By Eva C. Visperas

 

SEVEN years ago, I conducted my first interview with a truly remarkable individual who left an indelible mark on both my mind and heart.

I cherished our conversation when I visited him at the parish of Saint Ildephonse, where he served as the parish priest. He was spontaneous, down-to-earth, sincere, and truly inspiring.

Back then, Fr. Enrique Macaraeg was 60 years old and had been appointed by Pope Francis as the bishop of Tarlac. As soon as I learned of his ordination on May 24, 2016, I eagerly sought an interview with him, which he graciously accepted.

At that time, parishioners and fellow priests informed me that ‘Fr. Ric’, as he was affectionately called, was the senior basketball player in their ranks in the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese. It seemed quite common for priests to enjoy basketball, a regular physical activity during their seminary years.

During our interview, I brought up his status as a basketball star and the most senior player in the archdiocese. “Yes, I still play. I participate in tournaments even at my age,” Fr. Ric said.

I asked if he ever felt out of place playing with much younger guys. “I don’t mind being the senior player. I can still run, and I believe I’m a better player than the younger ones,” he quipped.

Indeed, he was no ordinary basketball enthusiast. He went on to describe himself as “outstanding,” even among his fellow priests.

Fr. Ric, who played forward, had a deep passion for basketball since his elementary school days. He played from high school through his studies in Philosophy, Theology, and while earning his master’s degree. He persisted in playing basketball for decades, sadly until his last breath.

Upon his appointment as bishop, the priests of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese organized a basketball farewell game in his honor. They faced off against the clergy of the Alaminos Diocese when they learned of his new role in Tarlac.

And who achieved the highest score? “I made the highest score, 31 points,” he proudly shared.

In a heartwarming gesture, his fellow priests awarded him a trophy and retired his jersey number, 9. From then on, no one else was to wear number 9 in the archdiocese’s clergy basketball games. It was reserved exclusively for Fr. Ric, who had been using that number since high school. It was his favorite number.

He shared he was successful in using basketball as a tool for evangelization. Players began to behave better, and some who rarely attended Mass started participating in religious activities.

“They became closer to God,” he added.

He said basketball helped him stay physically fit, de-stress and recharge from the demands of his work and responsibilities.

The origin of his journey to the priesthood and his passion for basketball was also a memorable story. St. Columban nuns in his hometown of Malasiqui gathered children, including him, for catechism every Saturday. They were taken on awareness tours to the Mary Help of Christians Minor Seminary in Binmaley where they saw how seminarians spent their high school years. At that time, he had no specific dreams in life, but what initially attracted him and others was the basketball court inside the seminary. His love for the sport grew from there.

Seven years after becoming the bishop of Tarlac, I had not heard much about him, until that fateful Monday night, October 23, when the sad news appeared on Facebook with a video of the basketball game in which Bishop Ric took a shot and suddenly collapsed.

That news broke my heart, as well as the hearts of countless others who knew this extraordinary priest. “Ayi agi, antoy agawa nen Bishop Ric,” I whispered, with tears blurring my sight.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments