BIOGRAPHY

Caridad Papa was born Caridad Ayala CuUnjieng in Manila, Philippines, on 14 August 1913, as seventh of 11 (surviving) children born to parents Guillermo Araullo Cu Unjieng (邱允衡; Qiu Yunheng) (1865/6–1953) and Dominga Ayala (1877–1957). Six of her siblings were: Magdalena, Mariano, Esperanza, Leonor, Josefa, and Leopoldo. Her father, originally from Zhenjiang, China, moved to the Philippines at 17 and later became a founder of successful finance, banking, and insurance companies. He also served as first president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Her mother was a housewife who gave birth to 19 children, but only 11 survived to adulthood. Papa attended Assumption School in Manila, which was run by French nuns.

At some point, she married Miguel Papa, and the couple had five children: Michael, Myron, Ramon, Josette, and Candy. After being widowed in 1965, she said this loss only strengthened her faith. She frequently traveled between the Philippines and the U.S. to visit her children until she decided to settle permanently in California in 1979. For 20 years, she lived in Arcadia with her daughter Candy before moving in with another daughter, Josette, in Monrovia in 2005.

In her free time, she excelled at bowling and won numerous trophies. While she once loved to read, in her later years, she preferred watching TV, enjoying soap operas, game shows, sitcoms, and, most of all, movies. Papa also loved to travel and took her daughters on trips to Europe. Just before her 85th birthday in 1998, Papa joined a group on a pilgrimage to Rome, accompanied by her daughters. During their visit, she received a blessing from St. Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square. To assist her during the trip, she rented a wheelchair due to the extensive walking involved. Because she was in the wheelchair, the Vatican guards noticed her, and she was selected as one of five individuals to receive a special blessing.

When asked about the secret to her longevity, she attributed it to God, saying, “God is the only one who knows. I just leave everything to God.” At the age of 107, she wasn’t on any prescribed medications or dietary restrictions, although she did wear a hearing aid. She continued to celebrate Mass every Saturday at 5 p.m. until the coronavirus pandemic closed church buildings. By that time, her three sons all passed away due to cancer, and one grandchild in a boating accident. At the time, she had two living daughters, 15 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* Guillermo Araullo Cu Unjieng family graves – Wikipedia Commons

* Caridad Ayala CuUnjieng – Geni

* “107-year-old from Monrovia by way of Arcadia dances through life” – San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 7 August 2020

* “Meet the LA Catholic who’s lived through two pandemics” – Angelus News, 15 September 2020

* “Monrovia supercentenarian wishes no more wars on her 110th birthday” – San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 12 August 2023

GALLERY