JESUIT NOVITIATE 1999

April 19, 1999 (Monday) – Baguio Villa (Evaluation of Secundi)

Today is just our second day in Baguio … my first as a Jesuit novice. What a terrible day! At dinner last night, Father Benny announced the inevitable: the superiors shall proceed with the evaluation of our secundi, that is, to ascertain and announce if they will or will not take their vows in May. People were naturally tense. Isn’t Villa the time for rest? Why this? Why now? Perhaps my secundi were already expecting the worst. Had they been ideal Jesuit novices? We cannot say for sure. The past year with them had been truly tumultuous, that is, people embroiled in a lot of issues and controversies. How will the superiors judge them? How will God judge them? True enough, each one was called … in alphabetical order. Before the day ended, three of them got deferred Alfonso, Moral and Paterno. Mario was hit the worst. He shut himself inside his room for almost a day. I saw Max leave the evaluation room, running to the comfort room, vomiting real hard … his head bent closest to the toilet bowl. He’s getting his vows yet he seemed so surprised. Manolet, as always was trying to be cool yet apparently deeply troubled. A while later, he dropped the “callboy” joke which terribly irked Chris. Dragging his injured leg behind him (after attempting a game of basketball with the guys), Chris likewise shut himself inside his room, that is, not after making a scene and slamming his door hard behind him. It was really a terrible day for everyone. Any Villa after this would definitely be better.

June 12, 1999 (Saturday)

Father Santi Gaa, SJ passes away today at 9:00am. We rung the bell for him. Fathers Mon, Benny and Vic B. were all not around. I just received word from Father Vic that as beadle, I should secure the late father’s room and lock it from outside. With Kuya Art with me, we entered the father’s room. I felt the eerieness of the place. We made sure everything is in place. We stepped out of the room and locked the door behind us.

June 16, 1999 (Wednesday)

Choosing to stay behind for a time in the novitiate after his batchmates left for Loyola House, Mario Moral eventually decides to leave the Society. Good luck to you, Mario. I’ll be seeing you around.