A new plant species in Arayat

My Monday morning was a greeted by a wonderful news: The Department of Environment and Natural resources (DENR) here in Region 3 announced in their Facebook page the discovery of a new plant species scientifically named Pyrostria arayatensis. What’s exciting about this discovery is that it was found in our province, within the Mount Arayat National Park (MANP) in Pampanga, hence the name ‘arayatensis’. It was discovered way back 2017 by a team from the Angeles University Foundation in Angeles City and University of Sto. Tomas in Manila.

The new species was discovered during the three-year botanical exploration in the mountain ranges of MANP. The study also revealed that P. arayatensis is endemic to the Philippines and known only from the type of locality, which occurs in the lowland forest of MANP. The conservation status of this species is still unknown.

The discovery was in 2017 but it was only made public recently because the verification process for newly discovered species takes years.The process,according to the website mongabay.com, starts by closely examining the species to first determine that it doesn't in fact belong to another already-described species. The specimen is compared to other similar species, including using descriptions and illustrations in published literature. If species appear very similar, genetic testing is increasingly used as a tool to determine new species.

Once the species is determined as new to science, researchers write a formal description of it, take photos and/ or provide illustrations, and invent a new scientific name. After completing the paper, researchers then submit it to a scientific journal. In the case of Pyrostria arayatensis, it was published in the international scientific journal of Annales Botanici Fennici on August 10, 2020.

The editor of the journal will circulate the new finding to other experts with those particular types of animals or plants. If the other experts agree that the new species is valid, the journal accepts the paper and the specimen officially becomes a new species. This process is long and often takes years between initial discovery and formal acceptance of the new speci es.

The discovery is a welcome news not just for Kapampangans, or Filipinos for that matter, but for all of humanity. We are currently experiencing a mass extinction of species. In fact, some species might become extinct before being discovered. The 2020 global Living Planet Index, a report published annually by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), shows an average of 68% fall in monitored populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish between 1970 and 2016. That’s only a 50-year period!

The main cause of the drops, according to the report, is habitat loss and degradation, including deforestation, as animals lose their grassland, savannah, forest and wetland habitats when humans clear land for agriculture, housing, roads, and development. Other important drivers include the overexploitation of species, climate change, and the

Virgin Mary appeared for ten years (at the time of the interview), here is taking place what is going to be unique, grandiose: the victory, the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the downfall of human errors, the change of the human heart, the creation of a new mentality, the beginning of a better world.”

In 2010, Bishop Carillo Gritti approved a series of decades-long apparitions to,Edson Glauber of Itapiranga, Brazil as being supernatural in origin. Edson quoted the Blessed Mother as having told him that “the Lord is returning to fulfill all his promises. His kingdom on earth will be as it is in Heaven. (July 8, 2000) “

The Blessed Mother also told Edson: “Strive for the kingdom of heaven; not long remains before your and the world's definitive liberation from all evil. God is sending me, your Most Holy Mother, in order to prepare you for the great final battle against all evil...You are already in the times of the great transformations of the world and the Lord God is already marking his chosen ones, those who are obedient to Heaven's voice. (September 29, 2003).

On March 23, 2004, Edson was also told: “I desire [ to have] saints for my kingdom of love. The earth will yet be a great paradise. First will come the sorrows, but then will come the great transformation, when all will be renewed and all things will be made new. Humanity will be revived in love and peace. Thus my kingdom on earth will be as in heaven. (March 23, 2004).”

The Blessed Mother also prophesied: “There will be no more suffering. There will be no more weeping. God will wipe away the tears of all those who hope with patience and do not lose faith. Little children, take heart. Courage. A while more and everything will be transformed. (August 7, 2005).”

Meanwhile, for older ones (including me) who probably have to cross the veil sooner than the young ones, there is reason, good reason, to look forward to prepare for birth into eternity (delightful phrase used by some saints in their earthly lifetime). Such preparation can include knowledge of how it is in the afterlife and this can be obtained from the Manuscript of Purgatory which is the series subject of this column.

To refresh background: the Manuscript is a historical document, approved by the Church, on the coversation between Sr. Mary of the Cross who was then a nun in a convent in Europe, and the deceased Sr. Mary Gabriel who was then still in Purgatory.

To continue from the last column, more Q and A between the two.

Sr. Mary of the Cross: Do you speak to each other in Purgatory?

Sr. Mary Gabriel: Souls communicate with each other when God permits it, and after the manner of souls, but without words. Yes, it is true Ispeak to you, but are you a spirit? Would you understand me if I did not pronounce words? But for myself, as God wills it so, I understand you without your pronouncing any words with your lips. There is communication between spirits and souls on earth. Thus when you have a good thought or a holy desire, they have been communicated to you by your Guardian Angel or by some saint, and sometimes by God Himself. That is the language of souls.

Sr. Mary of the Cross: Where is Purgatory situated?

Sr. Mary Gabriel: It is in the center of the earth, close to Hell, as you saw one day after Holy Communion. The large number of souls there are confined to a limited space. There are thousands and thousands of souls there. But then what space does a soul occupy? Each day thousands of souls come to Purgatory and most of them remain thirty to forty years, some for longer periods, others for shorter. I tell you this in terms of earthly calculations because here it is quite different. Oh, if people only knew and understood what Purgatory is and what it means to know that we are here through our own fault. I have been here eight years and it seems to me like ten thousand. (To be continued)