Tribute to Fr. Butch

(Batch '87 was privileged to pay tribute to Fr. Butch during the Necrological Rites on September 4, 2009, 6 PM, at the Home for the Clergy, the only OLPS Batch that was given such privilege. Watch out for the video as soon as TV 11 finishes the editing. Here's the full transcript of the tribute.)


FADE AWAY SHOT
Written by : toteperez with contributions from Batch ‘87
Edited by : Gibbs Cadiz
Delivered by : Tato Marcial


Leaping high up in the air, leaning backwards, body moving away from the defense, hands swiftly flicking the ball, shooting it seamless to the hoop… all of these done with effortless finesse, unexpected power and energy and graceful execution. Such was the trademark basketball move of Fr. Butch, the Fade Away Shot…

Aside from basketball, Fr. Butch was also a track and field enthusiast, a disciplined athlete, a no–nonsense mentor, a dedicated formator, a brotherly class adviser. Fr. Butch was the class adviser of the OLPS Batch 87 when we were sophomores. The year was 1984, and we had some memorable memories to share with him.

One funny incident happened with Totep. One Saturday morning after the general house cleaning, Totep tried to ask permission from Fr. Butch to allow him to go on a home visit. Home visits then were a luxury; seminarians had to justify why they should be allowed on unscheduled and personal home visits.

Totep mustered enough courage to knock at Fr. Butch’s room. When he heard Fr. Butch’s deep baritone voice tell him to enter his room, Totep slowly opened the door and immediately thought he saw Fr. Butch sitting on a chair. He then began speaking and justifying why he needed to go home, as if doing an oral thesis defense or a comprehensive examination.

But Totep was wondering why Fr. Butch seemed amused and surprised. Then he heard Fr. Butch’s voice speak from behind him: “Sige Totep, puede ka na mag- uli sa balay nindo.” Totep turned around and saw Fr. Butch smiling. The sitting “Fr. Butch” turned out to be his twin brother.

Another incident happened with Joven one night at the small dorm up. About an hour after lights off at 9PM, while everybody had begun snoring, Joven carefully unfolded a pornographic magazine. Using a pen light as illumination, he feasted his eyes on the photos of nude models. After a while, to his surprise, the illumination from his pen light became brighter. The additional light came from a bigger flashlight held by Fr. Butch, who had nimbly and silently walked like a cat to Joven’s bed, catching Joven defenseless. Joven had to turn over the contraband to Fr. Butch in total surrender.

It was on the Feast Day of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary on October 7, 1984 when the accident happened that rendered Fr. Butch wheel-chair bound. He was supposed to drive his motorbike to catch the concelebrated mass in Casiguran. But, at the last minute, he decided to join his brother priests in the car that would meet the accident.

We were simply shocked. We could not imagine the ever energetic and athletic Fr. Butch being physically disabled at a prime age, when he was just starting his mission as a priest. The 1984 Intramurals was the saddest ever. Most of the time, our priest-formators led by then Rector Msgr. Francisco Monje were at the hospital to pray with Fr. Butch, to boost his morale and spirit. Fr. Douglas Dimaano took pains to almost single-handedly manage and officiate the games, armed with his usual antics and witty jokes to also keep our spirits high.

After the accident, Fr. Butch’s life was never the same again. His court and track and field were confined to his wheel-chair. Instead of a ball, his limp hands held a joystick to maneuver his automatic wheelchair… We terribly missed his Fade Away Shot.

But his spirit could not be dampened. His body was incapacitated, but not his spirit. Years passed, he became one of the soothing voices on the airwaves, preaching the Good News. During nighttime at around 8:45PM, he delivered brief reflections on the Gospel for the following day within the Hello Father Program aired over DZGN Spirit FM. His deep baritone voice was surely an inspiration to weary souls, bringing calm and comfort after a hard day’s work and struggle.

His death was never a surprise to us. His long struggle with physical disability surely deserved a restful end. But we know that Fr. Butch was very much prepared to return to the Father.

This is his final fade away shot to the heavens. But, in fact, Fr. Butch is not simply fading away. He showed us how to do a perfect fade away shot, uncontested. His best fade away shot was done on his wheelchair and sick bed, where he continued to be faithful to his priestly vocation and mission, in solidarity with the Passion of Christ, the High Priest.

Fr. Butch is now passing that “ball” to us, for us to study and perfect our own versions of the Fade Away Shot in our own lives. To the end, he was a great teacher and formator.

Dios Mabalos for your Fade Away Shot, and till next ballgame, Fr. Butch!