If there is one person who we can say was mainly responsible
for forming the spirituality of the Passionists and former Passionists in the
Philippines, this is Father Hilarion Walters, C.P. That includes forming my
spirituality although I have left the Congregation of the Passion more than 40
years ago. In this article I would like to say something about him in the hope
that his memory will still stay with us as someone whom we can emulate.
Life
Fr. Hilarion was born Thomas Walters on December 16, 1918 in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied in the Passionist minor seminary in
Dunkirk, New York and was ordained priest in 1947. The following year he went
to China as a missionary. He went back to the USA because of the tensions in
China. He then served as director of the Passionist seminary in New Jersey. In
1958 he came to the Philippines where he stayed until his final departure on
July 7, 2013. He served as parish priest in many towns of South Cotabato,
Philippines. These were the towns of Banga, Marbel, Koronadal, Surallah, General
Santos. He was spiritual director of the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal group in General Santos City for many years. He
also served as Director of Passionist Theology Students in Metro Manila.
Parish Priest and School Chaplain
I first met Fr. Hilarion as my parish priest in Banga, South
Cotabato, Philippines in 1958. At that time I was a first year high school
student at the school Notre Dame of Banga. I was staying in a house inside the
church compound which he had put up for his cook. So every morning it was my
privilege to serve his Mass in the church. He was also the chaplain of that
school. After my first year in high school I went somewhere else to continue my
studies and so I missed seeing him for a time.
Novice Master
After my high school I decided to join the Congregation of
the Passion. After a college life of four years in this Congregation it was
time for me to enter the novitiate in General Santos City, Philippines in order
to become a Passionist. I was surprised when I met Fr. Hilarion as our Novice
Master. We were very few who entered that novitiate, only 4 for the priesthood
and 3 for the brotherhood. Fr. Hilarion formed the 7 of us to be genuine
Passionists. At the end of the year he recommended two of us to be professed,
that is, to take the vows which would make us professed Passionists. The other
one was Fr. Gabriel Baldostamon, C.P. The other novices for the priesthood with
me were Arturo Bagares and Titus Cascaro.
Fr. Hilarion and St. John of the Cross
During spiritual conferences in the novitiate Fr. Hilarion
would often refer to the analogy given by St. John of the Cross in the Ascent
of Mt. Carmel, Book 1, Chapter 11. This is about a bird that was tied to a
string. John of the Cross said that it did not matter whether the string was a
slender cord or a stout one, as long as the bird was tied to it, it cannot
freely fly. Fr. Hilarion used this image to tell us that unless we are detached
from everything we cannot be freely united with God.
Thus it was Fr. Hilarion who introduced me to St. John of
the Cross. This eventually led me to study and live more the Discalced
Carmelite spirituality until I became a Discalced Carmelite secular. This is
why I call Fr. Hilarion a father of my spirituality.
"This is only an introductory article. I have more to
write how Fr. Hilarion has become a father of my spirituality. The succeeding
articles will focus on certain aspects of Fr. Hilarion's life."
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