JES DO IT
I mentioned in my last post that Fr. Prudencio Macayan passed away after a lingering illness. I was (un)lucky enough to have him for one class when he filled in for an absent Mr. Oracion in 3rd year Geometry and he scared the beejeezus out of me. The stories about him did reach everywhere, especially the one about him admonishing some students for walking on the grass, relating that the grass was also a living thing. Word has it that one day, someone saw Fr. Macayan hightailing it through a field muttering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" over and over under his breath.
With Macayan's death, it seems that the Jesuits I knew in High school are almost all gone. Our afterburn-crazy Principal Fr. Cruz passed away years ago along with my two most favorite Irish Jesuits, Fr. Jim O'Brien and Bro. Jim Dunne.
Father OB was the founder of the TD program and we actually had him in fourth year. Incidentally, we were also his last lecture class ever, so that holds great significance to us. Two years after graduating high school, the lumbering giant with the safari hat got called back by the Big Guy.
Bro.Dunne was as sly as Fr. OB was simple. He always had a funny story to tell and a goofy expression on his face. He was suffering from sclerosis even before we set foot on the high school campus but no one ever heard him utter a word of complaint. The most common thing he'd talk about was his love for San Miguel Beer. He died last year after being bedridden for nine months.
I don't even know what happened to Fr.Perez, who would put-put around campus on his moped.
Now, the only remnant of the Jesuit presence from my high school days is Fr.Mac Reyes who always got close to the athletes in school (hmmmm...).
Very litle of the high school today resembles the institution back in my time. Maybe a big part of it was the Jesuit Factor. You'll never find another bunch of more interesting guys.
With Macayan's death, it seems that the Jesuits I knew in High school are almost all gone. Our afterburn-crazy Principal Fr. Cruz passed away years ago along with my two most favorite Irish Jesuits, Fr. Jim O'Brien and Bro. Jim Dunne.
Father OB was the founder of the TD program and we actually had him in fourth year. Incidentally, we were also his last lecture class ever, so that holds great significance to us. Two years after graduating high school, the lumbering giant with the safari hat got called back by the Big Guy.
Bro.Dunne was as sly as Fr. OB was simple. He always had a funny story to tell and a goofy expression on his face. He was suffering from sclerosis even before we set foot on the high school campus but no one ever heard him utter a word of complaint. The most common thing he'd talk about was his love for San Miguel Beer. He died last year after being bedridden for nine months.
I don't even know what happened to Fr.Perez, who would put-put around campus on his moped.
Now, the only remnant of the Jesuit presence from my high school days is Fr.Mac Reyes who always got close to the athletes in school (hmmmm...).
Very litle of the high school today resembles the institution back in my time. Maybe a big part of it was the Jesuit Factor. You'll never find another bunch of more interesting guys.
