mother. I will not let a day pass without saying the Rosary.”

“I was Baptized as a Catholic and I will die as a Catholic.”

After losing her husband Angel in August, 2012, and her youngest daughter Anabelle in December, 2015, Rafaela continued to stay strong spiritually, but began to grow weaker physically. In recent years, she suffered from mild dementia, causing her to lose some of her cognitive skills and physical abilities. Even so, she continued to exercise with the use of her walker and began taking daily mental exercises and activities to stimulate her brain.

In the last month of her life, Rafaela was surrounded by the two things she loved most: Faith and Family. Her children and grandchildren gathered around her daily to pray the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and other devotional prayers. While she appeared asleep at times, she continued to pray with them, sometimes clasping her hands in prayer and glancing up at a statue of the Blessed Mother.

Rafaela’s life is one that was centered on Christ, Our Lady and family. Through God’s grace, she was completely nourished by her Faith while nourishing others as well. For almost a century, her relationship with Christ motivated her to live a life of prayer, sacrifice, love and service. Up to her dying breath, she knew to call on the Lord, to seek the intercession of Our Lady and to joyfully hope to be united with them one day.

A visitation for Rafaela will be held Thursday, February 9, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Glen Abbey Memorial Park and Mortuary, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902. A funeral service will occur Friday, February 10, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at St Michael, 2643 Homedale St, San Diego, CA 92139. A committal service will occur Friday, February 10, 2023 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Glen Abbey Memorial Park, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.glenabbeysandiego.net for the Dagoc family.