August 22, 2015
Requesting prayers for Fr. Robert J. Suchan, S.J., (March 17, 1926-August 22, 2015) one of our Jesuits in our infirmary at the Jesuit Residence. Fr. Suchan died of apparent heart failure. Fr. Bob, 89, entered the Society on 1 February 1944 and was ordained a priest on 16 June 1956.
Wake: The wake is in the Oratory of St. Ignatius, Loyola House of Studies [Ateneo de Manila University campus, Loyola Heights, Q.C.]. Daily wake Masses at 8 p.m.
Funeral Mass: On Tuesday, 25 August at 8 a.m. in the Oratory of St. Ignatius, LHS.
Interment: Sacred Heart Novitiate Jesuit Cemetery, right after the Funeral Mass.
The usual suffrages are requested for Fr. Suchan: all members of the Philippine Province should offer for him one Mass, all members of his local Community should offer two Masses (see Phil. Prov. Jesuit Ordo, pp. V-VI).
Notes of condolence may be sent to the family through his nephew, Mr. Rick Suchan [rsuchan@buffalodiocese.org]. Fr. Bob was one of 11 siblings. He is survived by his brother and three sisters.
BIOGRAPHY OF FR. ROBERT J. SUCHAN, SJ
By Sch. Amado T. Tumbali, Jr., SJ
Asst. Province Archivist
Fr. Robert J. Suchan was born on 17 March 1926 in Buffalo, New York, USA, and entered the Jesuits at St. Andrew-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, New York on 1 February 1944, where he also spent his juniorate. Prior to his entrance, he attended his primary education at St. Gerard’s Parochial School in Buffalo, then secondary and tertiary instruction at Canisius High School and College, respectively, as a Knights of Columbus scholar.
He first arrived in the Philippines in 1947 and stayed for the next six years to first, study Philosophy at Novaliches and La Ignaciana, then regency at San Jose Seminary at Highway 54 where he taught a variety of subjects: English, Latin, Religion, Ancient and Medieval History, including High School Math and Speech. In 1953, he returned to USA to commence theological studies at Woodstock, Maryland where, after four years, he finished S.T.B. and S.T.L. He was ordained deacon at Fordham University Chapel in Bronx, New York on 15 June 1956 by Bishop Joseph M. Pernicone and priest at the same chapel, the following day, by Francis Cardinal Spellman. After studies, he did his tertianship at Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, New York; then, back to studies again in Columbia University, New York City for a Masters degree in Library Science, graduating with honors.
On his second stint in the Philippines, Fr. Bob was assigned to Ateneo de Manila University as Director of Libraries from 1959-1982. During these years, he “protected the integrity of the library and demanded respect for the institution,” as Samie Lim says in his write-up for Fr. Bob in To Give and Not to Count the Cost. One of Fr. Bob’s contributions is his founding of the Library Materials Project in 1969 and, along with other Jesuits like Frs. Raf Borromeo and Jose Bacatan, their active participation in the said institution at national scale, the Philippine Library Materials Foundation Inc., an NGO that aims at helping expand library resources and improve research capacities around the Philippines through donations from libraries abroad.
After 23 years in AdMU, Fr. Bob was assigned to Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City in 1982 (until 2013) where he taught Religious Studies and later ministered to the grade school and university chaplaincies and became a familiar figure in the confessional; adding-on his pro-life advocacy. At certain periods, he also served the community as acting minister and house librarian. Nevertheless, within these years, he did not fail to extend his pastoral availabilities outside Cagayan de Oro as campus minister at Ateneo de Zamboanga while teaching History of Philosophy for a semester in 1991, succeeding Fr. Ralph Gehring as director of LST library in 1996, and assistant parish priest at Our Lady of Lourdes Philips, Bukidnon from 1996-99.
After two years at the Jesuit Residence Infirmary, AdMU, Fr. Bob died of cardiac arrest due to arrhythmia on the afternoon of 22 August 2015.
Rest now Fr. Bob, you have been a good and faithful servant of our Lord!
Loreto T. Garcia on August 24, 2015 AT 09 am
A true christian and servant of God. May he rest in Peace, Amen.
christine p. rosal on August 24, 2015 AT 11 pm
Fr. Bob you took the wind out of my sails! You are sorely missed! This side of eternity will never be the same again without you. It was a joy, a privilege and a blessing to have known and loved you! What a good and faithful servant of God. To God be the glory! +amdg!
John Walter on August 26, 2015 AT 12 pm
My uncle, Father Bob was an inspiration to me and all of us nieces and nephews. His work in the Ateneo de Manila University libraries was a remarkable example of the power of complete commitment to a belief. Though his visits back to the US were rare, I will always treasure our conversations on those occasions.
I haven’t heard of heaven’s library, so it must need some work… they certainly called on the right guy!
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