COTABATO CITY -- Another missionary priest, Fr. Prospero Gacis of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) congregation and one of the Filipino members of the OMI in the Philippines, died in his sleep Thursday morning, a day after he quietly celebrated his 91st natal day.
Fr. Eliseo Mercado, OMI, who has been writing about the life of his Oblate colleagues, said Fr. Gacis, more known among Oblates as “Fr. Pros,” breathed his last at 6:10 a.m. at the Oblates Buldoc Home in Fairview, Quezon City.
The cleric’s remains will be flown Saturday to Tamontaka in Datu Odin, Maguindanao, to be buried in the Oblate Cemetery.
Fr. Gacis had been in the Buldoc Home, the OMI’s retirement home for elderly missionaries, since June 1, 2008 after serving most of his life in difficult oblate missions.
He was the third Oblate to have died this year or in the last three months.
Fr. Elino Isip, OMI and Fr. Manny Mina, OMI separately died on August 6 and August 30, respectively.
Born on Oct. 11, 1926 and took the road to priesthood in 1949, Fr. Gacis was the 9th Filipino to become priest and was ordained in Rome in December 21, 1957.
Fr. Mercado said it was during his second year in high school that Gacis began to experience the religious call. He said Fr. Gacis found the Oblates “very human, warm, outgoing, happy and full of humor.”
“Also, he (Fr. Gacis) was also attracted to the Oblate Cross and the Cincture,” Fr. Mercado added.
Fr. Gacis’ desire to become an Oblate missionary was inspired by Fr. Gerard Mongeau, the chief of mission of seven pioneering Oblates arriving in the Philippines in 1939.
Fr. Gacis is the brother of former Defense Undersecretary Feliciano Gacis who served during the administration of President V. Ramos. (PNA)
* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at
www.wirenine.comLinkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=111128.0
