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August 4, 2002 , 9:30 A.M , Sunday, in Chicago, Illinois
,U.S.A. Cita Bajamunde, a friend , called us (as I was halfway
with my Sunday's best because I was scheduled to be the
lector and my wife, Evangeline Caermare Trabanca will be the
Eucharistic minister at a 12:00 o'clock Mass at St Timothy
Church located at the northside of Chicago,) THAT BISHOP FELIX
S. ZAFRA IS DEAD gleaned from a Dipolog City phone source that
day. By the way, the priest on the 12 o'clock mass was Fr.
Zacarias Cortes, from Sequijor assigned in Dumaguete City but is
here in States to celebrate his 25th anniversary as a priest,
a gift given by the Carmelite Sisters for his 25th year of
service to the Lord.
I was totally shock. I can't believe it. In fact, I scribbled
him a letter dated July 18, 2002 but was mailed a week later.
My urge to write him was prodded by the many queries from
Monsignor's close friends, acquaintances, benefactors from the
States as well as from the diocese of Zambo. Del Norte
concerning his coming to the States. With all due respect,
Bishop Zafra, is well loved not only by Zamboanga del Norteans
but by many Filipinos and Americans alike. My sin of omission
was not replying to his many letters.
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Monsignor Felix Zafra
First Bishop of the Diocese of Dipolog |
I met Bishop Zafra physically when he solemnized our wedding at
St Mary's Chapel, Dipolog City together with the late Msgr.
Salvador F. Mora on May 29, 1973 , during the celebration of
Fr. Tuquib's installation as a Bishop. Our friendship started
by a knock on the kitchen apartment door, a stone's throw
from Norwegian American Hospital, (where my wife works) , on
that crispy summer evening of '76 when my wife had been
recovering from a caesarean birth surgery. Because of that
experience coupled with America's inevitable and veritable
loneliness ( we just arrived in the States & the stark reality
of migration engulfed us - cultural shock, discrimination,
alienation {everybody works/busy}), my wife was overwhelmed
with surprise. She felt greatly elated to be visited. And of all
things, by a Bishop. The first reaction was mixed whether to
grab and embraced the Bishop or just plainly kissed his ring on
his saintly finger for blessings and good luck which however,
was immensely needed at this point in our fledgling marital
years.
Monsignor Felix Zafra was with us in the ebb and flow of
marriage life. He visited us yearly. Every time , the Bishop comes
to Chicago he stays in our humble place where we
served meals that we can hospitably afford. The Bishop loved
fresh fruits, fish ,some vegetables, soup, tea, maybe a taste of
poultry and red meat. But your Boholano Bishop, our universal
Bishop, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Zamboanga del Norte
is a holy man. He has a halo on his head and you are on hallowed
ground when you are with him. He had transformed my life and I
learned more from him than in my textbook college years. I can
readily say and attest to that fact because I am his driver when
he is in Chicago.. And we will crisscross the highways and
avenues of Chicago in particular and Illinois in general.
Bishop Zafra is a unique breed, a rare mold , a one of a kind
fabric in the tapestry of priestly vocation. He shared me his
life story. I will just narrate to the best of my recollection
as closely as possible to what he has told me and if it is
overblown or bluntly
cut, please forgive me .
Our Bishop is one of those Few that were chosen. He is truly
destined to be a priest. He told me that he has not encountered
somebody who broke his heart. But there was a time
that he was introduced and there was that different feeling , he
recalled and that was it. The rest was serious studies and
then ordination. He did his best as a young, promising priest
and connected himself with a school. His coming to America was
propelled by a one-way ticket sent him by Rev. Fr. Mateo, a
young ambitious priest at that time. Then the lucky link with
the famous Bishop Fulton Sheen, the mission appeals , the
further studies that triggered his elevation to the Bishop's
Chair. Meanwhile, an impending problem loomed on his missionary
horizon, his pocket money for travel expenses . When he went to
Louisiana, he had barely enough dollar and a few loose change
for emergency phone calls. There was however, this Filipina
woman, a total stranger who by a fluke of circumstance invited
him to her home. When the Bishop left, she gave him an envelope
with cash and check. This incident, sparked indelibly on his
mind and began the commitment of service , an annual odyssey
that paved the way to meeting goals and benefits for the
diocese, the seminarians and the priests. I met Frs. Manuel and
Carding Recera , Fr. Manuel Duterte, Fr. Leoncio Santiago. And
lots of Boholano priest, during the Paring Bol-anon Reunion in
Chicago in which the group had garnered a good amount of dollar
for the earthquake victims and for the seminarians. The great
help extended them was by the Filipinos and Filipino-Americans
of Illinois and neighboring states. . Johnny Toralba ,a
perennial Bohol national organization president, an ex-mayor of
Bohol and myself , were among others, members of one of the
Committees. Fr. Nonoy Santiago was the over-all chairman of the
Paring Bol-anon Affair.
