KAKATHA News Events 2013
Dated: June 5, 2013
 |
| The Sunpayco-Sumpaico Jesuits: (from left to right) Rev. Fr. Leonel Wenceslao Sumpaico, S.J. (deceased), Rev. Fr. Simplicio Sangalang Sunpayco, S.J. and Rev. Fr. Joaquin Jose Mari Casimiro Sumpaico, S.J. This photograph was taken during Fr. Jonjee's diaconal ordination. |
Homily
of Rev. Fr. Simplicio Sangalang Sunpayco, S.J. (Mercado) at the wake
mass for Rev. Fr. Leonel Wenceslao Sumpaico, S.J. presided by the
Most Rev. Honesto Ongtioco, D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Cubao on
May 8, 2013.
Magandang
gabi po sa inyong lahat.
Allow
me to begin this homily with some clarifications which I hope
will not add to the confusion regarding the relations of these
Jesuits with family names spelled differently.
We
are three Sumpaico
- Sunpayco
Jesuits. Here are some introductory data:
First
is Fr. Joaquin Sumpaico III, 41 yrs old, a Jesuit in 1995, ordained
priest in 2006. There he is beside our bishop Honesto Ongtioco.
Jonjee is at present high school principal at Xavier Univerity,
Cagayan de Oro. Jonjee
calls me Lolo
Pisiong.
Next
is Fr. Leonel Sumpaico, age 65, a Jesuit in 1969, ordained priest in
1980. This is our wake for lenie. Lennie
calls me Tio
Pisiong.
Ako
naman si
Fr. Simplicio Sunpayco, at 84 looking like 94 but feeling like 34,
a Jesuit in 1946, ordained in 1960, 52 yrs ago. Known to many as Fr.
Sim, as well as by other names, like - ma-asim
Endless
questions: Related ba
kayo?
Why different spelling? A long time ago Lennie and I accepted this
explanation: our clan’s Chinese patriarch was, and as with mga
Intsik,
carried his name with three sounds or characters: sun
was the family name; pay
– first name, co
– title of the family. when he became christian he was baptized
fernando. his three names in chinese were given to him as his family
name, fernando s
u n
payco. It would have been simpler, shorter: Fernando Sun.
In
rural Philippines before urban sophistication, surnames were
considered too formal, so people used apt descriptions: si
kulas na musikero,
si
tecla na duling. Here
is the real explanation:
Why we, close relatives, spell our family name differently? When
asked in school or in Church for their names, our elders did not
bother to check how their names were recorded. They all sounded the
same to them: Sumpaico, Sunpayco; unaware of the different
spellings.
In
Taiwan and Macau I visited the shrines of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen, looking
for connections with the founder of the Republic of China. Lennie
aimed higher, around Amoy in Southern China he searched for remnants
or descendants of the clans of taipans: Co-juang-co, Tan-jang-co,
Sio-pong-co, Sun-tay-co, Sun-pay-co.
Our
clan, must have inherited the Chinese trait of preserving family
close relations: our parents, siblings, cousins, grand children stick
close to one another enjoying each others company. I happily suggest
our menu as prayer,
laughter
and friendships.
During this wake, when we view Lennie’s remains, aware of the
coming separations, we are solemn, quiet. tears flow, with deep
feelings whispering our prayer and final good-byes.
Then
back to our treasure – humor. With remarks like; one gone, two to
go. looking at me, “You are older, yet Kuya Lennie has gone
ahead”: masamang damo daw, mala yerba nunca muere. Difficult
to get rid of bad weeds! I said: ok lang. Gastado na ang
spare parts but umaandar pa!
Confusion
too was in the identity of who actually died. a number of friends
came, saw me and said – nakangiti naman: We heard “Fr. Sim is
dead!” a cell phone caller could not believe I was alive and
answering his call. Bic-bic, family of pixie sinugba bangus, looked
into the coffin. “hindi ito si Fr. Sim.” maybe adding
“iyong nakaburol ay gwapo.”
From
our Fr. Lucas Infirmary driving his battery operated golf cart, Fr.
