Remembering Fr. John Mace, SJ

A group of former Arrupeans (Ateneo de Manila, Quezon City, Philippines), mostly Jesuits, but there was also one Camilian and one layman (former Jesuit), gathered to celebrate the life of Fr. John Mace who just passed away on Feb. 21.

During the one-hour-and-a-half Mass and sharing, Fr. John is remembered as a passionate and caring superior who was also a friend to each formandee. He encouraged each one under his care to be a better version of himself and set an example by his own life of a dedicated servant of Christ.

Seemingly unrelated to Vietnam, but Fr. John is said to form the generation that is currently the back bone of the Province. He is also remembered dearly by the two scholastics who were under his care for their first few months of regency in Cambodia, as a frail old priest but an appasionate, caring and creative formator.

We don’t have anything to return the all favors he has done to each of us, except our prayers and a resolution to be the best of what we could be and try our best in whatever mission we are in, as Fr. John would like us to.