One time, Fr. Santiago called me to talk to the Bishop about
something because I can convey better and bring home the
message faster as I am close to the Bishop. Yes, the Bishop is
approachable , kind, humble and has a big heart. He gave more
than he received. He had an extensive improvement in the diocese
of Zambo del Norte. He built the Bishop's Palace. He extended
help to his priest, to the seminarians. And , he has produced
and helped many priests and parishes in Zamboanga del Norte.
According to him, he is very good to his priests as long as he
is not hurt when they flexed their strong muscles.
We were invited to a party tendered by a Zambo. del Norte
group. I have just picked up Bishop Zafra from the O'hare
airport. It was sumptuous. There was an extravagant display of
ethnic and American cuisine with the ever present crunchy and
tasty our- very own-Pilipino- style lechon. The Bishop came,
chatted , dined but was never conquered. The host begged for him
to stay overnight but he insisted to stay with us in our second
floor fraught-with- mess apartment as we had just moved from the
changing neighbor- hood. The Bishop was around when we broached
the idea of forming a Zamboanga del Norte Association in Nonoy
Refugio's place, together with Fr. TQ Solis and Fr. King of
Manukan. We brought up also the idea of insurance, retirement
plans, and retirement home for aged Pilipino priest. The Bishop
was amenable to the idea. And that idea materialized before his
exit from planet Earth. The Bishop was obsessed of plans to
help.
The reason for his yearly odyssey to the States. He knew he
could offer more value to his many plans in his sunset years, if
he could take that trip. And we always welcome his coming. He
loves to make trips although sometimes I could see the
deteriorating effects of old age etched on his countenance and
manifested on his gait. Yet he never forget to acknowledge the
generosity of the giver because he loves to send out
handwritten thank you notes. And according to him, he is just a
humble servant.
I could still clearly recall the airport scenario when the
Bishop phoned my wife at home. It was only three o'clock in the
afternoon and my quitting time is five o'clock. I had to find a
good reason for leaving early and met him at one of the world's
busiest airport, O'hare .Surely the Bishop was there sitting,
clutching his Samsonite bag, patiently waiting, perhaps
silently praying , serene and a sincere smile - a perfect
portrait of a Boholano, "humble, fervent lover of peace and
unity. In the face of a grave crisis the Boholanos know how to
subordinate personal interests and discard selfish ambitions in
the name of a common cause. " (the Bohol Force USFIP, later, the
Bohol Area Command.)
The Bishop is taking a trip. He has yet a mission to
accomplish. He is taking it for good. But this time he is not
coming back. Yet he lives in us. We will cherish his memory
forever in our hearts. Monsignor, please do us a great favor.
REMEMBER US WHEN YOU ARE VIS-À-VIS WITH GOD . WE WILL NEVER
FORGET YOU IN OUR PRAYER.
We missed you Monsignor! The Zamboanga del Norte Association, the
Confederation of Bohol in USA and Canada missed you. We missed
your summer visit. Your Christ-like presence. That yearly yearning
of your coming which turbo-charge us in our daily struggles to
earn a dollar. Your home & apartment masses. Your
picnic-in-the-park masses .Your Almanac. Your prayer leaflets of
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Your exemplary, unassuming and
humble self.
GOODBYE , MSGR. FELIX S. ZAFRA - A GRATEFUL PRELATE, A
FRIEND, A SAINT.
Greg In. Trabanca
Chicago, Illinois, USA
MSGR. FELIX S. ZAFRA Died: Sunday Aug. 4, 2002 1:00 p.m.
Bishop's Residence
Tagbilaran City, Philippines
Burial: Friday
Aug. 9, 2002 10:00 a.m.
Born : Jan. 14,
1920 Clarin, Bohol
e-mail: gtrabanca@aol.com ph:
773-973-3274 fax: 773-743-5507 |