Vicente Marasigan, 94 yrs old, 78 a Jesuit, 67 a priest came up to
bless Lennie. Then in a loud vibrant voice, his request: “Fr.
Lennie bata ka pa, iniwan mo na kami sa infirmary, pagdating mo sa
langit sabihin mo sa Panginoon, pagod na ako, matagal na akong
nagtitiis dito sa lupa.” Reddie, Lennie’s kuya
said;
“Don’t worry, Fr. Vicente, magdarasal
kami na kunin ka na.”
Jesuits mark in our graves dates of our three birthdays: on this
planet, in the Society of Jesus, and in heaven. So during this wake
we recall, remember memories of Lennie’s life. It is not nihil
nisi bonum de mortuis.
His was like most of ours, a medley: we say “thank
you”
to the Lord for Lennie’s desire for creativity, to render big
service to others, for his leadership qualities. But
virtue can also produce undesirable side effects. In Lennie, it
was being too sure of his ways.
In
La Ignaciana as head of PJJA, he called some friends to plan a
crematory with a bakery on top. There will be a coffee shop, a
candle factory, etc. all to augment funds for the formation of young
Jesuits. In Maramag, he abolished all mandated and religious
organizations, then he called me: “My parish is now ready, Tio
Pisiong, for your B.E.C. [Basic Ecclesial Communities]” When
I got there, from an old woman: “Padre gusto sa among pari
tanan bago. Tigulang na kami!’’ When in Lumbia Fr. Lennie
wanted Xavier University to give him rooms in Manresa for a center
to buy vegetables from all his barrios; store, and sell them when
prices are right. The goal was to direct profits from the middlemen
to the growers.
Also
to raise funds for people, Lennie raised dogs, purebred, no less.
With a machine manual and a few boys, in his shop he wanted to
remodel old cars converting their front engines to run the car from
the rear. Such hobbies were questioned for their feasibility. his
community resented the noise from them. lennie kept his activities
with his good intentions. One Jesuit close to him told me: among the
three of you, you
are the thesis,
:ennie
the antithesis,
and Jonjee
the synthesis.
His
papa,
Dr. Joaquin, my first cousin organized the S-W Kalinga Foundation:
[Sumpaico
and Wenceslao (wife’s family name)] to support seminarians. San
Carlos Seminary was the first beneficiary. But upon my appointment as
formator at San Jose Seminary, Josefinos shared its funds. Joaquin
would tax all in the family with income for priesthood candidates.
Service for others is ingrained in the family but Lennie’s style
was different from his siblings.
In
our infirmaries, with diminished ability and mobility we pray to
accept God’s plan for our later years: not to live with the past,
no moaning as if left behind, but to rejoice that younger capable
Jesuits are taking over our jobs. I doubt whether this was a problem
with Lennie: diagnosed with blood cancer some five or six years ago,
he was in his jesuit residence room or getting medical treatment,
chemotherapy and injections only when doctors ordered. Otherwise
carrying his medications that once included all of 80 fern vitamin c
in a day, he would drive where he could do some pastoral ministry, to Baguio or even abroad, most of the time with Ateneo co-graduates.
A
real God’s blessing for Lennie and for many others are these
generous co-graduates, 1961 in grade school, 1965 in high school, and
1969 in college. Every first friday of the month Lennie celebrates
mass for them and their wives, then they plan other activities. Many
of them are here, part of the mystery that is Lennie; how he could
be a source of conflict and also inspire and evoke such loyalty.
Finally Lennie, with all your sins of ommission and commission, which also
are similar to ours, what else is lacking if in god’s mercy you
have made it to the Father’s Kingdom! So lennie, my nephew,
here is your “bring house” my pabaon as you go!
A Story:
St. Peter has brought in all the sheep and the goats in their place
in heaven, including a smiling fr. lennie who has miraculously
mellowed. He almost could not believe how merciful the lord has
been to him, until he watch in wonder that the gate keeper is
about to close the gates with somebody still outside. Looking
closely Peter was surprised to see it was Jesus. “Master, what are
you doing there. I am about to close the gates.” “Just a minute
Simon Peter, I am still waiting for Judas.”
