A tribute to our beloved priest

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” William Arthur Ward

Our beloved Fr. Victor has passed away. I didn't know him all too well. I see him as a priest during mass and confession while I was in college. I read his book. He autographed it and wrote, "set the world on fire!" I visited him when he was in the assisted-living community once. Most of the stories about him, I heard from my buddy who interacts with him and knows him in a more personal level.  So, I don't have the credentials in saying much about who he is as a whole. But what I do know through my little interactions with him sticks in my heart deeply.

In my capacity as a penitent sinner in the confession room, he acted as a loving Father forgiving my sins. Most times I was there, he would ask me, "do you know the memorare?" and I would always say, "I can learn father." but he then replied, "oh it's ok, say x number of hail mary then." After he gave his absolution for my sins, he would say with his whole heart, "and please pray for me." It always bugged me that I never knew nor wanted to learn the memorare prayer while I was in college. Later in life, I would remember it dearly, and say the prayer, while remembering him and this incident at the confession room.

Whenever he would say mass, he would say it reverently. He paused and savored each sentences of the  eucharistic prayers. His most memorable homily for me, which he would use more than once, is the story of a just man. He would say (I'm paraphrasing), "You see, in the bible, only a few people were called 'the just man'. It is a title of honor to be called 'the just man'. Abraham and David were among them. But the proverbs say, 'For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.' They fell! Even the just man fell seven times! So, when you sin, don't give up. Rise again..." Whenever I sinned, I would remember this homily, went to confession, and try again.

The most personal encounter that I had with him was when I had a chance to visit him last year during the 4th of July weekend. This buddy of mine already had an appointment and asked me whether I would come with him or not. I said yes. By that time Father was weak. Really weak. But he was still in a good spirit. He joked around saying to us, "Do you want to see my acrobatic move?" He was talking about the way he went from his bed to his wheel chair and how he did it in such a way that it looked acrobatic. His sense of humor taught me: all that we can do is to make the best of each situation that we are faced in.

He then asked me what I'm doing. He made comments about Notre Dame and its catholic identity, in the light of Obama's speech and honorary degree back in 2009. It was for me a daily reminder that there is much to be done in my capacity as a student to keep my own identity as an intentional catholic and the institution that I am serving right now.

We then sat down and he told the story on how this sickness all started. There were misdiagnosis, and it was a lot of suffering on his part. But what most struck me was his first couple of sentences. He said, "I used to start my day at 5 in the morning. I would then walk for an hour..." When I heard this, I knew that it's embarrassing to admit at that time to him, that I was weak physically compared to him who's twice my age before the sickness hit him hard! He really inspired me to exercise and to keep my health in check.

After the conversation, it was time for lunch. He said that he wanted pizza and beers for lunch. So we bought a large pizza and a pack of beer for all of us to enjoy. Then he gave us his final blessings. It touched my heart deeply on how he did it: simple, but really intentional. It saddens me that he is gone from this earth. But, we all know that he will be there in heaven, being our intercessor for us in God's throne of mercy. And for that, I am forever grateful for him.

"Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen"