Father Juan Ledesma, S.J., 100 years old

Today, Sept. 5, is the 100th birthday of a priest well-known to many other priests but not to the general public, Father Juan Maria Howard Ledesma S.J.

He had studied at San Jose Seminary and as a young Jesuit scholastic had taught at the Ateneo de Manila, then located at Padre Faura Street in Ermita.

He studied theology in Rome where he was ordained. With his doctorate in Theology he returned to the Philippines and taught theology at San Jose Seminary. Generations of priests and bishops have been among his students. He was a brilliant and dynamic teacher, but younger teachers arrived with new ideas and little tolerance and they objected to Father Ledesma’s old-fashioned ideas. Father Ledesma suddenly found his teaching career terminated.

Lesser men might have given up or become misanthropes. Father Ledesma was made of sterner stuff. He simply and quietly started a new career. He became a publisher of books.

Even while he was still a professor, he had already published an important book. His friend and contemporary, Father Juan Trinidad S.J. had been one of the first to receive a doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. When Father Trinidad died, he left behind in manuscript his Tagalog translation of the Bible. The Old Testament was unfinished but the New Testament was complete. This Father Ledesma edited and saw through the press. It bore the title "Ang Bagong Tipan, isinalin ni R. P. Juan Trinidad S.J., Doctor sa Banal na Kasulatan."

When Father Ledesma had to start a new career, he took that book as the basis for a series of popular devotional books in English and Tagalog. From the sale of these books and from many donations, Father Ledesma was able to donate large sums of money to various seminaries (in Manila, Baguio, Ipil and Malaybalay) to enable poor students to continue their studies for the priesthood.

It was Father Ledesma’s painstaking research in Guam, Rome and elsewhere that established the historical facts of the life and martyrdom of Father Diego de San Vitores, Apostle of Guam, and of Pedro Calungsod his catechist. Those historical facts formed the basis for the beatification process of both of these martyrs.

During all these years, Father Ledesma has shown himself first and foremost a priest. He exercised the priestly ministry in many churches and chapels, and in many places, including Indonesia. And many will testify to his great kindness.

To this faithful servant of Christ who turns one hundred years old today, this column offers a humble salute.