Fr. Tritz, 101
IRECEIVED two messages last week from Fr. Aristotle C. Dy, SJ, president of ERDA and of Xavier School. The first was an invitation to a Thanksgiving Mass on Friday, 16 September 2016, to mark the birthday of Fr. Pierre Tritz, SJ, and 42nd the founding anniversary of Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) Foundation. (Fr. Tritz’s birthday is on 19 September, same as my father, Jose F. Zaide Sr.; but the affair was synched with foundation’s anniversary.)
Fr. Tritz was among the Jesuits of the China Province who found their way to the Philippines in the mid-50’s. He belonged to the Xavier School Jesuit community, and going 102 years, was the Methusallah among Jesuits of the Philippine Province. He was 60 years old when he got his second wind and founded ERDA, of which he was president emeritus.
Like our Dr. José Rizal, Fr. Tritz believed that the future of the country is in its youth. Seeing so many Filipino children homeless and abandoned, he made it his mission to find a roof over their heads, to give them a chance in life through basic education. Because he found that a child was already disadvantaged on entering first grade, he began from the bottom-with kindergarten. From a motley crew, his street children swelled to over three thousand. And yet he feels he should do more. .He has pricked the conscience of Filipinos and Europeans.
The first time we met Fr. Tritz, he was travelling solo to European capitals, ringing the bell on his donors for the street children of Manila. We had the privilege of receiving him as guest of the Embassy Residence in Vienna, in Berlin, and in Paris.
After his accident, he was no longer allowed to travel alone; and that is how we had the opportunity to meet his designated heir and successor, Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ.
At the end of my tour of duty and on returning home on retirement, my wife Victoria I had the pleasurable task of delivering to Fr. Tritiz the proceeds from the Filipino Ladies bazaar at Paris, a small trickle in the flood of support for ERDA.
Last Saturday, 10 September, I received a second message from Fr. Dy: “Dear Friends and Partners,
Fr Pierre Tritz, SJ (1914-2016), founder of the ERDA Group of foundations, passed away at 7:43 p.m. on September 10, 2016, at the UST Hospital. The wake will be at the High School Multi-Purpose Hall of Xavier School San Juan, beginning late afternoon of Sunday, Sept 11. Daily Mass at 8:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, Sept 14, 8:00 a.m. at Mary the Queen Parish (just across Xavier). Interment will follow at the Jesuit Cemetery in Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches. Please pray for the repose of his soul.”
We could do better. One of the Carmelite sisters from Lucena where his sister had served as prioress, came to the wake bringing her providential pair of scissors, and after asking permission, clipped a lock of Fr. Tritz’s hair in firm expectation of a not-too-distant canonization.
PHOTO JOURNAL CONTEST. Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) dangles a new contest to tempt tourists. “An Amazing Short Break in Taiwan” is the first photo and essay (500 words) contest open to all Filipinos on the topic of why Taiwan is the shortest hop for foreign travel for Pinoys. (Hint: scenery, history, food, shopping, hitech, cheap air fares, short distance, health and leisure, lifestyle, folk arts, etc.) A photo of Taiwan and a video no more than 2 minutes may accompany the essay.
Prizes: 1st Prize winners, (two winners, each to receive economy round-trip air ticket Manila-Taipei and 3 days accommodation); 2nd Prize winners, (two winners, each to receive Taiwan Asus Zen Phone 3, a 1 10,000 value); 3rd, 4th and 5th Prize winners to receive gift certificates.
Entries by 26 September 2016 to: amazingtaiwan2016@gmail.com. Winners will be announced at ROC (Taiwan)’s National Day Celebration on 10 October 2016 at the Sofitel Plaza. FEEDBACK: