Poor man, great man Dr. Oscar Suarez

Poor man, great man Dr. Oscar Suarez, a f?ne servant of the Lord, passed away  last week. Th?s column?st ?s one of h?s numerous adm?rers. He was my conf?dante when  I was  ?n Cambr?dge attending a conference and he was study?ng at Pr?nceton Theolog?cal  Sem?nary for h?s PhD, we would talk on the phone for a long t?me, upon h?s ?ns?stence, charged to h?s account.

He was a pleasant person, greet?ng everyone w?th sincerity. That made h?m popular and well-loved. He ?s surv?ved  by h?s w?fe, Marlene N. Suarez,  who ?s executive d?rector at the Department of Resource Development, CBN As?a, and daughters M?chelle Car?sse, assoc?ate lawyer at  the Fer?a Tantoco Roben?ol Law Off?ces, Makat?, and Patr?c?a May,  fourth year h?gh school student at  St. Scholastica’s  College, Man?la.

I am reproduc?ng a memor?al accolade by B?shop Jess?e S. Suarez, sen?or pastor at the Church of the R?sen Lord, UP D?l?man, where he once served as pastor ?n the 1980s.

Poor man, great man

By Bishop Jessie Suarez

Oscar Susm?rano Suarez was born to a poor couple, Hermogenes Rigos Suarez and  Angeles Magpantay Susmirano, in the town of Candelaria, Quezon.  His late father was a pitiable carpenter who earned a living from his irregular work, while his mother was a simple and plain housewife who unwearyingly attended and took care of their eight  sons. At a young age, our Tiya Miguela and Tiyo Al took him to their home,  knowing fully well that our parents could not really support their children. Hence he grew up under the care and guidance of our tita and tito from whom he also learned the fundamentals of Christian living. It was perhaps such upbringing and his involvements in the work of our small church there that eventually brought him to Union Theological Seminary ?n Dasmar?nas, Cav?te — where he obtained his pastoral degree in theology.

As a pastor, Oscar served a number of churches which included the  Church Among the Palms, UP Los Banos, UCCP, Ibaan, UCCP-Rosario in Batangas, Church of the Risen Lord in UP Diliman and Cosmopolitan Church.

Oscar was not a perfect man.  Nor was he a perfect pastor.  He had his own share of human frailties and imperfections. But it was precisely h?s recognition of his own imperfection that he strived for the best and to give all of h?s  best to  the glory of his Master.

As a co-servant, fellow pastor and younger brother, I always considered Pastor Oscar as a source of inspiration. He was a motivating force who persistently obliged me to learn, read and strive harder.  He always wanted me to arm myself with knowledge and wisdom for effective and efficient churchmanship.  H?s  pastoral advice and no-nonsense spiritual counsel kept me on my toes.  He was a true and faithful servant of God. And for all his examples of servitude to God and people, spoken and lived out, I proudly consider him as a great man of faith. Truly among Christ’s followers, greatness is solely based on service.  He did not aspire to be great, but he exemplified how it is to be a true servant, and for which he is considered a great man of faith. Atty. Joel Bodegon aptly said of him “Like the bread that we partake at communion, Kuya Oscar was broken too — to remind us of our separateness, our divisions, our never ending quarrels, and God’s promise to gather us anew.”

For his daring advocacies for peace, justice and righteousness, he epitomized the character of a valiant prophet.  He knew exactly how it is to be a victim of injustice as he also experienced the sting and brutality of human transgressions in his lifetime. Atty. Perfecto Yasay Jr. puts it more fittingly, “Ironically, it was his struggle for compassion, equality and harmony that eventually broke his heart. But what clearly defined him was the firm conviction that a person filled with the Holy Spirit is always a model of kindness and humility. He fully discerned that one cannot be spirit-filled while rejecting others for their weaknesses and shortcomings.”

Now that Dr. Suarez has passed on to the other realm, it is my honor to salute him with paramount admiration. He was born a poor son, but perished a great man!  “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,?which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”  (NRVS)

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The Un?on Church of Man?la ?s mark?ng ?ts 100th ann?versary th?s year.

In thanksgiving, UCM has planned an exc?t?ng l?ne-up of events for the year. One of the h?ghl?ghts w?ll be a mus?cal celebrat?on of love, fa?th and hope ent?tled ‘’ Heart of  Songs’’  to be staged on July 13 at  6.30 p.m.

The special concert w?ll feature renowned soprano, Supreme Court Deputy Adm?n?strator Jenny L?nd Aldecoa-Delor?no, and mult?-awarded tenor Jonathan Gonzalo Badon.  The?r mus?cal collaborat?on for the past  15 years has earned cr?t?cal accla?m both here and abroad. The?r soulful rend?t?ons of a w?de range or reperto?re – from opera class?cs to contemporary favor?tes,   from popular F?l?p?no songs to sacred mus?c – make them the ult?mate cross-over art?sts.

The?r carefully selected reperto?re of heart songs for th?s upcom?ng concert prom?ses an unforgettable del?ghtful even?ng. The concert,s proceeds  w?ll go to the UCM’s Centenn?al Flagsh?p Project – to bu?ld homes, donate 100 bancas, g?ve 100 grants for l?vel?hood restoration, and prov?de support and counsell?ng to gr?ef-str?cken v?ct?ms of  super typhoon Yolanda along  coastal v?llages ?n Northeastern towns of  Ilo?lo.

Wh?le adm?ss?on to the concert ?s free, donat?ons made out to Un?on Church of Man?la Inc.: FAO Centenn?al Project w?ll be apprec?ated.

Carmenc?ta de Leon Regala ?s cha?r of the Centenn?al Task Force, and Ch?to L. Delor?no ?s cha?r of Project- Heart Songs.

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Ema?l: dom?n?torrev?llas@gma?l.com