Mr. Teodoro Torres Gonzales
(August 2, 1913 – February 16, 1993)

By: Sr. Rosalinda Gonzales

What Will my Father Think?
When I enter the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) in 1983, my father thought that I came to Ireland in order to do further Medical training. I requested my younger sister Angeline to encourage Papa to attend Charismatic Prayer Meetings so that he will be open to the Holy Spirit when the time comes for him to know that what I was really doing was Religious training.

Promised Long Ago
In 1984 he has trouble with his eye and I was granted permission by my superior to come home to the Philippines and attend to my father. In the meantime I wrote to him and gently told him the truth. In reply he narrated to me this story.
When I was a baby I had a bad case of Pneumonia. No one felt that I would make it until morning of the following day – except my parents. Silently they were praying through the intercession of Our Blessed Lady to whom they had great devotion that if ever I would get better and survive, my life would be offered in God’s Service. When I made my first Communion my mother consecrated me to Our Lady of Lourdes.

Proud Father
 Papa thought that my joining the Religious Congregation of the Medical Missionaries of Mary must have been the fulfillment of their promise and he accepted it as God’s will. When I went home in 1984 for his eye operation he was a proud father who has a daughter in Religious life.

Skipped high School
My father, Mr. Toedoro Torres Gonzales, was born in Batangas, a province south if Manila. He was the eldest of seven children. His father Marcos died when Papa was a young boy so they well all left to the care of their mother Leonica.
He was a brilliant in school and so he was accelerated to the university without going through the secondary school. He was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of the Philippines.

Holy Rosary Together
He was assign to work in Bicol Region southers Luzon. There he met my mother Francisca Chavez Cargullo. They were married and have five children. The eldest Corazon died in infancy.
When he was transferred to another assignment in the course of his work wanted his family to be with him wherever he was.  Hence we have traveled and stayed in several places in the Philippines. And wherever we went we always prayed the Holy Rosary after supper art home or at our neighbor’s house, attended Sunday Masses together and had devotions to Our Lady during her Feasts.

Adopted Poor Students
I remember that while he was still a secondary school teacher in the Agricultural School my parents would ‘adopt’ poor but deserving students in order that they can at least finish secondary education. Some of our relatives also stayed with us for education purposes.

Off Mindanao
Then my father was invited to transfer to the Department of Agriculture. He left teaching and was assigned to work in Mindanao in the southern Philippines. There my mother taught Catechism. The missionary priest stayed our house when he came for the monthly Mass in the chapel built by the local residents. Other chapels in the vicinity of other denominations were burned by the Muslims. There were always many Baptisms as well Weddings and my parents stood for several as Sponsors.

U.S.A.
On one occasions the President of the Philippines the late Ramon Magsaysay came to visit us in Mindanao. After he left we learned that my father was offered a scholarship to do post – graduate studies in Mississippi, United States of America. He was the first Filipino graduate of the Mississippi State University. While my father was away we were in Luzon continuing our schooling. When it was time for to enter the University my father wanted his children to get a good Catholic education. We all studied and graduated at the Royal Pontifical University of the Philippines – the University of Santo Thomas which is run by the Dominicans.

Active Church Members
During weekends we went to the cinema, visited national parks, or went to see relatives and friends. My parents were active Church members. My Mama were members of the Catholic Women’s League while my father was a member of the Holy Name Society and the Knights of Columbus.  We were also members of organizations dedicated to Our Lady.
In 1973 my mother died. A year before that I had expressed my desire to her to be a religious. She said that if it is God’s will my desire would come true. Papa was still in the government service attending conferences at home and abroad in food and Agriculture. He had written and done research along his line of expertise and in 1976 he was given recognition as International Scientist in the field of Agronomy.

Retired
After his retirement from government service he remained active by generously offering advice to friends and colleagues. He enjoyed doing the household chores, repairs and maintenance, propagated seedlings of fruit tress for sale or for gifts, made food preserves, etc. and enjoyed visiting and receiving relatives, friends as well as strangers. He also started a small convenience shop adjacent to the house together with Angeline to be able to render service to the neighbors.

Rising Early to Pray
He did not neglect his spiritual duties. He started the day by praying at 4:00 a.m. attended Mass art the Parish Church at 5:45 a.m. and meditated on the bible after siesta in the afternoon. He ended the day with night Prayer after the news report on TV.

He was good correspondence and since I left the Philippines in 1975 in order to work to Nigeria, West Africa; he had kept me abreast of events at home. He shared his assessment of the political and economic situation or any other major or interesting events in the Philippines or in the world. Ruben, my only brother who died in 1981 was not a letter writer but Papa made up for it by keeping me well informed about my family.

Final Profession
I would have wished my father to meet other MMM’s in person since he knew many of our sisters through the MMM magazine. The opportunity arose during my Final Profession for him to come to Ireland but he gave way to Eulenia my eldest sister to represent my family as she was the only one who was never out of the country and deserved respite from her teaching job and family obligations. When Eulenia returned home in October 1991 after memorable visit in Ireland, Papa mentioned in his letter to me that it was the happiest family reunion they ever had. Eulenia was sharing her beautiful experience with the MMM sisters and had the video of the Profession to show my family.

Preparation for Death
My father said that he started not to be well in September 1991. On one occasion in February 1992 he thought he would have died. When he got better he decided to get his funeral services ready so that when the hour would come, Eulenia and Angeline would not be overburdened. He was always thankful for all the blessings that our family have receive which he had attributed to the prayers of the MMM Sisters for their families. Then became very sick in October 1992 and I went home in an emergency leave which I continued on as my home leave. I was due for it. I was due for it in March 1993 yet. My father felt he had a good life and was grateful for it. He thought that the time had come for him to rest. He wished to die while I was at home but I told him that our life in God‘s hands. He was getting better gradually although he had aged a lot of these past two years. When I finally have to book my flight to return to the missions, Papa gave me his blessings. He sincerely said that I have my life to live and a mission to fulfill. He never for once prevented me from going away. We both trusted in Him.
Three weeks after my leaving home and a few days after the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes Papa silently and peacefully left for the final home. May he rest in His peace.