Filipino BC Statement on the 40th Day of Mourning

Today, June 5, 2025, marks 40 days since the tragic events of April 26. Forty days of grieving, remembering, surviving, and supporting one another through unimaginable loss. In Filipino Catholic tradition, the 40th day holds deep spiritual meaning. It is believed that the soul remains close to us during these 40 days, before finding peace and fully departing from the physical world. This time is sacred: a moment to reflect, to offer prayers, and to let go with love.

For many of us, these past weeks have not felt real. The weight of this loss is still with us. The questions, the pain, the memories. They sit heavy in our hearts. And yet, in the quiet moments and in the loud ones, we have seen how grief brings people together. We have seen the power of community to hold space for sorrow and for strength.

We honour those we lost on April 26. We speak their names. Their lives mattered deeply, and so does the grief of those left behind. This is not closure. Healing does not follow a schedule. But today offers a moment to pause. To gather. To feel. And to remind ourselves that healing, while difficult, is possible when we do it together.

To all those who have shown up over the past 40 days: thank you. Your acts of care, big and small, have brought light into a very dark time. As we move forward, may we continue to honour those we lost not just in memory but in action, in justice, and in how we care for each other every day.

May their souls rest in peace. And may our community continue to find strength in each other.

Jenifer Darbellay, 50

Kira Ganapol Salim, 34

Vicky Bjarnason, 55

Glitza Daniela Samper, 30

Glitza Maria Caicedo-Samper, 60

Daniel Samper Toro, 65

Jendhel Sico, 27

Richard Le, 47

Katie Le, 5

Linh Hoang, 30

Nerissa Pagkanlungan, 46