By Angeles G. Hiñola

Father Terence Bennett, now in charge of the Columban house in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, retired from parish work in February 2004. His successor, Father Rolly Albert A. Escubido, is a diocesan priest.

The Columbans first came to the Philippines in 1929. By the early1950s they were spread out in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. Their gigantic task was to engage in a massive evangelization program for the Filipino people.

One of the parishes in Negros Occidental that the Columban Fathers took over when they came there in 1950 was my hometown, Kabankalan. At that time, the population of the town was rapidly growing and the old Filipino priest, Padre Juan, could no longer cope with the spiritual needs of the people in the poblacion, in the barrios and in the hinterlands.

Young and inspiring

I first met Fr Terence Bennett in 1954 in my hometown. He was very young, about 27, very good-looking, with a cheerful and smiling face. With his pleasing personality, it was easy for the parishioners to gather in large numbers during his Masses and listen to his homilies, which truly inspired the heart.

One of the many families whose lives he touched was my own. Five of my eight siblings served as acolytes to the Columbans, particularly to Fr Bennett, and one of my sisters joined the Sisters of St Paul de Chartres.

Legion of Mary

One of the assignments of Fr Bennett given by his superior, the late Fr Thomas Cronin, and later by Fr Patrick Hurley, was to supervise the Legion of Mary in the parish, involving teachers and students. The Columbans bought the only high school in town, Kabankalan Academy, now Kabankalan Catholic College, where I taught for five years, which served as the seedbed of the Legion of Mary for the whole parish. Fr Bennett gave us proper instruction about the Legion system, its primary objectives and how we could truly win souls for Jesus through Mary. With his inspiring and challenging allocutios, the spiritual talks given by the spiritual director at each meeting, we legionaries were moved to do our apostolic work with zeal and determination to bring the Word of God to the people to win them from the snares of the devil.

In 1959, I transferred residence to City Heights Subdivision, Bacolod City, and taught in Bacolod City High School. I got married in 1961 and was blessed with four sons and a very religious and devoted husband.

I met Fr Terence Bennett again in 1995 when he was assigned to City Heights as parish priest, taking the place of Columban Father Michael Cullen who retired. He told me of his various assignments in Negros since 1951. He leftNegros in 1960 for six years with Student Catholic Action in Manila followed by seven years in Britain, after which he returned to Negros. He worked as vocation director from 1992 till 1994.

As parish priest

When Fr Bennett came to City Heights in 1995, he was no longer young but retained his good looks and cheerful nature. For nine years, he served as parish priest with true dedication and hard work. He showed this through celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation for two hours every Saturday and teaching us parishioners the value of punctuality. His immediate response to sick calls day or night was truly remarkable, because to him saving the soul of the dying was more important than all the wealth in the world. Another very laudable task was to hear confessions at Bacolod City National High School for teachers and students from Monday to Thursday in preparation for the First Friday Mass. This he did all year round.

But to Fr Bennett, the work of the legionaries was the most fulfilling and truly meaningful to him in his service and love for the poor. He loved the poor and, because of our Legion reports, would inspect their living conditions and provide them with materials for their homes, give medicine to the sick, the elderly, the disabled, and assist in the education of their children. When the parish secretary died of cancer leaving seven young, helpless children and a jobless husband, Father Bennett, with the approval of their father, brought the girls to a home run by Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity in Victorias City and has provided for their food, clothing and education until they are ready to be on their own. He has provided tuition fees for many other poor students in college and in the seminary.

In his final word to us he said, ‘You, my dear legionaries, are the apostles of Christ. Like Sts Peter and John, you should love and respect one another. And as you perform your weekly apostolate, radiate your love to the poor. They need help. They lack faith. They are wanting in knowledge. Be a light to them and lead them out of the darkness of sin so that one day they will be ready to come face to face with our Divine Master.’

To our dear Fr Bennett, we will truly miss you and your spirit-filled allocutios. Rest assured that we legionaries will not fail you in your expectations. We love you.

Farewell.