Requiescat In Pace

“In one month, four bishops of Mindanao have died,” Davao Archbishop, Romulo Valles said in his homily at the Wake Mass of Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar. He was the Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Tandag who died on February 1, 2024 at 10:27am while at the San Pedro Hospital in Davao City due to diabetes and kidney complications. He was 83.

Two hours later on that same day, another bishop, the Bishop Emeritus Honesto C. Pacana, SJ of Malaybalay Diocese also died at 12:33pm in a hospital in Cagayan de Oro City. He was 91.

Early this year, January 2, the local church of Davao was shocked with the news of the passing away of Bishop Ronald I. Lunas, 57, due to complications following his heart bypass operation at the Southern Philippines Medical Center Heart Institute in Davao City. He was the current bishop of the Diocese of Pagadian. Four days later, another bishop of Davao also died, the Davao Archbishop Emeritus Fernando R. Capalla on January 6 at 1:38am in his residence at Catalunan Grande. Bishop Nanding as he was fondly called, left instructions not to be brought again to the hospital after his confinement during the holidays because according to him, “I am ready to go.” He was 89.

Both Bishop Emeritus Nereo Odchimar of Tandag and Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla of Davao headed the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); Odchimar in 2009-2011 and Capalla on 2003-2005. CBCP is the collegial body of bishops which officials have a two-year tenure in office.

“St. Paul says, ‘death is the last enemy to conquer,’” Archbishop Valles continued saying in his homily. “We walk on this earth and at the end we die. But death is not our destiny because Jesus, the definitive, the summit of the act of saving us embraced death for us; he took our fate, the pain of death…. We are not afraid of dying because the Lord is with us and we will be rewarded with the promise of eternal life.”

Archbishop Valles or Archbishop Muloy to his peers and friends succeeded Archbishop Capalla in 2012 and also became the CBCP President for two terms from 2017 to 2021.

Archbishop Muloy went on saying in his homily that “in the mystery of the Eucharist, in the Holy Communion, we eat the Bread of Life, the Viaticum, ‘via’ meaning ‘the way’, ‘ti’ means ‘you’, and ‘cum’ means ‘with’, that is the Bread of the journey…to the house of God. Every Mass is Misa sa patay. We need our certainty in Jesus when death comes and we are sure of the company of Jesus.”

The four bishops, Bishops Lunas, Capalla, Odchimar and Pacana, may have lived their lives to the full, with profound depth and meaning. Eulogies from their peers and the people in their dioceses were words of gratitude by either their personal experience with them or by their keen observation of their utmost zeal and dedication, these bishops have demonstrated as teachers and sanctifiers to their flock. These bishops were greatly recognized inside and outside the church for their pastoral activities and apostolic programs. Bishop Lunas, installed Bishop of Pagadian in 2019, was the Chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Basic Ecclesial Communities. One prelate made a remark that “BECs (GKKs) are in his genes” as he was often seen officiating Masses at the chapels even up to the small villages which is “seldom done by a bishop,” one parishioner remarked.

Davao Archbishop Capalla was widely known for his advocacy in inter-religious and interfaith dialogue, and in peace and unity settlement efforts in the region of Davao and beyond where diverse cultures, religion and faith have caused issues of hostility and war over the decades.

While Bishop Odchimar, himself a canon lawyer who once headed the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Canon Law, went extra mile from the confines of the Matrimonial Tribunal. He was with the stand of the people protecting the integrity of the environment by being vocal against illegal logging and mining found rampant in the Diocese of Tandag. He led the investigation of illegal logging and mining activities that had caused huge flooding in the area.

Bishop Pacana, a priest of the Society of Jesus and remarkably known “honest” true to his name ‘Honesto’ by his people in Malaybalay where he was installed bishop in 1994, served the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education. In a province of diverse faith and cultures, Bishop Oni as he was fondly called said that “the root of the problems in our society is caused by the lack of catechesis, lack of faith.”

The four bishops, in their “basic reciprocal relationship with the Transcendental Lover who is the Lord of creation, history and intimacy called them to be Christic stewards and peacebringers to liberate people from evil, de-humanization, alienation, and death” (to use the theological terminologies of Fr. William Malley, an American SJ priest who also died this year in January 18 at the age of 86. He founded the Ignatian Institute of Religious Education Foundation [IIREF], a theological institute in Davao and was awarded with the prestigious Datu Bago Award).

To the four named bishops, may eternal rest grant unto you and let Perpetual Light shine upon you.

Requiscate in Pace.

(Cynthia Chu)