Farewell Bishop Boy
Yesterday the Archdiocese of Cebu laid to rest retired Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu, Emilio Bataclan at the Cathedral Mausoleum. He was 85 years old. Being from Bantayan Island like him, I volunteered to be one of the pall bearers for his funeral. As we escorted him to his resting place, I realized it was his last and final earthly journey. He was going home to the Father.
In that instant, it flashed to my memory the very first time I met him. It was in the Holy Land sometime in 1994 with a group of Filipino bishops doing a pilgrimage. I was a student of theology; he was a young bishop. I joined their despedida dinner before they return to the Philippines. The last time I saw him was on June 24. I planned to visit him in the afternoon after the first profession of our Salesian Novices. But on my way to PSH, I received a text message that he expired at 12:55pm. Arriving at Room 707 where he was confined, I gave him a conditional absolution on his death bed. Another priest arrived to give him the last rite. The atmosphere has become heavy and heartbreaking. But we all smiled and clapped as we sang his favorite hymn: De Colores!
I learned three powerful lessons from his life and ministry:
- His humility. He was a simple and frugal prelate. Though he could be strict to impose discipline, yet he was kind and fatherly. He had to airs. He had a big and generous heart. His whole life was defined by service. His name BOY defined his personality: he was at the service of everyone and especially to the Lord.
- His humor. He was the joy of the community. There was always smile and mirth when he is present. His humor was contagious, viral and explosive. He was a very good storyteller. His homily is always long but full of wit and fun. There was never a dull moment with him.
- His hope. Bishop Boy saw his life and ministry with a strong sense of optimism. He was always able to see the bright side of life despite the real misery of our situation. He gives us a window of positivity to be able to laugh and move forward despite our desperation. He teaches us to look beyond and never give up because God is with us.
My takeaway: We only have few opportunities to make a difference. Bishop Boy capitalized on those moments to show us the power of striving to become good. For this, thank you so much Bishop Boy. 😇💚
