Not an easy feat to reach 80 years old and beyond. But these 5 Jesuits have proven something more – graciously celebrating 50 years in the priesthood and growing even more passionate in their mission to serve the Lord and His people.
Frs. Emeterio Barcelon, Bill Klintworth, Jim O’Donnell, Simeon Reyes, and Tom Steinbugler, all of the Society of Jesus, are celebrating their golden years as priests in the Society of Jesus this year.
At present, Fr Barcelon and Fr. Klintworth are assigned in Xavier University, (Ateneo de Cagayan) and Frs O’Donnell, Reyes, and Steinbugler are based in the Ateneo de Manila University.
A Manileno from birth, Fr Emeterio BarcelonSJ or Fr Terry to many of his friends entered the Society of Jesus in 1948. He said he finished only high school and a year of gallivanting abroad when he applied to join the Jesuits. He was ordained a priest in Woodstock, Maryland, USA in 1961 and took his final vows at the Ateneo de Davao University in 1981. Fr Terry finished his Masters of Business Administration (1966) and Doctor in Philosophy in Business Adminsitration (1969) from New York University. In 1968 he attended the International Teachers Program (ITP), Harvard Business School, Boston.
In 1964, he served as the Treasurer of the Ateneo de Manila Jesuit Residence and next year at the Loyola House of Studies. In 1969 a professor in Asian Institute of Management for five years. In 1973 to 1993 , he was a Senior Fellow of Development Academy of the Philippines. In 1974, he became Rector and President of Ateneo de Davao University. He constructed 9 new buildings in his 12 year stint as ADDU President and stirred the university to higher place in academic excellence and social development progress amidst the turbulent years of the 80s. In 1979 he founded the Kapwa Upliftment Foundation, Inc as an entity to nurture service to others based on the teachings of the late Director General Fr. Pedro Arrupe,SJ.He was also Dean of the Graduate Institute of Mindanao for 6 years. After Davao in 1987, he was assigned to Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro to become the Academic Vice-President and later the Vice President for Special Projects. He retired at 75 years old from academe chores of Xavier University in 2003. At 81 years old he returned to his first love-teaching he teaches management and business subjects in the graduate school up to the present .
Fr Terry’s work goes beyond the university. In the early 90s, he started to be involved with MILAMDEC, a Foundation that is helping in the economic development and job creation of poor people and ethnic communities. He was instrumental in strengthening and expanding the Foundation to assist more projects and serve more people. To date, the Foundation engages in micro-finance, forestry, marine biology, community organizing, seaweed processing, fisherfolk organizing, leadership training, Nature Farming Technology System and the work with disadvantaged children. The Foundation’s biggest project is Tibod sa Barangay, a micro-lending Grameen style with 20,000 members in many poor places in Mindanao. His passion to social progress and development led him to the establishment of two Rural Banks, one in Bukidnon and one in Misamis Oriental and his seemingly significant influence in power industry particularly in Mindanao. At 83, Fr Terry never stops finding ways to continue serving God and his people especially the poor.
Fr William P Klintworth SJ or popularly known as “Fr Bill”, was born on June 21, 1930 in New York, USA. He entered the Society of Jesus on July 30, 1948 and was ordained into priesthood on June 17, 1961. He pronounced his Final Vows on August 15, 1964.
Fr Bill took his special studies in Theology at Fordham University and at the University of San Francisco. With his good academic background, he taught Theology in the three Ateneo Universities (Ateneo de Naga: 1963-1965/1967-1980; Ateneo de Manila: 1965-1967; and Xavier University: 1980-2009). From 1988 till May 1994, he was the Chairperson of the Religious Studies Department of Xavier University. After his stint as Chair, he continued to serve as a faculty member of the department and had always been a good support to the unit. He finally retired as a professor in theology in March 2005.
Fr Bill was not merely a co-faculty to his colleagues but most significantly, he was a good friend and a good “father” to them. His “holy” presence truly made a difference in the lives of the people he worked with and worked for. At present, he is still serving Xavier University as one of the campus ministry’s regular confessors during retreats and recollections of the college students. Despite his not-so-good health condition, Fr Bill has no plan to stop doing pastoral ministry to the University community.
For three decades, Fr Bill has chosen to be at Xavier University as a teacher, a “father,” and a friend. Indeed, Xavier University is truly blessed with his presence.
Fr James O’Donnell SJ, a New Yorker, was born on April 25, 1931. He entered the Society of Jesus on July 30, 1948, at the age of 17. He was ordained into priesthood on June 7, 1961 and took his final vows on April 22, 1982.
Fr Jim, as he is fondly called by his friends, went to Berchmans College in Cebu for his Philosophy course in 1952-1955. He then taught at the Ateneo de Tuguegarao in 1955-1958. Three years after his ordination, he was appointed High School Principal of Xavier University (then Ateneo de Cagayan) from 1964-1969 and as Academic Vice President in1973-1977. After his assignment at Xavier University, he went back to New York for three years and became the Headmaster of Xavier High School, New York, USA (1977-1980).
In 1980, Fr Jim came back to the Philippines and continued his mission in education at the Ateneo de Manila University. At ADMU, he was appointed Assistant Dean for the Graduate School in 1981-2000, Rector of the Jesuit Community in 1981-1987, and Assistant Director of the Ateneo Teacher Center and full professor of the Education Department in 1985-1999. From 1989-2008, he was appointed Director of the Jesuit Basic Education Commission (JBEC).
Fr Jim is considered to be one of the pillars of the education apostolate of the Society of Jesus. Being one of the best Jesuit-educators in the country (he got his PhD in Education Administration at Fordham University), he has been instrumental in the formation of the “minds” and “hearts” of a number of Ateneans particularly in Xavier University and in the Ateneo de Manila University.
For 22 years, Fr Jim has been a visiting professor of the IDEA (Institute for the Development of Educational Administration) Program at Xavier University, teaching instructional/classroom supervision and management to grade school/high school teachers, and school administrators all over the country. As a professor, he is known to be well-organized, even to the extent of being understood as a “perfectionist.” But this characteristic of Fr Jim makes him more “credible” and a “lovable” professor to his students. Truly, he is an exemplar of “excellence” in the field of education.
Fr Jim may no longer be with Xavier University on a full time basis, but one thing is for sure, he loves Cagayan de Oro; he has simply found a home in this City of Golden Friendship.