A BELGIAN who came from a devoutly religious family was a newly ordained priest in 1929. He was 26 years old then, with a doctorate in Theology and another in Philosophy.
Two years later, he was sent to his assignment, the Philippines. He had to undergo lessons in Ilocano and Kankana-ey. Finally, he was assigned to the quaint and beautiful town of Kabayan, where other Belgian priests were assigned before him. There he met with the beautiful natives whom he found friendly and welcoming. He started knowing the people and teaching them catechism. Others, of course, refused to listen to his teachings and many ignored him. However, as the months passed, he was able to win the people's faith and acceptance. This was because of his humility and generosity.
They called him Apo Willy or Fr. Willy, also known later as Bishop William Brasseur of Baguio and the Montañosa. During his younger years in Kabayan, his mission place, he went from house to house usually in the evenings when the people were gathered after a day's work in the farm and the children were present. He prayed with them, taught them prayers of the faith, and in fact, translated many prayers in their language. He also translated religious songs into the people's language to make them understand fully what they were saying. There were no roads then in his mission place, so Apo Willy hiked many distances, sometimes 14 kilometers, rain or shine, trekking the mountain trails or climbing up and down the steep paths using the blades of grass as hand rail. People noticed the scratched and bloodied hands as he went on his mission teaching catechism to the people, baptizing the children and the adults too. Later, he was on horseback but most of the time, he would let his companion or guide take the horse and he would walk along.
His problem with language he solved by getting a notebook where he wrote translations and lessons on the native language assisted by the people of the place. He was relentless in this venture and more determined was he to fulfill his mission for Christ. As he taught the children and adults who would surround him, he realized that there were many who got sick and lacked medication. From then on, he started carrying medicines with him everywhere he went and later treated the sick people himself. The people's needs grew so he made part of his humble chapel and lodging place a clinic where sick people sought medical help. For this concern, he sought the help of his family and friends in Belgium for medicines, clothing, food and other needs.
From the academic classrooms of the University of Leuven, his classrooms in Kabayan where the open space under the trees where dogs, chicken and sometimes pigs roamed as well; or in a house of one of the Kabayan families. His students were mostly barefoot then and his meals or snacks were camote and black coffee which he enjoyed fully. This was Apo Willy who later became the parish priest of the Baguio Cathedral and Baguio Diocese, Provincial Superior of the CICM , the congregation that started St. Louis University, and later Monsignor William Brasseur, First Bishop of the Montañosa, the last Belgian to hold such a position in the Cordillera.
I invite you all to reserve a book of the same title about Bishop Willy. The book will be out between September to October of this year to be launched by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Tuding or the SIHM. The author is yours truly, with invited contributors giving their impressions of the Great Missionary of the Cordillera. Thank you!
Baguio, I love you!