KAKATHA News Events 2013
Dated: May 16, 2013
 |
| A photograph of the old Fr. Leonel Wenceslao Sumpaico, S.J. (Mercado) at the left, and young one at the right. Photograph produced by Philippine Jesuits. |
GUIGUINTO, BULACAN - "He was a big man, but he was also a biker. I've known him has a student and he was a very good one. He really loved helping people that's why he went on to be in the Philippine Jesuit Aid." This was Rev. Fr. Leonel Wenceslao Sumpaico, S.J. (Mercado) who was one of the six Jesuit Hagonoeño priests in the country who has recently died at age 65. The statement came form Mrs. Eyra Umali, a classmate of Fr. Sumpaico, also known as Fr. "Lenny" or "Len" at Loyola School of Theology (LST).
Fr. Lenny was born in 1947, a son of Dr. Joaquin Sumpaico of Mercado, Hagonoy and Illuminada Wenceslao of Pitpitan, Bulakan was already a local of Ateneo de Manila University since he was a member of Ateneo classes ‘61, ‘65, ’69 (elementary, high school and college). After receiving his education at ADMU, he joined the Jesuits together with Jesuit Hagonoeño priest veterans such as Rev. Fr. Simplicio "Sim" Sangalang Sunpayco, S.J. (Mercado), his uncle and Rev. Fr. Antonio Bartolome Bautista, S.J. (Sagrada Familia). His family legacy allowed him to be more active in becoming a missionary priest, being ordained one on June He was still a young man at the time and was also inclined to sports, especially biking. He was a person of healthy mind and body and he tried as much as he can to give himself for others. He helped with the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines as well as given spiritual exercises with students of the university. His influence has reached many people, some of them from the common places in the city. He was really a person for the poor and was quite inclined to be with them.
However a struggle Fr. Lenny had in his life was his fight with cancer. He was diagnosed with it and had to live his few years of ministry with his disease. Fr. Jose Mario C. Francisco, S.J. preached during his wake saying, "Throughout and beyond his many assignments in Jesuit life, and even during the taxing stretch of his disease, he served the dispersed community of his batch mates, their families, their friends and friends of friends. As much as he could, he broke bread with them at Ateneo Rockwell or in their homes, baptized and wedded their children and consoled their dying parents and families. To some burdened with life itself and doubtful of the Faith they first learned at the Ateneo, he spoke the Good News in down-to-earth language with a homey tone. They have been come to Lennie’s wake to pay their respects; they are present tonight. You are here, sad at the loss of your unofficial parish priest but celebrating his ministry and his peace at last."(Fr. Jose Mario C. Francisco, S.J., "Fr. Leonel Sumpaico, S.J.: M&Ms and St. Peter" in Philippine Jesuits). Before his death, one of his nephews was already a Jesuit priest, another KAKATHA member, Rev. Fr. Joaquin Jose Mari Casimiro Sumpaico, III, S.J. (Mercado) who is know Principal at Xavier University High School at Cagayan de Oro City.
Fr. Lenny died on May 6 at The Medical City. Although his cancer was in remission, his official cause of death was a heart attack. His body was brought to the Oratory of St. Ignatius Loyola at the Loyola House of Studies, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. The Funeral Mass was also done there last May 10 at 8:00 am. The internment was done at the Sacred Heart Novitiate Jesuit Cemetery after the funeral mass, thus his remains shall not be placed at the Libingang Bantayog ng KAKATHA because his congregation has a cemetery for its members. KAKATHA News Admin
No comments:
Post a Comment