EDITORIAL - Honorary Filipino

Friend of the Philippines, beloved among Filipinos, Fr. James Reuter will be laid to rest today, in the land that he adopted as his own, and which adopted him. Almost to his last breath, the US-born priest of the Society of Jesus pursued his life’s mission of spreading the faith through formal education and mass media. He also mentored generations of Filipinos, providing quality education and helping promote Philippine culture and the arts.

James Reuter arrived in the Philippines as a young man training to become a priest. Upon ordination in the United States and after a few more years of studies, he returned, starting a lifetime of service to Filipinos. The tributes that have poured in his passing are testaments to the many lives he touched in his decades of shepherding the Filipino flock.

When darkness descended on the country during martial law, Father Reuter used Catholic media resources in supporting the struggle against oppression. He was also active in efforts, although futile, to promote free and honest elections during the dictatorship, providing support to the National Movement for Free Elections.

Those who fought to restore democracy remember his crucial role in providing Radyo Bandido for use by anti-Marcos forces at the height of the 1986 people power revolt. With the collapse of the Marcos dictatorship, Father Reuter supported efforts to strengthen the fragile democracy even as he continued his spiritual mission. He used both broadcasting and print, writing a weekly column for The STAR, in his advocacies.

In his lifetime Father Reuter would be a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award, for his work as a priest and Catholic media practitioner. His contributions to the nation were deemed so precious the two chambers of Congress unanimously voted to make him an honorary Filipino citizen. In Father Reuter’s passing, the nation has lost a valuable shepherd of the Catholic faith, a beloved mentor and friend.